blocked by a content filter service

3/17/2005 · 0 comments

in living the life

I’m at Panera Bread trying to blog, and my site keeps being blocked. I get this message:

This site is blocked by the SonicWALL Content Filter Service.
URL: http://www.danbutcher.com/wordpress/
Reason for restriction: Forbidden Category “Cult/Occult”

Here’s what SonicWall’s site offers as a description of “cult/occult”:

“Sites sponsored by prominent organized modern religious groups that are identified as ‘cults’ by three or more authoritative sources. 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 or supernatural beings.” Two satanist sites are offered as examples.

While I don’t advocate spells, curses, magic powers, or the use of supernatural beings, I do “promote or offer methods, means of instruction, or other resources to affect or influence real events”–faith in the living God! A primary goal of this blog is to record my growth in faith and grace, and I hope to encourage others in the same pursuit.

Please note that I don’t mean to suggest that this is part of some conspiracy designed to block Christian sites; I suspect it’s some unintended quirk in their filtering system. I’ve sent an email to SonicWall asking for an explanation of why my blog is being blocked; I look forward to hearing their response.

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