Ok, let's deal with some substantive issues here.
One. LP has alighted upon what she considers to be evidence of significant failings in RDFRS, failings that could impact badly upon RD's entire mission if people such as tax authorities deem those failings to constitute criminal malfeasance, even if he wasn't a party thereto. At the very least, he'll be open to charges of management failure on a grand scale with respect to his organisation, and
as a trustee thereof, he will also be financially liable, even if he hasn't personally profited from any of the, shall we say,
interesting goings on in RDFRS.
Two. We've all seen the media in action over events like this, and how they are perfectly willing to misrepresent those events in order to "sex up" the stories printed in newspapers and covered on TV news channels. We have threads here devoted to the appearance of said misrepresentations, when the furore about the "Year Zero" destruction of the Richard Dawkins Forums became mainstream news. Not to mention, of course, the pathetic crowings of the supernaturalist crowd over this event. Anyone who thinks that the media will suddenly behave itself over an issue of much greater magnitude, can contact me with a view to renting some timeshare holiday apartments in Afghanistan I have on offer.
Three. Thanks to the robust manner in which Dawkins has tackled supernaturalist duplicity head on in his writings, he has enemies, some of them well funded and politically well connected. Those enemies will savour an almost masturbatory delight at any discomfort Dawkins suffers as a result of the issues covered in this thread. Moreover, as I've stated, they'll use any failings, actual or imaginary, not only to attack Dawkins himself, but to try and smear the entire reality based community and its ideas.
Four. If those attacks start being mounted seriously, we
all suffer. At the very least, we should be preparing some fortifications for the coming onslaught. Ideally, we should have to hand, in advance, well prepared rebuttals of the duplicity that will emanate from supernaturalist quarters, ready to be deployed at a moment's notice.
Five. Whilst preparing those rebuttals, we need to ensure that inquisitive stormtroopers for doctrine aren't given the chance to snoop on our deliberations. They'll have enough to play with if the shit hits the fan with respect to RDFRS, without having additional material to misuse for their mendacious apologetic ends. In short:
rEvolutionist wrote:No one is suggesting keeping the alleged wrong-doings of RD secret. They are suggesting keeping any discussion about countering the inevitable smear campaign that will come from the IDiots, "a secret". They are also suggesting that any accusations of libel or slander are reduced by keeping it "a secret".
Also:
Deep Sea Isopod wrote:I'm not taking sides here, but I have interests, as we all do here, in protecting the forum and it's members.
LP has raised some issues that may interest some people, both believers and non-believers alike, and it's my opinion that it should, at least, be looked into, because when the anti-atheism movement gets wind of this they will jump on it. And this, I believe, is the point Cali is trying to make. Let's put it under wraps before any more is said (we don't know how much damage has already been done), find out the facts , then prepare for the backlash. This may include a "pre-emptive strike", as you will. Get the facts out there first (whether they be good or bad), before they are twisted all out of proportion by those with the anti-atheist agenda, or have them on standby, just in case.
However, if we just sit on this now, there are people out there who will bring up conversations like this and use it to show we knew about it, yet failed to act on it, even trying to cover it up. Now, any cover up "scandal" will be a step backwards for those atheists fighting for science and reason, and attacking the Vatican for it's own cover up scandal, also the other religions, cults, etc. which peddle their own lies and dishonesty.
Let's make no mistake here. Supernaturalism is facing serious opposition to its stolen privileges and hegemony for the first time in history, and it's not going to give those up without a very dirty fight. The enforcers of conformity to mythology based doctrines will marshal all of the forces at their disposal, to try and fend off the inevitable. The RDFRS issue could, in the worst case scenario, give them the flag to rally round that they're looking for. These people will stop at nothing, and I mean
nothing, in order to keep their privileges. Don't be under any illusions about this. They'll resort to any device, including outright criminal action, in order to get their way, and they'll not only have no worries about any collateral damage, they'll
revel in it. If this sounds hyperbolic to some, just remember what supernaturalists were capable of when they ruled the roost, and wielded absolute power.
