I am going to assume that DD also feels that RC church priest should also be jaiiled if they do not report child abuse crimes they hear in confession. That is what I understood. If not, say so directly.
News Flash: New Reveal Article
by Sugar Shane 116 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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Fisherman
Mephis, did you read my post that I asked you to read? -
Simon
Fisherman: the WTS have claimed over and over that they have no "clergy class". They cannot then claim clergy privilege if they don't have any. The rule simply doesn't apply to them.
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OUTLAW
Fisherman: the WTS have claimed over and over that they have no "clergy class". They cannot then claim clergy privilege if they don't have any. The rule simply doesn't apply to them......Simon
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Mephis
Just did Fisherman, yes. It's how I understood your views on this. The distinction which your post lacks is that between what the law is now and what the law could be.
Right now, there are exemptions and the question is whether JWs meet any exemption granted in any specific jurisdiction. (They typically don't.)
In the future, we'll see whether such exemptions are retained or removed.
That's the purpose of things like the Australian Royal Commission. It's secular society saying to religion, and parts of itself, "We're horrified that you lot can't figure out that you need to be protecting kids from abuse. We're going to look to see if we can provide you with some moral leadership and advice on how to do it."
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Fisherman
Simon, what do you think about the children that are harmed in child abuse cases that are not reported to the police by such church that is deemed qualified not to report it?
Are you saying that the issue here is not that ALL churches must report child abuse, but that only those churches that do not qualify must?
They cannot then claim clergy privilege if they don't have any.
The WTS do not claim to have clergy or churches either but the legislation that uses those terms applies to Jews and Moslems too as well as the WT. The laws apply and provide benefits to all religions the same and the term clergy and other terms used in legislation must fit into a generic equation that applies to all religions equally or the law is unconstiutional if it only caters to a religion meeting some preferred standard. That is not my opinion, it is the opinion of US Courts.
In the US that is.
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Fisherman
Mephis, thank you for reading my post that I referred you to. -
Fisherman
do you think that the church should qualify for priest/penitent confidentiality privilige in child abuse cases if the confession it is kept private: no judicial comitees, no WT legal department, no bunch of elders hearing about the confession and it is strictly confidential between priest and penitent ONLY?
In terms of current law, that would generally be respected and not be an issue there
Seems to me that you respect (in a beat around the bush way) not reporting some child abuse.
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Mephis
Fisherman. Read the first clause of the sentence you're quoting. "In terms of current law...".
Just by the by, it wouldn't be respected in places like Guam, West Virginia and New Hampshire, because they have chosen to disallow such privilege for child abuse reporting laws.
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Fisherman
Read the first clause of the sentence you're quoting.
Sure thing. Thanks!
but what do you mean by
in terms of current law, that would generally be respected and not be an issue there
Please explain
