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Do you think the many copyright lawsuits brought on by the Cult of Scientology will bring upon its downfall?
you cared enough to answer random YA user
11 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
Your question is interesting but the way you ask it shows some unnecessary hatred.
I'll answer the interesting part of the question.
Copyright protection is a matter of interest to all artists, intellectuals, designers, inventors, as well as legal entities such as corporations, partnerships, associations, foundations, churches, etc.
Abusing copyrights by copying/sharing works that are protected by law is not only breaking the law (a crime which can, under certain circumstances, land you in jail), but also depriving the copyright owner of his/her/its monetary exchange for the works so protected. This is called theft, a crime which has been frowned upon by all societies since time immemorial. Why would anyone in his/her right mind risk ending up in jail, or paying hefty fines for stealing the property of another fellow?
The next step up in this way of criminal behavior is using stolen works through reselling or plagiarizing them. Again, a very short term view on life as such conduct has been condemned time and again in courts of law. The offender only prepares himself/herself to being handed an unfavorable verdict by society. In such circumstances, why would anyone risk his/her own good name?
Conversely, why should the Church of Scientology sue John Doe for copyright infringement? Well, if the property is theirs, why not protect it to the full extent of the law? If the intellectual property was your very own, Yuff, and was unduly exploited by others making money or staking their claim to fame with it, wouldn't you (at least) try to use the law to get your property back or have the offender ceasing to use it?
You would, undoubtedly, just as anyone else. If anyone would try to steal my guitar or my motorcycle, I would call the cops. If I would hear my own music played on the radio without my consent, I would call the station and talk to the manager. It's a natural law that man tries to protect what he bred or conceived of. The very notion of property is inbred in his behavior.
So back to your question: will the lawsuits brought on by the Church of Scientology against John Doe for copyright infringement bring about the downfall of the Church? Of course not. As long as the Church of Scientology proves the works are theirs, and proves their property was illegally copied, distributed and/or resold, their rights are protected by law. The courts will vindicate their rights, and hand down a criminal verdict against the offenders. The only downfall we'll see is the perpetrators' and those who aided and abated.
In any democracy governed under the rule of law, property is protected. It is a constitutional issue. Only under Stalinian-type regimes and in societies in total chaos are ownership rights denied the individual. Look at what happens to such regimes. The downfall is eventually theirs.
Which leads us to another question: If they are proven right in a court of law, could the fact that the Church of Scientology seeks to enforce its intellectual property rights under relevant jurisdictions -- and thereby probably incur hefty legal bills -- be a bonus for all of us who seek to derive some income from publishing our own intellectual works?
My contention: it definitely is, by virtue of the mere fact that case law stacks up, and plays in favor of anyone (artists, inventors, visionaries, and legal entities) who spends time, money, brains, and talent producing something unique and valuable in the eyes of others (those ready to consume it).
Each time copyright protection is reaffirmed, artists' and creators' rights have just gained an added layer of protection. And just for this, the latter could be thankful to those who fought the battle, and footed the legal bills for them.
Any healthy society will protect its people against the small percentage of those who make life harder than necessary for their fellowmen. Just like protection against theft, copyright protection laws are there to enable society to function better.
The downfall is really for those who do unto others as they would not want others do unto them.
- 1 decade ago
they only say there defended and protect due to
if anyone reads and finds out w/o payin out the nose the church will fail
it costs 175+k $ and 10 waiviers sayin you wont give out any trade secerts that the church of scientology is realy about aliens
if everyone knew that no one would join it
they protect due to its crazy and when someone shows there crazyness its easyer to claim Oh OH trade secerts oh thats all ours dont show that dont post that thats not true
Buy more books and tapes!
