Freeman of the Land / Bonkers Theories

drew · 21 Jun 2021 at 22:28

Hi All

It appears that the person who is supposedly my father has completely lost the plot and is following a variety of even stranger people online.

He's effectively forced himself out of the family business due to unreasonable behaviour and is now due a large lump sum for the purchase of his shares, he's written to HMRC and business accountant suggesting he will no longer be paying taxes etc etc due to being a freeman of the land.

He has become utterly delusional and indoctrinated in a variety of QANON theories, coupled with covid denying, bigotry, racism and anti-Semitism he's turned into an throughly disgusting person spouting some absolutely crazy ideas, think South Park pandemic special with extra sauce.

His idols appears to be Dr Charlie Ward, Simon Parkes and Robert David Steele. He's now started a course with The Peoples Lawyer UK to "defend himself".

Does anyone here have any suggestions or experience with this as it seems to be becoming more prevalent?

I feel he's a lost cause.

Malevolence · 21 Jun 2021 at 22:44

I call shenanigans.

drew · 21 Jun 2021 at 22:50

Malevolence said:
shenanigans

I wish, unfortunately this is happening.

hurfdurf · 21 Jun 2021 at 22:55

I’m sorry your father is going through this.
I’ve always likened these people to the mentally ill. He’s taking a lot of solace in feeling superior to other people thinking’s he’s on to something other people aren’t. This can’t be argued against rationally as he will defend that sense of superiority beyond reason.

There’s been some research into how to combat this kind of thought, and you have to be very nice and kind to him, and have a lot of patience. It’s not something that would be worth it for me, so I’d cut him out and ignore him moving forward.

[FnG]magnolia · 21 Jun 2021 at 22:57

Not paying his taxes is probably the bit that will get him in very serious trouble. The other stuff sounds like he needs a trip to his GP.

drew · 21 Jun 2021 at 22:58

hurfdurf said:
I’m sorry your father is going through this.
I’ve always likened these people to the mentally ill. He’s taking a lot of solace in feeling superior to other people thinking’s he’s on to something other people aren’t. This can’t be argued against rationally as he will defend that sense of superiority beyond reason.

There’s been some research into how to combat this kind of thought, and you have to be very nice and kind to him, and have a lot of patience. It’s not something that would be worth it for me, so I’d cut him out and ignore him moving forward.

A number of people have identified him as a text book narcissist so your words resonate, i do think at this point he is mentally ill. I've even been to see a therapist about it to learn i'm not the one with the problem! I think he's a gonna just wondered if anyone has gone though the same thing.

drew · 21 Jun 2021 at 23:02

[FnG]magnolia said:
Not paying his taxes is probably the bit that will get him in very serious trouble. The other stuff sounds like he needs a trip to his GP.

Well, i'm slightly worried the business will be sucked into this, not that we have anything to hide, just don't fancy the rubber glove treatment.

I'm not sure if accountants have some kind of requirement to report him if they know of tax irregularities or evasion.

[FnG]magnolia · 21 Jun 2021 at 23:04

drew said:
Well, i'm slightly worried the business will be sucked into this, not that we have anything to hide, just don't fancy the rubber glove treatment.

I'm not sure if accountants have some kind of requirement to report him if they know of tax irregularities or evasion.

@Kemik
@Pudney

Where my accountant superheroes at, yo.

hurfdurf · 21 Jun 2021 at 23:07

drew said:
Well, i'm slightly worried the business will be sucked into this, not that we have anything to hide, just don't fancy the rubber glove treatment.

I'm not sure if accountants have some kind of requirement to report him if they know of tax irregularities or evasion.

He will be getting utterly horrendous legal advice. Every Freeman of the land criminal and civil court case has at best, been delayed a few times, before resulting in utter failure and a significantly worse outcome for the “Freeman”.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Freeman_on_the_land#Freeman_successes

Get your own solicitors for the business, brief them on what he’s gotten himself into, and ask them to help you avoid getting sucked in.

drew · 21 Jun 2021 at 23:10

hurfdurf said:
He will be getting utterly horrendous legal advice. Every Freeman of the land criminal and civil court case has at best, been delayed a few times, before resulting in utter failure and a significantly worse outcome for the “Freeman”.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Freeman_on_the_land#Freeman_successes

Get your own solicitors for the business, brief them on what he’s gotten himself into, and ask them to help you avoid getting sucked in.

