Here is the link:

http://forum.rickross.com/read.php?12,64749,page=7

There are many good arguments, maybe this is interesting to anyone here.

That site is pretty much the leading (and only) website that considers Alcor to be a cult. First time I heard some of those arguments - most of them the delusions of a conspiracy theorist.

There's a lot of hype and controversy revolving around Alcor, some of it true, most of it probably false. I for one wouldn't object to tougher regulations and auditing.

However, to consider cryonics in general as a cult or a foolish endeavor is foolish in its self.

To me cryonics is the most logical course if one dies. To argue against cryonics is pointless.

It would be as if people accused the cremation business of being a cult.

As for the Society Of Venturism, I don't know much about it. But I heard that it was mainly created to prevent cryo patients from undergoing an autopsy.

It's not really a religious or even spiritual organization (despite its looks). It was just created for legal purposes to prevent autopsies.

The site's moderator displays an anti-cryonics bias, and doesn't let people present a case for it. The poster called The Anticult, like Larry Johnson, has written absurd things about David Pizer and the Venturists, despite the work we did to raise money for William O'Rights's suspension last year.

BTW, Mr. Pizer had surgery yesterday to cryoablate a possibly malignant mass on his right kidney.

AdvancedAtheist,

I am not a cryonics supporter, nor am I opposed to it, but it is telling that you were banned from that site despite making very sensible posts. That site clearly has no credibility.

I was also banned from their website. But perhaps rightly. I cussed a lot.

I've read through all those pages (most recently a month ago though, to see updates from the LJ fallout), and I've found many points interesting-but never have jumped into countering things there. Probably the main reason is that it would take a lot of time, and a lot of patience -secondly I'm not sure if any good would come of it-if I'd be able to help broaden understanding.

I didn't see much of a reason to bother with it, it's pretty much "cryonics is a plan to make a lot of money out of innocent people" conspiracy at most and once you believe it, coming and say that it is an attempt to save live you are either seen as naive or a liar.

Indeed! And those undertakers, always dressing in black and driving around in expensive cars - very suspicious

More seriously: Funerals cost lots of money, and ultimately horribly disfigure the deceased's body, and yet are still claimed by many go be the path to eternal life despite the lack of evidence. I don't see much that can be argued against cryonics that can't be equally applied to funerals.

As for the ridiculous allegations against Alcor and the Venturists... Perhaps Johnson et al should enter ImmInst's creative writing competition! They seem pretty good at imaginative fiction.

A few months ago I had read the topic on that forum. It is stupid to think that cryonics is a cult or a scam.
They didn't did their homework well :S


I think they won't listen. they are too narrow minded.

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