The Baha'i Faith & Religious Freedom of Conscience

 

Subj: Accusation of TOS at AOL
Date: 98-09-11 15:03:38 EDT
From: FG
To: TOSGeneral
CC: FG@hotmail.com

Please explain to me how my post is a TOS.

It appears to me that you fail to understand the
context in which my message was posted. There
has been a pervasive Bahai effort for more than a
year and a half to censor and control all knowledge
and information on the Bahai Faith. Extensive
documentation to this effect, with statements and
samples of suppressed messages from well over
30 people, can be found on my web site:

The Bahai Faith & Religious Freedom of Conscience:
index.htm

Extensive discussion relevant to Bahai censorship
can also be found on alt.religion.bahai

If AOL is not merely to be a pawn used by Bahais,
unknown in this instance, hiding behind annonymity,
it is essentially that you reveal my accuser's
identity, something which is long recognized in
common law. Note the so-called TOS below contains
observations from four different people, one a
Professor of History at the University of Michigan.

Further, to understand the nature of my comments,
you would need to consider the posts that I was
responding to, post which follow the "Bahai
technique" remarked upon by myself and the
other three people below.

I wish to draw to the attention of AOL that Bahais
are apparently using your naivete regarding what
Bahais call "covenant breaking" in this instance.

I am confident a fair and just investigation in regard to the so-called
TOS will help AOL reach a balanced understanding of what is
truly involved in the accusation.

FG....The Bahai Faith & Religious Freedom of Conscience:
index.htm  See alt.religion.bahai,
talk.religion.misc, or bahai-faith@makelist.com (accepts all "cc" posts)
Subscription & archive: https://www.findmail.com/listsaver/bahai-faith/

-------
Subj: Terms of Service
Date: 98-09-11 02:54:49 EDT
From: TOSBoards2
To: FG

Dear Member,

I need to let you know that America Online was notified of a post to one of
our message boards which violates the Terms of Service.  Here is the
information I have placed on the account regarding this incident:

On 9/9/98 6:58 AM Eastern Daylight  EST the FG screen name posted a
message in Baha'i Message Boards, For Non Baha'is >> Subject: Re:
Literal-minded Bahai ignorance.  The following is an excerpt from the post:
" The typical response of Bahai fanatics....
FG:

"Some of the most striking methods demonstrated repeatedly by

many Bahais during the last year and a half of discussion about

an unmoderated newsgroup is their refusal to listen and respond to

the criticisms of those who are in favor of talk.religion.bahai,

ignoring their concerns, never responding analytically to their

messages and reasoning and logic and evidence, attacking them

through character assassination and ad hominem, ganging up

on individuals, and "circling the wagons" around every action

of the srb moderators or others who are opposed to

talk.religion.bahai.

"More than twenty different people on my web site have posted messages

explaining their experience with srb censorship yet many srb Bahais

NEVER address their concerns. Ignoring such charges will not make

them go away. NO ONE has to "try" to link the trb interest poll with

censorship on srb; the moderators themselves have done that by

suppressing droves of people for years. There are many people who

believe such suppression is part and parcel of the Bahai

community as it exists today. A YES vote need not necessarily

support such a belief. There are other reasons Bahais might vote

YES."

Ron House:

"I know what you mean. I've found over the years that

there is a technique used by traditional Baha'is and

others to squash dissension: harry the dissenter so

much he says something intemperate, then point out

how 'loving' and 'compassionate' they are and how

nasty the dissenter is. The trouble is that this

technique works, so I've been making a conscious

effort not to fall for it. Also, when they get the

dissenter discouraged and miserable enough, he

invariably makes a slip-up sooner or later that they

can REALLY let loose the venom over. IMHO, they did

this to you when you misread Sharon's intentions.

At any other time, they would overlook faults, as

Baha'u'llah says, but when they're in this mode

they go for the jugular. Very sad."

House2.htm

Fran Baker:

"Just have to say that in my experience this is a common

technique of manipulative people in general; it is especially

effective with thoughtful people who are willing to see both

sides of things, i.e., their own fault. I consider this brow-beating

technique to be a form of abuse. The only way to deal with it is

to call them on it every time and to refuse to let yourself be beat

up, i.e., not to do your part of the "tango." This can be very hard

to do, but it works.You can break this pattern in a personal

relationship. I don't know whether it's possible when a group

acts this way. Very scary."

Dr. Juan Cole:

"Let me ask you why in the world you think that I would risk my professional

reputation by publicly stating falsehoods? ...The very technique of the

more glaze-eyed among these people is to unbearably bully a Baha'i whom

they don't like, use unjustified threats of declaring him or her a CB to

silence the individual, and if the person will not be silenced, then to

depend upon the gullibility of the Baha'is in refusing to listen to any

victim's story because, of course, the Baha'i institutions are infallible

and divinely guided and could never do anything wrong. It is a perfect

racket.

"Of course, this technique of making liberals go away has been enormously

successful, and ex-Baha'i liberals have no credibility with the remaining

Baha'is nor do most of them have any energy to continue to make a case,

either to the Baha'is or the outside world, for the incredible abuses that

go on inside this organization ostensibly committed to tolerance!"

Cole10.htm

FG....The Bahai Faith & Religious Freedom of Conscience:

index.htm See alt.religion.bahai,

talk.religion.misc, or bahai-faith@makelist.com (accepts all "cc" posts)

Subscription & archive: https://www.findmail.com/listsaver/bahai-faith/

baha'i

baha'i"

Our Terms of Service agreement, which was presented during the sign up
process, allows America Online to be informative, entertaining and, above
all, fun for all of our Members.  You can review that agreement by using
keyword TOS.  This area also has information and tools you can use to help
protect your account.  Also, you may want to take a look at our PARENTAL
CONTROLS. This will allow you, among other things,  to limit and/or block
specific screen names from various online activities.

Thanks for taking the time to read this letter.  Please note, this screen
name cannot accept replies. Therefore, if you have any comments or questions
please send mail to TOSGeneral.

Regards,
Bill
Community Action Team
America Online, Inc.

* Have you heard about AOL's latest and easiest to use software version,
4.0? You can upgrade for free at keyword: Upgrade.  With AOL 4.0, you can
have fun by sending multiple files, changing screen names without signing
off, customizing your toolbar, and much, much more. Upgrade today!


Homepage