God is for Suckers removed from filtering blacklist
23 May 2005 by RonAbout a month ago, I pointed out (in God is for Suckers gets censored by net filtering software) that the commercial SonicWALL Content Filtering System (used by Panera Bread for the free wi-fi access they provide at their eateries) had put GifS on their “banned” list, classifying us as “Cult/Occult” (defined as being a site “sponsored by prominent organized modern religious groups that are identified as “cults” by three or more authoritative sources… that promote or offer methods, means of instruction, or other resources to affect or influence real events through the use of spells, curses, magic powers or supernatural beings.”)
Since nothing in that description applies to GifS, I wrote them a polite but puzzled note, pointing out that someone had clearly made an error, since we were being blocked for reasons that didn’t in the least apply to this site.
I never got a response; but about a week ago, they lifted the block.
Seems likely that SonicWALL has a “path of least resistance” model: Somebody doesn’t like a site, or some bot of theirs discovers clustering of words it doesn’t like (maybe religion - magical - invisible - evil - kill for “Cult/Occult”?), and they blacklist it. Somebody complains, and they take it off the blacklist — unless it obviously “belongs” there, like www.assfuckers.com. “False positives? We don’t care about no steenkin’ false positives.” If so, their evil is that of pathetic systematic bad technique rather than that of targeting particular viewpoints on controversial topics.
More empirical testing is obviously needed. I think I’ll send them a mainstream religious site or two which does meet their “Cult/Occult” standard, and see what happens.
16 April 2005, on 11:43 pm
Truth is offensive to those whose lives center on fable. Unfortunately, MANY people fall into that group, and for a private buisness, numbers rule: if enough people are offended by something, you go against it because that’s the economical position. If it is merely cowardace in the face of monetary considerations, it’s almost too bland a situation to notice, since every well-run corporation on the planet engages in the same behavior. The same thing tends to keep buisness concerns out of the OTHER side of the debate, because displaying a too strongly religious POV is also unpopular, but it still sucks when we get hit by it. The only really positive thing is this: this sort of supremely self-serving behavior is based in a rational assesment of the world as it is, with all the crazies. The realization that god in all it’s permutations is a silly myth is also a supremely rational thing, so both come from a rational source. If only we could find a way to show the buisness-rational people that there was a way to profit from dispelling the irrationality of the masses rather than profiting by capitalizing on those illusions, we would win a powerful ally in the fight against unreason. Sadly, it’s easier to make money by scamming suckers than by educating them so I wouldn’t count on their help any time soon.
18 April 2005, on 1:00 am
Woah! That’s fucked up. If they want to block/filter something, let them block the bloody Bible.
On your side,
Hades the Evil Atheist
http://www.evilatheist.com
18 April 2005, on 12:14 pm
It could be that there are several articles archived that mention Wicca and various gods / goddesses, not to mention something about Thor I seem to remember of a few months ago.
OR, the filter people could be raving mono-theists who are offended by our often blunt discussions on religion and its effects.
18 April 2005, on 7:13 pm
How the fuck could anybody think Atheists were a religion? I am amazed at the total stupidity of the
American public in general, and the ball-less Democrats we now have in the government. When is
this shit going to stop. Everybody seems to be afraid of the xians. When I tell people I’m an Atheist
they shrink back like I am something evil.
19 April 2005, on 1:21 pm
I got into it one time with one of sky daddy’s disciples. He told me being atheist took more faith than being xian. I laughed and informed him nothing I believe in is based on faith, only fact.
20 April 2005, on 1:17 pm
I think the prior poster is probably right. Some born again pest thinks of atheism as a cult and leveraged that into getting your site blocked. Maybe Gullibility as well.
I’ve been waiting for some attempt by the fundagelicals to interfere those of us who maintain anti-theism websites.
21 April 2005, on 4:43 pm
I dunno, I think I’d take it as a complement. If they didn’t fear you–
or at least what you have to say and how you say it–they wouldn’t block
you. It’s recognition, on some level at least, that a competing and
alternative world view might be attractive to some followers and therefore
is dangerous to the taliban types. Partial, inadequate cencorship is
almost the same as positive publicity!! Keep up the good work…
Mikey
23 April 2005, on 7:30 am
Seth’s Infothought Blog has a good comment on this post at http://sethf.com/infothought/blog/archives/000812.html which includes some nice links to info about censorware and anti-Christian sites.
29 April 2005, on 3:21 pm
In reply to David B….
I actually had someone make the sign of the cross (w/their fingers) at me when I
told them I didn’t believe in god. It was so funny I burst out laughing. Then
they looked really terrified and made a hasty exit. (Funny, I didn’t think I
looked like satan; he’s much handsomer…and has those horms and that cute little
tail thing.)
1 May 2005, on 8:19 am
Have you checked the filtering software for other atheist/secular sites? This may be part of a campaign and not just a bit of bile aimed in your direction.
Infidel in Exile
18 May 2005, on 7:38 pm
just like them to block a website for some lousy reason.
i hardly beleive this is a cult used to infuence others through spellz, etc.
republicans and democrats new symbols: a donkey, and a fat white man terrified of change
3 June 2005, on 3:26 pm
In response to ric,
Are you completely stupid? If indeed you were a follower of Satan, surely you would not fall into the groundless, childlike belief that Satan has horns and a tail. To prove you wrong, Satan is actually a ‘beautiful angel’, one of the most beautiful if i am not correct. However, this is does not make him worthy of worship, which you people give to this lover of deceit, this father of lies that takes so much joy in seeing you bash Christianity, because he knows that you will soon be with him in Hell (a very real and very terrible place), and that you will be cursing your stupidity and wishing you would have beleived in God. Have any of you ever even read a Bible before?
4 June 2005, on 5:05 am
Sure; my favortie passages are here: “GifS Bible Passages“.
(I dont’ know about the rest of you, but I can’t figure out if Josh is a comic genius or a moral retard. Either way, I’m enjoying him.)