Is punishing someone for changing their religion against international law

by ldrnomo 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  ldrnomo

  I saw this on Wikipedia:

  The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, considers the recanting of a person's religion a human right legally protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: "The Committee observes that the freedom to 'have or to adopt' a religion or belief necessarily entails the freedom to choose a religion or belief, including the right to replace one's current religion or belief with another or to adopt atheistic views [...] Article 18.2 bars coercion that would impair the right to have or adopt a religion or belief, including the use of threat of physical force or penal sanctions to compel believers or non-believers to adhere to their religious beliefs and congregations, to recant their religion or belief or to convert."[5]

  Seems to me that being shunned by family and friends for quitting Jehovah's Witnesses would be penal sanctions.

  LD
• 

  ssn587

  IMSOHO, it should be, they should have to suffer for making others suffer because we or they have had a change of mind on what they thought was the right religion. So hell yeah,
• 

  Maddie

  I agree with you wholeheartedly and am glad that you started this thread. The article makes the point that more subtle formsof coersion apply too. Emotional coersion is definitely used by the JW's through the fear of shunning by family and friends.

  I will be interested to hear what other posters think, or if anyone knows where we stand legally on this issue.

  Maddie
• 

  cognizant dissident

  My son had a younger frien, a couple of months short of 16yrs, whose JW parents were trying to force him to go to meetings after he said he didn't want to be a JW anymore. They also tried to force him to quit his job as there was a "worldly" girl there he liked. He would go to see her after school instead of coming right home and they sent the police after him to force him to come home. My son told him to print off this UN Human Rights charter and read it to them. He did and he also asked the policeman if they could force him to be a JW and the police said no. They told his parents, he's not breaking any laws by working and seeing his girlfriend, so stop calling us.

  I could just picture the police leaving their house shaking their heads. "Nice kid, respectful, in school, works after school, girlfriend his own age...yeah let's call the cops because he wants to go to her house instead of the K.H."
• 

  Mary

  Wow! Excellent find. I'm wondering if this could be used to sue the WTS when someone gets disfellowshipped for joining another religion......
• 

  DT

  Just a perspective from someone who isn't qualified to give legal advice. I seem to recall reading that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights has been accepted by the United States, but isn't directly enforceable in the United States. Instead the United States has a theoretical responsibility to enact laws that support the principles of that covenant. However, I believe that covenant can still be used in certain court cases to illustrate how U.S. laws can or should be applied.

  The problem I see is that it is difficult to get a case about organisationally enforced shunning (Its silly to sue individuals for exercising their right to shun.) to be heard in court without being thrown out on the basis that it would involve interference with church procedures. If a case gets past that hurdle, then the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights may be of some use. It's also possible that another country would take this seriously as a basic human rights issue and set the example for other countries.
• 

  loosie

  define: penal sanctions
• 

  White Dove

  JW's don't have the RIGHT to shun. They are FORCED by obligation to shun. Fear of reprisal from their religion makes them shun. Freedom of religion should be relative to how much suffering such expressions cause.
• 

  White Dove

  I would guess that penal sanctions would come under civil law, not criminal law. Just guessing.
• 

  DT

  I wish Russia would rethink their proposal to ban Jehovah's Witnesses. They would probably have more success if they applied these human rights standards to allow former members to sue the Watchtower Society for human rights violations. Instead of appearing as a bully picking on a religious minority, they could be praised for sticking up for basic human liberties. Other countries would likely follow and the Watchtower Society would regret the day they ever messed with Russia.