Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So i have just been on my facebook and one of the pages i am part of has this posted across it:

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/uk-prime-minister-david-cameron-stop-the-unnecessary-censorship-of-esoteric-websites-and-web-forums?share_id=SiFLbCwCoS&utm_campaign=friend_inviter_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_false

Well it is very nice to see our kind and caring Prime Minister trying to squash our religions and spiritual paths isnt it? [/sarcasm]

Well as many of you know i myself am Wiccan. As you can imagine i was very shocked and extremely angry to discover that this is how the Goverment, people i am supposed to have lead me and my country(yeah right), is thinking about my religion and way of life. So by being whom i am and following my Religion, i appear to be a major threat to the nations children.

So what does the Dakka community think of this blatant Nazism?

It seems very un-UK as I assume like most developed countries you guys value freedom of speech and religion.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also Nazism and censorship are not the same thing, if your government started implementing antisemitic policies, started creating a very warlike society, favouritism towards people with blonde hair and blue eyes, blatant racism, anti-communism, etc then it would be Nazis-like.

This isn't the Government. This is one of the petitions that is but forward to the backbench committee. The UK is not going to ban anything to do with Wiccans. It's in our blood, seeing as nearly all British people are descended from either Gaelic, Romani or Anglo-Saxon blood.


I doubt this will even be debated by the backbenchers, let alone end up going near the PM.

On the other hand, you do realise that the Nazi's wanted to remove Christianity and replace it with Paganism? Food for thought.

welshhoppo wrote:
This isn't the Government. This is one of the petitions that is but forward to the backbench committee. The UK is not going to ban anything to do with Wiccans. It's in our blood, seeing as nearly all British people are descended from either Gaelic, Romani or Anglo-Saxon blood.


I doubt this will even be debated by the backbenchers, let alone end up going near the PM.

On the other hand, you do realise that the Nazi's wanted to remove Christianity and replace it with Paganism? Food for thought.

1. Wicca is a modern religious movement, It has nothing to do with supposed ancient blood ties.

2. No, the Nazis did not want to be Pagans.

3. There is no ban.

OK if there's no ban then no worry.

 Cheesecat wrote:
OK if there's no ban then no worry.

There could be a problem with the new legislation having users of the 'internet' (for want of a better word) opt in to view adult or potentially offensive material (including esoteric posts and or sites).

I would think there would still be a lot of arguing of semantics etc.

Thank feth, my worry is over.
But still it is very odd with the way that they are grouping Paganism with Esoteric material.

Having to opt in to view "potentially offensive" material? If you don't opt in, what would you actually be able to see on the internet? That'd potentially rule out damn near everything except the weather forecast.

 RatBot wrote:
Having to opt in to view "potentially offensive" material? If you don't opt in, what would you actually be able to see on the internet? That'd potentially rule out damn near everything except the weather forecast.

I have no problem opting in or out of services, it's simple to confirm your ID. But the manner and reasoning behind the legislation is mind achingly fethtarded.

I have to opt into being allowed to potentially view 'potentially offensive' material because feth-wit parents give their kids unfettered access to PC's, tablets and smart phones and get upset that they LOOK for age inappropriate material. These same parents want us to 'THINK OF THE CHILDREN!'

Give me a break...........

 Mr. Burning wrote:

welshhoppo wrote:
This isn't the Government. This is one of the petitions that is but forward to the backbench committee. The UK is not going to ban anything to do with Wiccans. It's in our blood, seeing as nearly all British people are descended from either Gaelic, Romani or Anglo-Saxon blood.


I doubt this will even be debated by the backbenchers, let alone end up going near the PM.

On the other hand, you do realise that the Nazi's wanted to remove Christianity and replace it with Paganism? Food for thought.

1. Wicca is a modern religious movement, It has nothing to do with supposed ancient blood ties.

2. No, the Nazis did not want to be Pagans.

3. There is no ban.

Yes, they did.

http://www.nazireligions.com/PDFs/Lee-Duigon.pdf

welshhoppo wrote:

 Mr. Burning wrote:

welshhoppo wrote:
This isn't the Government. This is one of the petitions that is but forward to the backbench committee. The UK is not going to ban anything to do with Wiccans. It's in our blood, seeing as nearly all British people are descended from either Gaelic, Romani or Anglo-Saxon blood.


I doubt this will even be debated by the backbenchers, let alone end up going near the PM.

On the other hand, you do realise that the Nazi's wanted to remove Christianity and replace it with Paganism? Food for thought.

1. Wicca is a modern religious movement, It has nothing to do with supposed ancient blood ties.

2. No, the Nazis did not want to be Pagans.

3. There is no ban.

Yes, they did.

http://www.nazireligions.com/PDFs/Lee-Duigon.pdf

Ill send a quick PM .

