I can’t believe someone wrote an article about Neopets without mentioning the founder, Doug Dohring’s, ties with Scientology.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Dohring
I don't see anything there about it except that he is one. Is there a story I'm missing? To someone who doesn't believe in any religion, it doesn't make sense that his should be called out and not someone else's mainstream but equally supernatural religion. Either we shame everyone for the silliness and crimes done in the name of their respective religions, or no one. It should be the latter.
Well, it's certainly not irrelevant. Scientology principles were used to manage the company and employees were partially evaluated on their friendliness to it [0]. It wasn't ever a major part of the content because of internal resistance by people like the other founders [1].
Managements' religious preferences can have a meaningful influence on how an organization operates, e.g. Hobby Lobby. I don't see why it'd be out of bounds here when it's legitimately relevant to how Neopets was run.
generally speaking it isn't the supernatural beliefs that are called into question when one considers scientology, but rather the fraud/abuse/criminality that is related to the church and its' management.
The time in which the Catholic church itself acted like an international paramilitary/intelligence organization is largely over, but that may or may not be the case with regards to certain other religions.
Because it isn't a religion. And I don't mean because I don't believe in their specific beliefs, but because it doesn't act like a religion, it acts like a con artist business.
Have you heard of any other "religion" that charges huge amount of money for access to their teachings?
Don't know this specific human from Joe but scientology deserves a call out, it is active and entirely predatory. Same deal with other religions really, they just get more specific call outs by region.
"Silliness"? How about a history of murder, doxxing, and harassmentv of its critics and ex members?
Hubbard founded it on a bet and then it took on a mind of its own with his death, becoming a tax haven and a cult - one of the most dangerous, prolific, and virulent cults there is.
Stop and consider for a moment that someone who is nose-deep in such an organization is aggressively expanding into literacy and education platforms for young children - the age where religious and cult indoctrination is most successful. Recruitment plunges when the age of exposure is after critical thinking skills are developed.
Obviously he would not directly attempt recruitment, but I guarantee there's more than just "he wants to be a good dude" going on. As another commentor noted, he tried to get scientology shit into Neopets.
Scientology is verifiably and comprehensively different from most other non-cult religions by virtue of how it treats it's members and encourages them to act. Only one other religion of note has such "High control group" style features as discouraging psychiatry, discouraging interaction with non-Scientology family members, forcing through threat of blackmail members to do things, threatening the IRS and getting away with it, and generally treating members as resources.
I think it should be mentioned that the actual creators of Neopets are Adam Powell and Donna Williams, who apparently were unaware of this connection https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neopets
I believe he is highlighting how Scientology is more of a grift than an actual religion. I would be more concerned, all else equal, if a Scientologist was President than if said President was American Protestant or Catholic.
edit: It could also have to do with Scientology’s history of child sex abuse
Scientology isn't a religion it's a cult/grift. For decades they were denied the tax status of a religious organization because they didn't meet the legal test until they mounted a decade long infiltration and harassment campaign to which the IRS eventually relented.
I may not remember it correctly, but I think the two original creators of the site ran out of money and were recommended to a group of investors who happened to be Scientologists.
add-sub-mul-div|2 years ago
AlotOfReading|2 years ago
Managements' religious preferences can have a meaningful influence on how an organization operates, e.g. Hobby Lobby. I don't see why it'd be out of bounds here when it's legitimately relevant to how Neopets was run.
[0] https://theoutline.com/post/4190/neopets-was-run-by-scientol...
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/neopets/comments/26fwhh/i_am_donna_...
serf|2 years ago
The time in which the Catholic church itself acted like an international paramilitary/intelligence organization is largely over, but that may or may not be the case with regards to certain other religions.
ethanbond|2 years ago
ars|2 years ago
Have you heard of any other "religion" that charges huge amount of money for access to their teachings?
burnished|2 years ago
KennyBlanken|2 years ago
Hubbard founded it on a bet and then it took on a mind of its own with his death, becoming a tax haven and a cult - one of the most dangerous, prolific, and virulent cults there is.
Stop and consider for a moment that someone who is nose-deep in such an organization is aggressively expanding into literacy and education platforms for young children - the age where religious and cult indoctrination is most successful. Recruitment plunges when the age of exposure is after critical thinking skills are developed.
Obviously he would not directly attempt recruitment, but I guarantee there's more than just "he wants to be a good dude" going on. As another commentor noted, he tried to get scientology shit into Neopets.
mrguyorama|2 years ago
Scientology is verifiably and comprehensively different from most other non-cult religions by virtue of how it treats it's members and encourages them to act. Only one other religion of note has such "High control group" style features as discouraging psychiatry, discouraging interaction with non-Scientology family members, forcing through threat of blackmail members to do things, threatening the IRS and getting away with it, and generally treating members as resources.
micromacrofoot|2 years ago
bashmelek|2 years ago
primax|2 years ago
FrankoDelMar|2 years ago
edit: It could also have to do with Scientology’s history of child sex abuse
patmorgan23|2 years ago
tvb12|2 years ago
I may not remember it correctly, but I think the two original creators of the site ran out of money and were recommended to a group of investors who happened to be Scientologists.