So…

I feel a little hijacked

Have you ever heard of Beliefnet.com?

That is where I started blogging years ago before I found the awesomeness of WordPress.com

I do not like smearing blame with anyone (need to watch my karma) but I do have an axe to grind with Beliefnet and their blogging policies.  About a year ago I was cut off on their site without any reason. They left my content up but killed my images and ability to use email and other functions including tags, etc. Basically, there is no reason to visit or post there now. Curious, I searched their rules and policies to see if I broke some cardinal rule and the only thing I could be found guilty of was spamming – well, if you consider the link to my Responsive Universe website which is included in my signature as spam – kind of weak if you ask me.

I entered a blog contest two years ago on Beliefnet and was part of a high-profile group of bloggers who clearly were seen by Beliefnet officials  – being that we were being judged for our content and writing ability. No problems with the signature and links then.

I even sent an email inquiring about my censorship to the internal powers to be – no response even months later.

So, I did a little research about the ownership of Beliefnet. On Wikipedia it states clearly that Beliefnet is a place for all faiths to mingle, blog, comment and even debate. Yet, when I dug deeper into the ownership of this site it became clear that owners BN Media has Christian roots with other side projects like Affinity 4, Gospel Media and Cross Bridge. huh…

Yes, my blogs can be critical of the Christian religion. I criticize  other faiths for their weighted dogma as well. I have a whole chapter in my book, the Responsive Universe,  that deals with deconstructing organized religion.  Still, I have never been so bold or rude to outright insult any faith or any people of a specific faith – well except maybe Rick Santorum; Well… maybe I was as a little critical of the Pope and Chick-fil-A. Oh yeah, and the teachings of Jesus being wiped clean by Constantine and the Church. The point is, without killing people to get the public attention, the only way to create a balance in this world and protect minorities, people of different faith and alternative lifestyles, is to speak up. Those that do not speak up will get trampled and taken advantage of. You need to speak up and establish your own belief systems that define your True Nature. You have to be your own advocate; you need to lead and not follow. If it was not for people like Galileo we still might be in the dark ages believing the Earth is the center of the Universe!

So, based on Beliefnets inability to address my concerns about censorship, I have to ask…

Is the Responsive Universe Blog on Beliefnet being censored because of Religious favoritism? Come on Beliefnet… You call yourself an unbiased space where the faiths of the world can connect – you let reborn christians spew their dogma daily and then when a little criticism comes your way you censor it?

I just think it is disappointing … that’s all..

Thoughts.com might be in the same boat too – they also censor me now… Talk about a  lack of evolution…

 

John C. Bader

www.responsiveuniverse.com – apparently this is spam