 Mr. Burning wrote:

welshhoppo wrote:
This isn't the Government. This is one of the petitions that is but forward to the backbench committee. The UK is not going to ban anything to do with Wiccans. It's in our blood, seeing as nearly all British people are descended from either Gaelic, Romani or Anglo-Saxon blood.


I doubt this will even be debated by the backbenchers, let alone end up going near the PM.

On the other hand, you do realise that the Nazi's wanted to remove Christianity and replace it with Paganism? Food for thought.

1. Wicca is a modern religious movement, It has nothing to do with supposed ancient blood ties.

2. No, the Nazis did not want to be Pagans.

3. There is no ban.

In the book, "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich", there is a section that outlines how the Nazis were forcing elements of Paganism into church services.

That might have just been a move to de-power the Pope. During those times the power of the Church was still quite strong, especially for the average person, there is even some debate as to if the Pope could have stopped or at least caused serious disruption to the Nazi forces if he'd made a strong case against the Nazi war.

Christianity has some strong Pagan aspects (adaptation of existing religion was part of how it spread so well). So it makes sense that if they wanted to weaken the Pope's hold they could increase the Pagan influence.

 Overread wrote:
That might have just been a move to de-power the Pope. During those times the power of the Church was still quite strong, especially for the average person, there is even some debate as to if the Pope could have stopped or at least caused serious disruption to the Nazi forces if he'd made a strong case against the Nazi war.

Christianity has some strong Pagan aspects (adaptation of existing religion was part of how it spread so well). So it makes sense that if they wanted to weaken the Pope's hold they could increase the Pagan influence.

Could be, but as i recall it was more than just Catholic churches having this happen. I'll have to read that section again to make sure since it's been a while. I do agree with you on early Christianity adopting Pagan aspects into itself.

Think early 90's. Maybe mid 90's. The US Military recognized as official religion Satanism, Wiccan, and Paganism. Talk about the official churches going nuts over that one. I do not care about an individual worship. Do your job either to standards or exceeding standards.

Maybe they just don't want folks looking at Catholic websites to see what crazy stuff Pope Frank is up to.....

 RatBot wrote:
Having to opt in to view "potentially offensive" material? If you don't opt in, what would you actually be able to see on the internet? That'd potentially rule out damn near everything except the weather forecast.

Not even the weather forecast, if you don't believe in climate change.

 Mr. Burning wrote:
I have no problem opting in or out of services, it's simple to confirm your ID.

Opt-out censorship programs are still dodgy because of the chilling effect. If the government considers you some kind of deviant for being a Wiccan, would you really want to inform them of this fact?

 AlexHolker wrote:

 RatBot wrote:
Having to opt in to view "potentially offensive" material? If you don't opt in, what would you actually be able to see on the internet? That'd potentially rule out damn near everything except the weather forecast.

Not even the weather forecast, if you don't believe in climate change.

The weather forecast is porn for weatherophiles

 Mr. Burning wrote:
I have no problem opting in or out of services, it's simple to confirm your ID.

When you live with your mother? And have little hope of moving out for another couple of years?

 AlexHolker wrote:
Opt-out censorship programs are still dodgy because of the chilling effect. If the government considers you some kind of deviant for being a Wiccan, would you really want to inform them of this fact?

Yeah, this is more true than true. If thats what the goverment thinks of me then i do not wish to go on to one of their databases as some kind of deviant Looks like im going back to practicing with my only 2 locals.........

If you are under 18 years of age you should ask the bill payers permission!

if you are 18 or over and the bill payer no one else will know of your need to scour the 'esoteric'.

Sadly, although I am 19 I am not the bill payer :(

 master of ordinance wrote:
Sadly, although I am 19 I am not the bill payer :(

Time to discover proxies or using your smartphone as a wifi hub, then.

 Overread wrote:
Christianity has some strong Pagan aspects (adaptation of existing religion was part of how it spread so well). So it makes sense that if they wanted to weaken the Pope's hold they could increase the Pagan influence.

The adaptation of Jesus's birthday in December being one of the largest adaptations that the early Catholic church made to help sway the Roman people, who were already busy celebrating Saturnalia during that time period.

 Seaward wrote:

 master of ordinance wrote:
Sadly, although I am 19 I am not the bill payer :(

Time to discover proxies or using your smartphone as a wifi hub, then.

Time to get a smart phone. Or a Rasberry Pi.

 Alfndrate wrote:

 Overread wrote:
Christianity has some strong Pagan aspects (adaptation of existing religion was part of how it spread so well). So it makes sense that if they wanted to weaken the Pope's hold they could increase the Pagan influence.

The adaptation of Jesus's birthday in December being one of the largest adaptations that the early Catholic church made to help sway the Roman people, who were already busy celebrating Saturnalia during that time period.

Yep a lot of the more temperate nations had a major winter celebration around the same time so it made full sense for them to continue that tradition (it was also a good time to eat perishable foods in quantity before they expired and were no further use - plus a party to restore moral in the cold dark days).

And even the specific date has shifted around some as the years roll by.