Yes... Or maybe, no... Well, you make up your mind!

This has to be one of the more bizarre phenomena of contemporary culture. I guess it is something of a mix between Mahatma Ghandi's satya graha (non violent resistance), and a weird fetishist gathering!

What exactly they will achieve is not clear, but they will attract some attention, that's for sure!

So, if you're in the London area on the 10th of February and want to 'out' the Church of scientology... Don your mask and head on down.

Now, what I think I would like to do is wait in the nearest tube station 30 minutes before this event is about to start with my camera in hand! That would be incredible!!!

PS. As far as I'm aware the reference to 'fags' has nothing to do with one's sexual orientation - rather it is an obscure reference to the movie 'V for Vendetta'.

Update 2 February 2008: Hey guys,

Thanks for the posts in the comments Steve and Steve! You know, I should simply have googled this in the first place.... The Etymology of the word 'fag' comes from the word 'faggot' which refers to a bundle of sticks that are bound together (to give strength, or to be used for decoration, or protection) - hence the reference to fags joining together to picket the Church of Scientology...

Of course, that could also be why a packet of cigarettes are called 'fags' since they are packed together so tightly....

Technorati tags: fags, faggot, the meaning of faggot, scientology, V for Vendetta

Comments

[Steven Jones]

Hi Dion

Thanks for your kind words in the comment posted recently to my blog.

Regarding the reference to "fag" - having been born in England, my first thought was that they were referring to cigarettes (for which "fag" is a slang term), but that couldn't possibly be correct, since why would a whole bunch of Woodbines want to take part in a crusade against the Scientologists?

Then again, stranger things happen in London...

[Steve Hayes]

An active version of passive smoking, perhaps?

[digitaldion (Dion Forster)]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the posts! You know, I should simply have googled this in the first place.... The Etymology of the word 'fag' comes from the word 'faggot' which refers to a bundle of sticks that are bound together (to give strength, or to be used for decoration, or protection) - hence the reference to fags joining together to picket the Church of Scientology...

Of course, that could also be why a packet of cigarettes are called 'fags' since they are packed together so tightly....