Malware rather than Authorities’ Censorship Blocked Baptist Website

Malicious software was recently found through Army PCs that prevented visiting www.SBC.net the website designed for Southern Baptist Convention. The site's shutdown essentially, wasn't because of government censorship, published Tennessean.com dated April 25, 2013.

Spokesman for Defense Department Lt. Col. Damien Pickart stated that software filters were deployed on the military computers for blocking access to gambling/pornography websites while they also caught incoming malware capable of damaging other PCs. It was one such filter that detected malicious software as it infected the Baptist website, reported Tennessean.com.

Pickart further stated that the Defense Department wasn't deliberately preventing access to the website. For, it strongly backed service members' rights-to-religion, especially their privilege for visiting SBC and other religious sites.

Meanwhile, it was an Army official who first declared the blockage publicly after he got in touch with the American Family Association. The Army subsequently issued a warning to take action advising members to talk to USA's Pentagon so they would abort the alarmingly hostile attitude of the military towards the freedom to follow religion and faith.

However, www.SBC.net is back online after the malware's removal.

Nevertheless, controversial speeches have triggered since the incident wherein activists favoring conservative Christianity are blaming the Department-of-Defense stating it deliberately blocked the website. According to them the military is acting against their right to religious belief. The incident has as well shown fissures within the commonly strong association between conservative Christians as well as the military.

Sing Oldham, Spokesman for SBC accused the site's blockage describing it extremely disturbing; reported ajc.com dated April 25, 2013.

Elsewhere Oldham stated that although the US Army's Deputy Chief of Operations had assured SBC that the blockage was a random occurrence devoid of bad intention, there still was much expected from the Army for deepening that assurance. Theblaze.com reported this dated April 25, 2013.

Oldham contended that the government's potential blockage of the site arising from whatever reason could act as an unintended infringement upon trust for all peoples of USA. As per The First Amendment, the church was safeguarded against government's ban or breach of the right to practice religion or making religious speeches, he added.

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» SPAMfighter News - 4/30/2013