Corney

Joined

• started 46 topics
• posted 470 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Corney

• 
  10

  Leading First Amendment scholars intervene in CA loyalty oath case

  by Corney in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  brianna bolden-hardge, a mother of two, a devout jw and a career california civil servant, sues the office of the state controller which revoked a job offer after she objected to swearing a loyalty oath, even though three other state agencies she worked for "either did not insist on the oath or provided her a religious accommodation to it" (by allowing to submit a clarifying statement).

  she sued, and the case was dismissed by a district court.

  now it's heard by the ninth circuit.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  For those interested, the appellate hearing video is available here.
  
• 
  3

  Netherlands: JWs prevail in Bethel raids and shunning cases

  by Corney in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this week, it was revealed that the organization had won, at least so far and partially, two significant cases.. first, the overijssel district court declared that many items seized during the 2018 bethel raids contain privileged information, which the public prosecution service no longer contests.

  this applies, in line with the supreme court judgement, to "all seized documents that, according to the complainants, fall under the right of non-disclosure ... and that contain information relating to information shared with elders in trust in the context of pastoral care, including information relating to the religious judicial committees"; apparently, 15 million electronic files the prosecution was unable to provide for judicial examination are also considered privileged.

  the documents have already been returned, their copies are to be destroyed until 1 november.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  More details available regarding the Bethel raid docs - another decision has recently been published. It's hard to decipher machine-translated legalese, but apparently all seized documents - except certain BOE letters and other general instructions that does not contain any personal information (see section 2.11) - are considered privileged now and therefore excluded and returned.
  
• 
  14

  Suspected Washington Kingdom Halls arsonist arrested

  by Corney in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as many probably remember, in 2018-2020, multiple kingdom and assembly halls were set on fire in the state of washington, so fbi, atf, local sheriff and arson alarm foundation offered $61,000 in rewards for information leading to arrest of the arsonist.

  the attacks (seven arsons and one shooting) included:.

  march 19, 2018: two arson attacks - one at a tumwater kingdom hall and the second at a kingdom hall on cain road in olympia.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  [US DOJ] Washington Man Charged with Hate Crime for Shooting and Damaging Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall

  A Washington man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Seattle, Washington, in connection with a May 15, 2018, shooting that damaged a Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall.

  Mikey Diamond Starrett, aka Michael Jason Layes, 50, of Olympia, Washington, was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of damage to religious property, including the use of a dangerous weapon. He also was charged with one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The original indictment charged the defendant with one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm.

  According to the indictment, on or about May 15, 2018, the defendant used a semi-automatic rifle to deface, damage and destroy religious real property at the Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall of Yelm, Washington, because of the religious character of the property.

  If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison on the charge of damage to religious property involving the use of a dangerous weapon. If convicted on the unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm charge, the defendant faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. The defendant faces a sentence of at least 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any sentence imposed for the remaining firearms offense.

  Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Nick Brown for the Western District of Washington made the announcement.

  The ATF Seattle Field Division, the FBI Seattle Office and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office investigated the matter. Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca S. Cohen for the Western District of Washington are prosecuting the case.
  
• 
  3

  Netherlands: JWs prevail in Bethel raids and shunning cases

  by Corney in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this week, it was revealed that the organization had won, at least so far and partially, two significant cases.. first, the overijssel district court declared that many items seized during the 2018 bethel raids contain privileged information, which the public prosecution service no longer contests.

  this applies, in line with the supreme court judgement, to "all seized documents that, according to the complainants, fall under the right of non-disclosure ... and that contain information relating to information shared with elders in trust in the context of pastoral care, including information relating to the religious judicial committees"; apparently, 15 million electronic files the prosecution was unable to provide for judicial examination are also considered privileged.

  the documents have already been returned, their copies are to be destroyed until 1 november.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  This week, it was revealed that the organization had won, at least so far and partially, two significant cases.

  First, the Overijssel district court declared that many items seized during the 2018 Bethel raids contain privileged information, which the Public Prosecution Service no longer contests. This applies, in line with the Supreme Court judgement, to "all seized documents that, according to the complainants, fall under the right of non-disclosure ... and that contain information relating to information shared with elders in trust in the context of pastoral care, including information relating to the religious judicial committees"; apparently, 15 million electronic files the prosecution was unable to provide for judicial examination are also considered privileged. The documents have already been returned, their copies are to be destroyed until 1 November. It also appears that the court refused to assess whether the raids were legal.
  

  Second, the Public Prosecution Service has refused, based on "the conclusion that no criminal offense has been committed", to open criminal investigation over JW shunning policies.
  
• 
  94

  Will Ukraine win?

  by Fisherman in

  1. social
  2. current

  i was under the impression that it was going to be a short war, that russia’s military would indeed subdue ukraine’s forces quickly but that is not happening.

  seems that russia’s military power is much less than it’s reputed to be.

  no guess how it will all end..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  Yep, President Zelenskyy has made it clear he's not interested in capitulation.

