Judge: Comparing JWs to salesmen "insulting degrading hurtful & defamatory"

loveis

It seems that, despite being regarded as sales nuisances by so many, JWs still seem to have the respect of those whose opinion matters the most.

*** yb02 pp. 13-14 Highlights of the Past Year ***

In Quebec, Canada,

the city of Blainville enacted a bylaw stating that people going from door to door for religious purposes must first purchase a permit. The permit authorized door-to-door visits only from Monday to Friday, was valid for just two months, and could not be renewed until 12 months had passed. On April 17, 2001, a superior court judge in Quebec ruled that the bylaw does not apply to the public ministry of Jehovah?s Witnesses. The judge stated that Jehovah?s Witnesses were exempt from obtaining a permit and were not bound by limitations of hours, days, months, or years in their door-to-door religious activities. He referred to the ministry of Jehovah?s Witnesses as "a Christian community service" and found that their publications are "serious literature, dealing with subject matters such as religion, the Bible, drugs, alcoholism, youth education, marital problems and divorce." To compare the Witnesses to peddlers, the judge said, is "insulting, degrading, hurtful, and defamatory."

Hmmm. Any comments?

A Paduan

And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says."

Judges aren't saints - many aren't even well read

El blanko

To be honest, I think the judge is right in this case. The few JWs I have met, aside from trying to push the WatchTower onto me , have expressed themselves in terms of their own personal beliefs and hope for the future based upon their reading of the Bible.

Who am I to call into question their heart motivation? Who are we to pass absolute judgement?

Live & let live.

A Paduan:

You are right to a degree. I worked with a highcourt judge for a while and this guy had amongst other fine qualities - sexual perversions (always making suggestions to women about bondage & the like) and definetly racist. That may conform to a stereotype of sorts, but in this chaps case it was true.

Although there are probably exceptions to the rule of course. Maybe the odd wise Solomon out there. Hope prevails !

robmoore88

As a salesman (not door-todoor) I'd certainly be insulted by such a comparison.

Rob

Scully

I do not have a problem with JWs or anyone else for that matter who wishes to go door-to-door to *discuss* their beliefs with others. That is a fundamental right in Canada, enshrined in a person's religious freedom.

I take issue with the concept though when the person engaging in such proselytizing is told that their salvation is in jeopardy if they do not engage in the preaching work. This impinges on an individual's freedom of religious choice by the religion to which they belong. A religious obligation is a yoke, not a freedom.

I also take issue with the door-to-door proselytizing issue when people with ulterior motives, con artists, paedophiles and rapists for example, are using it as a cover in finding potential targets to victimize. People with a record of paedophilic activity cannot be allowed the broadened freedom under the guise of religion to seek out others who may eventually become the target(s) of their illegal sexual activity.

Love, Scully