its just occurred to me that all registered charity people coming to my door have id and and a number to check they are who they say they are be they red cross, help the aged, RNLI, jw are registered as a charity (usually under each kingdom hall here) so why havent they already got id cards if theyre knocking on doors....things that make you go hmmm
nelly
CNN mentions Jehovah's Witnesses Today
by ARoarer 76 Replies latest jw friends
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nelly136
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Seeker
I dunno, I can't see this being relevant to the current security situation. Not that this story is, for it involves a 3-year-old rule that the Supreme Court is only now examining.
I can't imagine a terrorist being so stupid as to go door-to-door to distribute poison-laced literature. Besides being a very inefficient method (nobody is home, as JWs will tell you), it provides an eyewitness at every single door. Any terrorist trying this would be caught so fast his head would spin.
No, I don't like to see talk about new rules to make us more "secure." Something like this won't fight terrorism, but will take away a right people have to distribute their ideas. I hate this personally, but I don't allow my personal view to restrict the rights of others, or else one day their personal views may restrict a right I care about.
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outnfree
I wonder if the Supreme Court of the United States would like a copy of the Witnesses' OM book to help them with their decision?
How would one go about providing the Justices with this pertinent information from the Watchtower Society's own literature, I wonder?
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ARoarer
The following website is a discussion with 2 witness representatives asking the government of Australia to view thier freedom of religion status so it can speak in behalf of the Jehovah's Witnesses in France and Russia who, they feel, are being singled out and persecuted by these countries. The names of the 2 witnesses are Mr. Toole and Mr. MacLean. The discussion begins around page 72 of 101. They must have enjoyed the privlege of attending this joint committee meeting with thier former UN NGO statues.
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Bridgette
Seeker,
I can see why your little red flags are coming up. I am a great proponent of individual rights and freedoms. However, as our population grows exponentially, we're going to have to make some difficult choices between the rights of the individual and the community. If I have to choose, I choose my right to privacy over the rights of a religious/corporation, or any who have a political or economic agenda. I want to have the right to work in my yard unmolested by those who have an agenda. You wanna stop and say hi, that's fine with me--but don't approach me with an agenda--religious or otherwise.
I do not think it's out of line, either to have them register and ID themselves. I'm sorry if a few individuals have to go out of their way to accommodate this, but I wish to know who's at my door and what they're selling. And to answer the question posed by the attorney for the JW's to the court--YES! they are peddlers. They have all the earmarks of a Multi-level-marketing system with a religious overtone. It is very much about the selling and distributing of their literature, and constantly feeding itself with new recruits. Now, back to the ID--we ALL KNOW that JW's are highly discouraged from identifying themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses, when they peddle door to door. They are purposefully covert in their door to door operations in order to specifically bolster their recruiting system.
ID cards are no big deal. I have to wear one where I work. Beleive me, you want to know who people are and what credentials they have, where I work. Do we feel as though some human right has been violated? Probably by the textbook Libertarian, yes. But I've got no problem with wearing my little ID badge. It's just common sense.
Love,
B. -
Escargot
Well, I believe the Jws will prevail on this one. A US supreme court case already decided this back in the 30's. Also, the precedent of religious persons not required to obtain a permit to promote their religion in public is well founded in our history.
Erasmus (1520 AD): "If we want truth, every person ought to be free to speak what they think without fear."
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pettygrudger
On the issue of anomity - since when did JW's want to be anonimous? I thought they were supposed to be screaming from the roof tops? If the government wants them to carry I.D. - what's the big deal? I suspect they are so indoctrinated themselves, that the WTBTS is actually afraid of its own prophecy coming true!!!!! Forget about those poor persecuted Malwai citizens, forget about those people in France & Russia - now its coming to America!!! Or, the WTBTS is getting one-step close in the eyes of the government for being a sneaky book-peddling organization that uses the name of God & free-labor to store rich treasures right here on earth!
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Tina
Hello Bridgette,aroarer and all!
Excellent! Your post mirrored what I was thinking! I agree with the premise . To me,it's a question of when do 'rights' like these supercede my right to privacy.And the right to NOT be harrassed from those with specific a agenda,whether they be political,religious,etc.
I don't think the never been a JW,guy/woman in the street will see it as we do. I well remember being told NOT to say I was a JW at the door. That always made me very uncomfortable. It was so dishonest.And of course we had an agenda to recruit.
I would like to see more communities make this and any group with an agenda identify themselves.
I too wear an id badge when working in a clinic or hospital. I don't feel at all violated. I think the loudest uproar about this commen sensical issue,WILL be from those who want to keep their agenda covert,in essence having something to 'hide'. And that is NOT in the publics best interest.
Thanks everyone,great thread here! luv to all,Tinasi hoc legere scis nimium eruditionis habes
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Ranchette
I wonder if they would be interested in the WT article that shows that they encourage repentant child molesters to go door to door?
That is a security issue even though not related to terrorist.
Ranchette -
fodeja
Prediction: the Governing Body will scrap door-to-door. There's a better way of distributing tracts and magazines:
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/10/15/ret.afghanistan.attacks/
Clearly, this is the modern-day equivalent of manna falling from the heavens, courtesy of the faithful airborne slave!
f.