its how they save face . with people in nice suits
koo part is most scientolists dont even know what there religion is about they haveint payed enuff to know or didnt audit right
there lawsuits bring in more people to pirate there texts
more people read about the high OT lvls more people will be driven off its a win win
bad part is hardcore real cos members run software that block websites < net nanny for scientology > so ones who need to see the truth will never see it :(
all this on web and pirate's postin info is chiping away at the cos more then most know < slowin down memeber rate >
if it was true they wouldnt care . they did say they wish to help the world and if its true bring it out and let all of the world see
they dont due to its bogus and the pirates will show the world
and in the end cost the church millions <$$$> in new memebers
on the 10 there was a protest all pr for protest was over copywrite and church < thats how it started > and a call for action and 1000s showed up so it doesnt look good for the church
one poster said copywrite it means nothing
lets say i write a religon text in usa copywrite means nothing in lets say africa ..i can get mad stomp feet and such
but they will laugh and tell me to leave
if cos is truth and freedom why isnt it free to read and learn
nice riaa video tho made me cry thinking guy holding a light is onlyt makeing 35$ a hour might have to work a real job
and that video is a copy write violation due to its riped from a dvd so that youtube video should be deleted and poster sued for millions of dollers of lost cash lol
Source(s): http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=OHpjcZNM8_k&feature=... scared of the interwebs hidez the docs? http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=xKJ1bpldQPA - 1 decade ago
The right to copyright is one of the basic rights covered in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Church of Scientology supports the UDHR, and L. Ron Hubbard did as well.
It's a very important document, and I think anyone who considers that copyright isn't important should take a good look.
Take a look at this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb1kAOjn64A
It might change your mind about copyright.
- par1138 • FCDLv 41 decade ago
As surely as if the mafia brought on copyright lawsuits to law enforcement authorities for divulging internal documents pertaining to their money laundering, protection, extortion, narcotraffical schemes.
But of course, the mafia wouldn't be stupid enough to do that.
> Do you think the many copyright lawsuits brought on by the Cult of Scientology will bring upon its downfall?
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- 1 decade ago
The Church of Scientology (COS) is sue-happy. They are also dedicated to destroying their critics and to protecting their "secrets" (which bring them income).
With "trademarks" you have to vehemently defend them or you will lose the trademark. That is NOT the case with copyrights. You don't lose them if you fail to defend them, fail to sue for violations, fail to notify people they are violating your copyright.
Too many of the attacks by the COS in the name of copyright protection for COS are ridiculous. They are not needed. The suit and harassment goes on for the express purpose of trying to crush the "competition" or critic.
The COS has a lot of critics because it IS weird and they DO engage in illegal and harassing activities. Since the government isn't moving towards investigating the more heinous abuses, the critics are determined to "air the dirty laundry" of Scientology on the Internet in the hopes of gaining enough attention "for the cause" that someone WILL "do something about it."
And COS fights back instead of ignoring the critics. They MUST fight the critics because too much is at stake. COS's crimes are not minor. Discovery of them (by an official such as a court of law) could fatally cripple COS.
And so they must fight.
And so the critics air more dirty laundry.
And so the public reads the dirty laundry and fails to join COS.
And so COS gets less and less income from "new customers".
And so the old COS members have to donate more and more money to fund the expensive habits of the elite management of COS.
And so more old COS members leave.
It's a vicious circle. And COS will go down... but not quietly.
So in one sense, copyright lawsuits brought on by the COS are definitely contributing to its downfall.
- aguayoLv 44 years ago
you won't be in a position to, and a severe attempt to could purely develop it, as is the case with all religions, cult or in any different case. you could inspite of the shown fact that talk somebody out of turning right into a member of a cult in case you're careful. as quickly as they have actual develop into contributors it turns into lots tougher. in case you prefer to be attentive to greater, I recommend you touch somebody like the Cult advice Centre (CIC). keep away from the Cult awareness community (CAN) - it is owned by ability of the Church of Scientology themselves as quickly as they sued it and took it over.
- Theta WorksLv 71 decade ago
JieXu has a very good point. You should give him best answer. From your attack on the Church for protecting it's property, it seems you're one of the criminally minded that thinks nobody really owns anything. That's anti-social.
The only ones complaining are those who are doing the violating by reposting stolen property.
It's your harmful act, not the Church's. If you don't like being sued then stop committing the crime. Simple, huh?
- DanielLv 61 decade ago
No.
I believe the CoS is going to suffer from all this publicity, though. You know what I think keeps them going? The sense of exclusivity. It's the same reason people used to join the Masons or the Anti-Chinese league back in the day.
- 1 decade ago
Hasn't in over 15 years, why should it now.
They've got plenty of money to keep it up.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
NO i think its stupidity will bring the down fall