I have a good one that we use. Good call, i'll drop him an email, he's aware of the situation but not the tax element.

He was bragging last week that he's tarting a "Law Course" this week - https://thepeopleslawyeruk.com :cry:

dowie · 21 Jun 2021 at 23:15

Yikes! See this thread from a few years ago:

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/foru...cancer-500-protesters-massive-farce.18651204/

That bloke thought he could stop paying his mortgage because he felt he'd paid "enough" and it was his house etc... sure enough he got evicted and I suspect the bank ran up substantial fees for all the bailiffs involved in the process... which presumably came out of his remaining equity!

This stuff is quite amusing on one hand but, on the other hand, does serious financial damage to the people who believe in it.

See the video in the thread too for some of this rambling nonsense:

drakulton · 21 Jun 2021 at 23:15

does your dad smoke? Vascular dementia caused by clogged cerebral arteries can cause slow and gradual personality changes.

drew · 21 Jun 2021 at 23:20

drakulton said:
does your dad smoke? Vascular dementia caused by clogged cerebral arteries can cause slow and gradual personality changes.

No not smoked for years, but has a variety of significant health issues related to hereditary heart disease, ICD / Pacemaker, quad bypass at 44. General poor health.

I was thinking along the lines of dementia but he's always been a word beginning with c, i just put up with it for the security of the business and all those that work for us...

Mr Badger · 21 Jun 2021 at 23:30

You have my sympathies - sounds like a very difficult family/business situation.

But are you absolutely certain that your dad isn't @mmj_uk?

mmj_uk · 21 Jun 2021 at 23:58

Corporations exploit legal loopholes all of the time, isn't this essentially the same thing but for the individual?

Apologies for bringing intelligent discussion to the thread.

manic111 · 22 Jun 2021 at 00:05

mmj_uk said:
Corporations exploit legal loopholes all of the time, isn't this essentially the same thing but for the individual?

Apologies for bringing intelligent discussion to the thread.

No, it's not, because being a freeman of the land doesn't exist in any legally or financially useful way.

@op there's a really interesting recent story about an NBA basketball player who went fully down a conspiracy hole, then apologised a few weeks later and effectively said that he was sucked further and further into a YouTube spiral, and when he took time to look at the other side he realised he was totally wrong. I can't recall the exact details but it may be worth you looking into for ideas

Rroff · 22 Jun 2021 at 00:36

Problem is he hasn't come to his opinion via any rational process so you are unlikely to change his mind via any amount of reason or any other approach.

It does seem to be an increasingly common thing unfortunately.

Only thing you can do really, and it isn't easy especially if you are a more passive kind of person, is to keep reiterating firmly and calmly reality - don't berate or get into arguments or go on the attack as that will likely just make them the more stubborn - with enough bad experiences they might start to see the sense in what you've been saying and start to think more about what they are doing/thinking maybe.

Pudney · 22 Jun 2021 at 02:23

[FnG]magnolia said:
@Kemik
@Pudney

Where my accountant superheroes at, yo.

Yes, accountants have a legal duty to report suspicion of illegal activities.

mmj_uk said:
Corporations exploit legal loopholes all of the time, isn't this essentially the same thing but for the individual?

Apologies for bringing intelligent discussion to the thread.

If you think Freeman of the land nonsense is in the same vein as what you posted, either you have no clue what you’re talking about or you’re simply just an imbecile.

Freakbro · 22 Jun 2021 at 07:24

Pudney said:
If you think Freeman of the land nonsense is in the same vein as what you posted, either you have no clue what you’re talking about or you’re simply just an imbecile.

Those options aren't mutually exclusive...

StriderX · 22 Jun 2021 at 09:40

Has a freeman of the land ever actually won a single case?