  
  
• 
  94

  Will Ukraine win?

  by Fisherman in

  1. social
  2. current

  i was under the impression that it was going to be a short war, that russia’s military would indeed subdue ukraine’s forces quickly but that is not happening.

  seems that russia’s military power is much less than it’s reputed to be.

  no guess how it will all end..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  The "NATO expansion" narrative is totally moronic and ridiculous.

  First, Ukraine never had real prospects of joining NATO.

  Secondly, NATO would not have any significant military infrastructure in Eastern Europe if not for the Russian aggression. And even the Bundeswehr has virtually ceased to exist, it's not a real military force anymore. Russia itself revitalizes NATO and pushes even countries like Finland and Sweden - that embraced neutrality for decades - to join the Alliance.

  And thirdly, when the mentioned Northern nations - which are also Russia's neighbours - decided to become NATO members, the Kremlin showed virtually no reaction. Because it doesn't consider the "NATO expansion" to be a real threat.
  
• 
  24

  New Store called Best Life Gifts

  by Franklin30 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i noticed a recent post where it was suggested the store was taken over by hostile means!.

  the person who posted it pretended to have knowledge of why the store changed names but clearly was operating with an agenda!

  one filled with lies, misinformation and deceit!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  After 4 years of litigation, the defendants have been ordered to pay $980,000 in damages, plus costs.
• 
  10

  BREAKING. European Court rules for Jehovah's Witnesses in long-awaited "extremism" case

  by Corney in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in 6-1 judgment, the ecthr found that the forced dissolution of jehovah’s witnesses religious organisations in russia, the banning of their religious literature and international website on charges of extremism, the revocation of the permit to distribute religious magazines, the criminal prosecution of individual jehovah’s witnesses, and the confiscation of their property unlawfully interfered with their human rights.

  the only dissenting judge is apparently mikhail lobov, who was nominated by the russian government.. .

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  And the Court has jurisdiction in respect of all violations committed until that date, 16 September 2022.
• 
  66

  Watchtower fined in Belgium

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses in belgium have to pay €12k fine for shunning policy.

  news.

  you have probably heard of the trial going on in belgium about the shunning policy of jws.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  More information:

  “In the opinion of the Court of Appeal, it is apparently disproportionate to impose a criminally enforceable prohibition on a religious community to issue guidelines with regard to ordinary social interaction as such, including friendships, between members of a religious community and third parties - people of a different faith or ex -believers - with whom there is no close family connection, when these guidelines only strongly discourage such contacts or label them as 'sinful', without, however, inciting manifestly unlawful conduct, such as active approach, transgressive proselytism, harassment, threats or bullying in general” , motivates the judgment.
  The criminal information does not show that “the avoidance policy aims to actively approach, harass, threaten or bully ex-members of Jehovah's Witnesses”, according to the court. “The court again refers to the finding that the criminal proceedings in this regard are based almost exclusively on the statements of persons who were excluded voluntarily or not from the religious community of Jehovah's Witnesses, and that no attempt was made in the context of the criminal investigation to objectifying unilateral statements.”

  https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20220607_94011851
  
• 
  66

  Watchtower fined in Belgium

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses in belgium have to pay €12k fine for shunning policy.

  news.

  you have probably heard of the trial going on in belgium about the shunning policy of jws.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Corney

  The Ghent court of appeal today acquitted the JW legal entity of shunning-related hate speech charges.

  Then no conviction for discrimination: Jehovah's Witnesses on appeal now entirely acquitted
  The non-profit organization behind the Jehovah's Witnesses has been entirely acquitted by the appellate court. Last year, the non-profit association was convicted of inciting discrimination against ex-members who had chosen to leave the faith community. The court imposed a fine of 96,000 euros on the non-profit association, but that sentence has now expired. The Court of Appeal acquitted the non-profit association and stated that there is a problem with the evidence.
  The Court of Appeal in Ghent has entirely acquitted the non-profit organization behind the Jehovah's Witnesses in the discrimination case against the non-profit organization. Last year, the non-profit association was sentenced in first instance to pay a fine of 96,000 for inciting discrimination and hatred or violence against members who had chosen to leave the faith community. More than 10 civil parties - ex-members - registered themselves as civil parties.
  In a Pano report from 2019 about the religious community, many witnesses were also discussed who said that they were discriminated against by the non-profit organization. According to witnesses, there would also have been sexual abuse within the community, but the court stated that there was too little evidence to substantiate the testimonies and it ultimately did not go to trial.
  The judge in the first instance said last year after the conviction that the non-profit association does indeed violate the discrimination law, by ordering from above that ex-members should be excluded. "The association propagates the exclusion policy to its local faith communities and thereby jeopardizes many pillars of our fundamental rights," said the judge when reading the verdict. "At no time did the religious community think about the very negative consequences for the victims. Religious rules are not above the law in our society".
  The court now ruled in a voluminous judgment that there is a problem with the evidence. On the basis of the current investigation, there is insufficient evidence to proceed to a conviction, the court said. Patrick Haeck, one of the civil parties, is disappointed. "We will enquire whether we can continue with it, if necessary we will go to the European Court," said Haeck.