User:Jossi and the Rawat cult articles, Bias and content control Options

[Anaheim Flash]

Article previously discussed at:
http://wikipediareview.com/index.php?showtopic=13346&st=40

That's Jossi Fresco, press contact and spokesman for The Prem Rawat Foundation, and OWNer of several WP articles relating to his spiritual leader.

The articles over which Jossi exerts ownership include:-

* Prem Rawat

* Teachings of Prem Rawat

* Hans Ji Maharaj

* Divine Light Mission

* Elan Vital

* TPRF

* Ron Geaves

The most egregious bias in these articles relates to the use of academic references where only a very limited number of academics are permitted as ‘approved’ sources while others are wholly excluded. In effect a single ‘school’ of ‘religious scholars’ forms 90% of all the references allowed by Jossi and/or his two ‘team Rawat’ editors Rumiton and Momento. These scholars include Ron Geaves who has been a follower of Rawat for over 30 years – for a criticism of Geaves’ writing about Rawat see: : http://www.prem-rawat-critique.org/geaves.htm. That same website carries a detailed criticism of Jossi’s works - http://www.prem-rawat-critique.org/wp_rebu..._distortion.htm

The Wikipedia articles on Prem Rawat, his father, their supporting organisations and teachings are sourced on a very limited range of academics, with the bulk of references being made to authors who have links to the cult apologist organisation CESNUR[1], [2] Much of the Wikipedia material about Prem Rawat is based on an unreferenced biography published by Prem Rawat’s followers and heavily promoted on followers’ web-sites

There’s a thorough deconstruction of Wikipedia’s treatment of the Rawat cult at http://www.mikefinch.com/mj/art/md.htm

Jossi finally acknowledge he had a conflict of interest in 2007, though he doesn’t say what that conflict actually is i.e which part of the Rawat empire actually pays his salary or issues his contract. And although Jossi no longer edits the main article, he still actively admins anything he doesn’t agree with.

Although the wikidashboard shows critical editors have contributed to the Rawat article, assessment of the talk pages – endlessly archived – shows almost every contribution not from Jossi, Momento, Rumiton and from the now ‘deceased’ Zappaz, was challenged by those four editors, often on the most spurious grounds.

Jossi also promotes Rawat associates Linda and Alvarro Pascotto, writing them up at Article Hub http://www.articlehub.com/authors/Jossi-Fresco.html.

[Kato]

Cade Metz hit the nail firmly on the head – and those looming ghouls defending Jossi on WPs talk pages are living in cuckoo land.

The bottom line is this:

If the guy who created the conflict of interest noticeboard, and who dispenses edicts to others on the matter, is so oblivious to the implications of his own conflict of interest, it merely illustrates the sheer lunatic scale of the problems that beset Wikipedia.

The second link I added above was to an exchange on the COI noticeboard where Jossi dismissed Sci-Fi writer Kathryn Cramer, telling her that due to her attitude, she will not “earn points 'round these frontiers”. Jossi of course had already “earned his points” by smoothing up to powerful admins. Kathryn went on to become a Wikipedia critic in her own right.

I like Kathryn because she praised one of my literary efforts on this site, and paraphrased it on her own blog (though pssst, I did plagiarize it myself from Kelly Martin, don't tell...)
(IMG:http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb311/Kato90125/Katosmileysmile.jpg)

[the fieryangel]

Someone brought this up on Jimbo's page....

but, strangely enough, this person has just been banned for a week because he's been blowing the whistle on WMF's audit over at Village Pump....

Jimbo's come to his rescue in a very milque-toastey way....

But this all stinks, doesn't it???

[Sarcasticidealist]

Someone brought this up on Jimbo's page....

but, strangely enough, this person has just been banned for a week because he's been blowing the whistle on WMF's audit over at Village Pump....

Jimbo's come to his rescue in a very milque-toastey way....

But this all stinks, doesn't it???

Actually, he was blocked for a week for general allegedly disruptive weirdness. He posted at the Village Pump after he was unblock (the community felt that the block was unwarranted - I agreed). He subsequently attempted to delete his posts from the village pump, but they were restored by another user.

[the fieryangel]

Actually, he was blocked for a week for general allegedly disruptive weirdness. He posted at the Village Pump after he was unblock (the community felt that the block was unwarranted - I agreed). He subsequently attempted to delete his posts from the village pump, but they were restored by another user.

Au contraire, his post over at the Village pump about WMF financial impropriety seems to make quite a lot of sense to me...and he's right about a Hindu cult controlling this particular WP article....so, no weirdness here at all, as far as I can see....

[Sarcasticidealist]

Au contraire, his post over at the Village pump about WMF financial impropriety seems to make quite a lot of sense to me...and he's right about a Hindu cult controlling this particular WP article....so, no weirdness here at all, as far as I can see....

With respect, I'm not sure you know what au contraire means. Unless you can find something in your post that contradicts something in mine, that is.

Edit:Ah, here's the problem - we're talking about different one week blocks. He's received two in the last twenty-four hours. Both were unjustified. My apologies for assuming you were talking about the first block.

This post has been edited by sarcasticidealist: