.. in Finland.
Is that allowed?
Representative of finnish Jehovah's Witnesses has been for years in committee, which is set by Ministry of Education. Committee is part of law-making process for renewed version of Freedom of Religion Act.
Government official site says this about the committee:
"Task: Law-making project
Description of the Task:
Committees duty is to make proposal for new Freedom of Religion Act. Committees duty is to evaluate effects of it's proposals in view of taxation."
JW's representatative, "information secretary" is listed as expert role in committee, along with representatives of other religious groups like orthodox, lutherans, jews and so on. He has been named expert, specialist, in that committee from 1.10.1998 -28.2.2001 like other religious representatives. He's not primary a member, but listed as an expert.
I don't include hyperlinks because it's all in finnish.
JW 's intervened in law-making process
by FinnishInfo 6 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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FinnishInfo
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Legolas
Welcome to the board!
An expert on lie's maybe!
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garybuss
Interesting! What else?
Here in the USA the Society has been very active in setting policy for the effect and in the application of existing laws. They hold the record of any politically active religion in the USA for activity at the Supreme Court Level. The Supreme Court is a part of the Judiciary branch of Federal Government in the United States. They publicly lobby for laws both in the USA and lately they lobbied on a full page newspaper ad in the USA for French law. They lobbied in Greece to every Government official they could find. They have no problem doing it, they simply don't call it lobbying. -
FinnishInfo
garybuss,
Yes, I knew that would be so in the USA.
But doesn't this finnish case mean that they are actually in the politics using parliamentary, official, political-system-offered ways to really MAKE laws (not just appealing for some unfavourable act) and make effect? -
garybuss
Here in the USA the Witness people representing the Society are involved in lawmaking (often by way of law changing) on about every level. Witnesses routinely lobby and petition local branches of government to make and change ordnances (laws) related to their construction business. I see Witnesses being politically active at every level they can be active without needing to be registered as affiliated with a political party, or without needing to be elected. They have no problem lobbying (associating with) politically registered people who are elected.
If you read the ongoing cases in Russia the Witnesses are extremely active in lawmaking there. They are involved in every branch of government there is.
They are like the weasel who just after pulling a chicken through the fence, said, "I never went in the chicken yard!". -
Forscher
I know a Witness who sat on a local committee mandated by state law to decide what would be taught in the school's sex-ed curriculum.
Forscher -
Mr. Kim
It does not surprise me!