Legal Question: How Strong is Barbara's Case?

by Room 215 57 Replies latest jw friends

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  Room 215

  A question for the legal beagles out there:

  Since the Watchtower thugs have told the press during the Dateline repartee that Barbara Anderson was not being taken to task for her anti-molestation iniitatives, but alleged that she was being tried for ``allegations or serious sins'' unrelated to her activism, how strong a case would she have in court?

  Bear in mind that Barbara and the others of the Dateline Four say they did nothing more than speak for the protection of children and then publicly challenged the WT to publicly state their accusations and evidence, and that they would indemnify them against any charges arising therefrom.

  So.... if they call her a sinner, say that her sin has nothing to do with whistle-blowing and is serious enough to merit expulsion -- as serious as adultery or theft, yet refuse to accept her challenge to show the world the basis of their charges if they are held harmless, how is that not libel and therefore actionable?
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  Naeblis

  Because it's a religious matter. The courts will not touch this.
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  cellomould

  Funny how the FBI can blow the head off an unarmed reclusive fanatic lady at Ruby Ridge and lay seige to the Branch Dividians' compound...yet the courts can do nothing?
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  Room 215

  Naeblis,

  So it's gotten to the point where you can scream ```Sinner!'' in someone's face in earshot of the whole world with impunity? I wonder what it would take, then, for the courts to decide that the line has been crossed.
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  avengers

  Naeblis "Because it's a religious matter. The courts will not touch this."

  This could be something to ponder on. When the political climate changes so does the religious tolerance.

  If a christian party has the majority in office then it is indeed harder to prosecute religion.

  Here in the Netherlands there has been a political turn around and the Christian Democrats have the largest party.

  If you have a government where the christians are not in the majority the chances are increased that the courts will touch it.

  Until that time I would say yes Naeb has a point.

  So when you vote, take this in consideration.
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  Pathofthorns

  I would like to think that any charitable organization that is getting such a status from the government would be held accountable to reasonable standards for treating its members ethically.

  If someone has donated literally THOUSANDS of hours volunteering and THOUSANDS of dollars financially toward an organization's cause, there should some measure of protection for that individual from being arbitrarily expelled provided he/she has followed the rules of membership agreed upon at time of joining.

  It would be interesting if a value could be put on what has been given to this organization to see if it is recoverable if they want to get rid of people who haven't transgressed it's policies in a clear and obvious manner.

  Path
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  nancee park

  They said the "sin" is causing "divisions." Dividing how? Her going on TV to

  tell about the Watchtower Society coverup on pedophilia. The serious sin is

  their own. They will pay in the court of public opinion if not in court; JWs who

  know what they have done will go from donating $20 a month to donating 0-$2.

  How stupid could their legal advisers get?
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  Farkel

  The publicity alone will do inestimable damage to the Cult. If Barbara wins the WTS loses $$$ and gets bad press. If Barbara loses, the WTS comes across as a Cult who will go to any lengths including trying to ruin the reputation of a good person to hide their dirty laundry.

  The WTS will not fare well with Barbara. She's too smart, she knows too much and she comes across as even-minded and credible. They picked on the wrong person this time.

  Farkel
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  Naeblis

  I agree that even if she lost, the publicity would be terrible for them. But can she afford to go up against the Law Machine?
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  hawkaw

  As with the case Mad Apostate noted earlier this year (I believe it was out of Maine?) you CANNOT sue if you were disfellowshipped. Its that stupid freedom of religion among other things such as trying to find a type of "negligence" that works.

  Of course disfellowshipping is a "private" matter. If something is stated in "public" that hurts your career etc. well then go from there if you catch my drift.

  hawk