HAF Classed as 'Alternative Beliefs'!!!

[Tank]

This morning I could not access HAF from my work PC which uses a FortiGuard filter, and has done for years. The reason given was that the filter was set to block 'Alternative Beliefs'. I contacted FortiGuard and sent this:-

"Good morning.

As the owner of Happy Atheist Forum I would like the classification of 'Alternative Beliefs' changed. The description for this category is totally inaccurate to this site. This part in particular is so wrong it is difficult to find words to describe its inaccuracy "Sites 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, satanic or supernatural beings. "

I can't speak for other atheist sites but in my wide experience of such sites the classification is generally totally inaccurate for all of them. I suspect the classification may have changed recently as I have been able to access my site through a FortiGuard Labs filter for years and this issue only happened today. Or it could be that the admin here has changed the filter settings to filter 'Alternative Beliefs' but that does not obviate the fact that the classification is inaccurate.

I have looked through the alternative classifications and the 'least worst' fit is 'Education'. But it would be useful to see what the other classifications for atheist discussion sites are.

Best regards
Chris Jarvis
Owner and Administrator of Happy Atheist Forum"

They changed it so it is no longer filtered. The joke is they changed it to... wait for it... 'Global Religions' 

[Dark Lightning]

May be why AF.org is currently a static page for me since about 3 PM yesterday (3/19/19)?

"Global Religions"? Must be a Christ-puncher at the helm at FortiGard. Never heard of that before, btw.

[Icarus]

Chris; That the classification became "global religions" is evidence of the ignorance of a huge proportion of humanity.  The word ignorance is not to be interpreted as a pejorative. It simply means that there is something that a person does not know.  I wonder how long it will take us to explain to the general public that absence of belief is not a religion.

Yoga and Tai-Chi have some spiritual components but they are not religions.  Many people are certain that they are forms of religion. We have had some schools that used Yoga as an alternative form of physical education.  Bible people, on learning that Yoga was being used in phys-ed classes, became all atwitter and promptly had the practice summarily banned.

[xSilverPhinx]

No amount of facepalms can express how I feel.

[Sandra Craft]

"Sites 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, satanic or supernatural beings. "

So why isn't my Trump voodoo doll working when I pray to the Great Atheismo?  (I can't pray to the Great Asmo, he's not helpful in this regard)

They changed it so it is no longer filtered. The joke is they changed it to... wait for it... 'Global Religions' 

  They don't have a philosophy category?

[Magdalena]

 


'Global Religions'???

WTF!? No!

Shouldn't it go under, Political Doctrine?


Or...

[Tank]

Here is a link to list of categories. https://fortiguard.com/webfilter/categories

[Sandra Craft]

Here is a link to list of categories. https://fortiguard.com/webfilter/categories

Hmmm, not much of a choice.

[Tank]

Here is a link to list of categories. https://fortiguard.com/webfilter/categories

Hmmm, not much of a choice.

No. As per usual atheist don't fit in.

[Asmodean]

Global Religion
Sites that provide information about or promote Buddhism, Bahai, Christianity, Christian Science, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Mormonism, Shinto, and Sikhism, as well as atheism.

It is within the scope of their definition. One can argue over it, of course, but they specifically mention atheism within this grouping, so as far as classification of this site goes, it's kind-of on the money.

[Asmodean]

So why isn't my Trump voodoo doll working when I pray to the Great Atheismo?  (I can't pray to the Great Asmo, he's not helpful in this regard)

It may or may not be because He knows, and is greater than that blasphemous Atheismo-impostor. 

[xSilverPhinx]

Why don't they just go ahead and classify atheist sites/forums/messageboards as 'Gambling'?

Sites that cater to gambling activities such as betting, lotteries, casinos, including gaming information, instruction, and statistics.

Surely they can add "ignoring Pascal's Wager" to that description.

[Tank]

Why don't they just go ahead and classify atheist sites/forums/messageboards as 'Gambling'?

Sites that cater to gambling activities such as betting, lotteries, casinos, including gaming information, instruction, and statistics.

Surely they can add "ignoring Pascal's Wager" to that description.

[Bad Penny II]

I prefer discounting Pascal's wager rather than ignoring it.

We don't have a fucking clue what he's talking about do we?

No, but he definitely does say "words" a lot.

[xSilverPhinx]

I prefer discounting Pascal's wager rather than ignoring it.

Yes, but discounting the wager is from an atheist's perspective. Probably from a theist's point of view we're downright ignoring it and gambling with the fate of our everlasting souls.