by mr_doubtful 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I'm all for religious freedoms.
Here's what I am not for.
I am not for a religious organization demanding freedoms from the government that they in turn take away from their own members.
Why should the organization get religious freedom when they take that very thing away from it's members?
I agree with what you say
Punnish the leaders for the deaths of thousands of children due to their no blood policy
Banned is pretty harsh. Any pseudo-religion (JWS, Scientology, etc), or established religion (Islam) that violates member rights of freedom of religion, should lose their "religion" status. They should receive no benefits as a religious group or charity, they should be taxed into non-existence.
I agree with your reasons why 100% but a ban is too totalitarian. Freedom of speech is more important, but they should be held accountable for being shit-weasels in some way.
I agree they shouldn't have any tax benefits. They get to run a real estate empire while paying no taxes on gains. It's the craziest thing. Not to mention the members are the ones who paid for everything to begin with.
I noticed that evangelical groups in Russia are concerned that they are next. We may see the WTS as apart from other religions but governments may not, seeing religions that originate outside their country as disruptive.
They should be able to take it. They have no problem banning people from their religion.
What, they can't take it when it comes the other way?
?
They get to run a real estate empire while paying no taxes on gains.
LOL. The Catholics have a few-century head start on "real estate empire".
But at least they provide charity - some benefit to the community, even for non-believers.
There should be some sort of measurement by which tax-exempt status can be assigned.
I'm against banning entire religions, even if it's the JWs. Sure, we've got a bone to pick with the WTS, but agreeing with a totalitarian regime to ban a religion we don't like is short sighted.
And let's admit something... it's not the WTS hierarchy that is affected. It's the everyday R&F member of the religion that will suffer. No one in New York really suffered during WWII, but the loyal followers in Germany sure suffered. Do you really want that for innocent Russians (despite their allegiance to the WTS)?
A ban on an entire religion is a human rights violation. Yea, we may argue that the WTS steps on our human rights through their DFing and shunning policy, but that's an issue not related to what an actual government can do with their power.
No, I don't wish a ban on JWs or the WTS. No more than I wish a ban on Catholics, Mormons or atheists. I can put aside my dislike for the WTS enough to stand up for freedom of (or from) religion, no matter your faith (or lack of).
Government should simply criminalize Organized Shunning. That is, the practice of shunning organized and/or enforced by any organization, including religion.
Then, governments could say: “We have nothing against freedom of religions, however, we will not allow people to promote any type of criminal activity and this includes organized shunning.”
If the JWs violated this, the government could take criminal actions against the individuals without ever taking out the entire religion. For instance, I doubt any elder would risk criminal charges by questioning someone seen in public with an xJW. I also doubt that publishers would want to risk criminal records in order to distribute literature that promotes shunning.
Slowly, but surely, this practice would be done away with and in time, xJWs would be treated as any other worldly person. Sure, there still could be some shunning, but at least, it will be the individual’s decisions.
