Konagirl:
“Did Jesus Christ, the Head of the Christian congregation, give instructions for his disciples to be divided up into clergy and laity? Nowhere in the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John or in the book of Acts of Apostles or in the book of Revelation are there instructions to split up his disciples into two general classes. His instructions are to the direct contrary. In the temple at Jerusalem, to his disciples and to the crowds of Jews, Jesus said: “But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your teacher, whereas all you are brothers. “ —ka chapter 18 pg 36 wt copyright.
The JW do not identify as having a clergy and laity class, all brothers. That is how JW self define. How the law applies is not determined in a forum of public opinion.
Relating to how the law applies to clergy there are legal provisions that specifically apply to clergy such as parking benefits, tax benefits and exemptions and other benefits and laws that govern the clergy depending on jurisdiction but jw doo not subscribe or benefit or are governed by laws that apply to the clergy because they self define as not having a clergy class. But as I explained in my previous post, legislation uses the term clergy broadly to apply to ministers, Rabbis, etc as. With JW all active ministers with no laity. JW elders and shepherd managers don’t benefit from clergy laws or are governed by them because JW do not identify as having a clergy but that is the decided by the Courts when clergy laws are determined to apply to JW. Clergy ir no clergy, JW is a religion with rights protected by the Constitution. Unconstitutional to exclude a religion because they are required to have a clergy.
Take for example the RCC with a laity class of parishioners. Nobody is laity in JW.