fisherman: 909 provides confidentiality between priest and penitent. That is it. Does Delaware want JW elders to wear costumes and perform rituals and set up kiosks for JWs to confess? I think that I have made my point. You have your view. "Good Luck!"
Yes. You have made your point. You do not comprehend why the ruling was made the way it was.
The JW judical hearings DO NOT qualify as as clergy-penitent situation because the JCs are NOT in place to accomodate penitent repentance and absolution. The JCs are a disiplinary process which is NOT covered under the clergy-penitent clause.
For the JCs to qualiify, the purpose of the JC has to be such that the penitent comes to the elders(clergy) to confess and receive absolution because of the confession - not because the elders commence upon a system of discovery in order to disipline those concerned.
Comparing the JC process to the confession of other churches is like comparing apples to oranges - they are not the same thing. And the judge in this case make that clear.
The judge does not expect the JWs to "wear costumes and perform rituals and set up kiosks for JWs to confess", but it is expected that the JWs know the difference between confession/absolution that occurs in strict confidence between only two people and just a plain old disiplinary hearing that results in the victim being kicked out and countless others being involved in the process.
*to add - geez fisherman, your senseless arguing on this matter leads a person to think that you have a personal stake in this ruling...good luck.