Pa. attorney general charges four Jehovah's Witnesses with sexual abuse of 19 children Charges stem from a grand jury investigation that started after a 2018 Inquirer investigation examined how Witness leaders punished survivors after they reported abuse or sought help from police. (Mark 15:1; Acts 5:27-34) There was no provision for the average Jew to be on a civil jury. When the life of an accused person is involved, this could mean incurring bloodguilt. But finally she agreed to vote for acquittal. Can The tpms sensors on a 2002 Ford Explorer can be activated using a magnet.. English. Not every employer will pay someone who is on jury duty. Even in other ways, might this sort of problem arise for a Christian juror? I've never been summoned for jury duty, but my mom was - more than a year after she died. A jury of 12 or so persons hears the evidence and determines guilt or innocence. (AP) The Jehovah's Witnesses must pay $35 million to a woman who says the church's national organization ordered Montana clergy members not to report her sexual abuse as a child at the hands of a congregation member, a jury ruled in a verdict. jw 12 Replies In a civil case, the jury might award damages or compensation. A non-exempt employee will be granted leave with pay for actual time spent on witness duty and in related travel if subpoenaed to be a witness in an administrative or legal proceeding not involving Berkeley Lab or UC. It was felt that since they knew the accused, their judgment would be fairer than procedures in which he tried to prove his innocence by combat or by surviving some ordeal. I never wanted to do it until the OJ trial. Trial by jury existed also in the Roman Republic, though this was abolished under the emperors. HELENA, Mont. I've already done the preliminary questionaire online and have to check (also online) the day before my scheduled appearance date to see if I must show up or if it has been cancelled. In Canada, a criminal law jury is made up of 12 jurors selected from among citizens of the province or territory in which the court is located. (Exodus 18:13-22; Leviticus 19:15; Deuteronomy 21:18-21) By the time Jesus was on earth, the judicial function was handled by the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court. Exemptions, however, are not granted everywhere. When confronted with an opportunity to handle a legal dispute, their Exemplar the Lord Jesus Christ turned it down, saying: "Who appointed me judge or . "Watchtower instructed everyone involved that they were not to report the matter to authorities. (Matthew 22:17-21) If Caesar says that citizens must give of their time and efforts to clean roads or perform other work that is among Caesar?s functions, each Christian must decide whether to submit. That might be so if a case involves sexual immorality, abortion, manslaughter, or another issue on which his thinking is shaped by Bible knowledge, not by mere secular law. ?Matthew 5:41. Watching two good lawyers go after it on a good case is interesting. Crossposted, but at least Ynot has confirmed that I am always right. a. Two others told. 29-31 - Awake!1980 Questions From Readers (2 occurrences) This contradicts countless scriptures which . The Adventist movement emerged in the 1830s around the . A jury is a group of citizens who try an accused charged with a criminal offence. This is the time to speak up if one has a conscientious reason for not serving because of the nature of that case. The Montana case is one of dozens that have been filed nationwide over the past decade alleging Jehovah's Witnesses mismanaged or covered up the sexual abuse of children. Enough of that and they will have to re think how they use those resources, since a DA wants a high conviction rate. I kind of agree with you, but I think it is a matter of civic duty, and I am happy to do my part after so many years of thinking it was all evil in the JWs. trial Pilate wanted to be "innocent of the blood of this man." And in the state of Colorado persons who can prove by documents that they are Jehovah?s witnesses are granted exemption from jury duty. But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear: for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword; for it is Gods minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one practicing what is bad." Any adult Canadian citizen can be considered for jury duty. This view is of interest to Christians because of what the apostle Paul wrote about governmental "superior authorities." What is the moral lesson of at wars end by rony diaz? When most people think of a jury, they have in mind a panel of 12 citizens at a trialeither a civil dispute or a criminal casewho hear testimony to decide guilt or innocence. Attend other Christian churches . The jury awarded the 21-year-old woman $4 million for her injuries, plus $30 million in punitive damages against Watchtower and $1 million in punitive damages against the Christian Congregation. (John 15:19; Isa. I just love this statement. They really should provide better compensation since people are taking time off work for that. I would love that duty. Jose Serrano, 69, of Lancaster County is alleged to have molested six young girls, including his own daughter, in 2011. Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY. You don't always know what kind of a case you This is something I'm looking forward to in a lot of ways just for the "new experience" it will give me. 3:16) Other Christians, though, have accepted jury duty but have asked to be excused from those cases where they felt their Bible-based thinking would be at variance with secular laws. The amount was later reduced to $15.6 million, including $8.6 million in punitive damages. Yet, authorities are increasingly eliminating exemptions so that all are obliged to report for jury duty, perhaps repeatedly over the years. [612-25] Protection of jurors' employment. Any who are dismissed from that jury panel return to the jury pool to await random selection for other cases. The others, though, pressured her to side with them to avoid a "hung jury" and subsequent retrial. The judge will dismiss any whose impartiality may be questioned because of possible interest in the case. I would love that duty. Serve on jury duty. One thing I would do is go after these school officials who have larger budgets with fewer students and then cut teachers from the staff while claiming it is because of budget cuts. 1997 (Personal matter but WTS "gives permission" to serve on a jury and have the congregation not levy any punishment (in print anyway). It is closer to the situation of Daniel?s three companions. A legal challenge to that law is pending before the Montana Supreme Court. The Jehovah's Witnesses are not exempted from jury duty by statute. The state is there to serve God for your benefit. Legal Statement. And it is noteworthy that in most places being a juror does not involve sharing in political matters, which a Christian would not do because of his neutral position. Unlike the other jurors, she could not accept the claim that the injuries came from an accidental fall. . This Act means that a wider base of people will be eligible for jury duty than before, including older people, people with certain disabilities, and those who work in certain legal professions. Some Christians have reported for jury duty and have served on certain juries. Some Christians in this situation have used the time to do informal witnessing. If a Christian reported for jury duty, as directed by the government, but because of his personal conscience declined to serve on a particular case despite the insistence of the judge, the Christian should be prepared to face the consequences?be that a fine or imprisonment. ONLINE LIBRARY. Court opinions in West Virginia, Minnesota and Washington have, in fact, upheld a persons right to refuse jury duty for religious reasons. The court opinion reported that he, "stated that it violated his personal freedom of conscience to serve as a juror and that he felt he had authority under his religious beliefs to serve within his congregation with power to judge or decide but not to so serve outside his congregation and cited quotations from the scriptures to support his belief." The Board of Regents approved this statement at its June 2018 meeting in Chicago, IL. Paul directed the brothers to expel the wrongdoer. Understandably, Paul did not here mention serving on a jury, for under Roman rule there were no citizens juries as now exist under Anglo-American law. Others have felt compelled to decline even in the face of punishment. The monetary award must be reviewed by the trial judge and could be reduced. Other Christians, though, have decided otherwise. (Compare Genesis 39:17-20; 1 Timothy 5:22.) The Bible does not mention jury duty, so he cannot say, It is against my religion to serve on any jury. Depending on the case, he might state that serving on the jury for a particular case is against his personal conscience. When you vote in an election your vote gets diluted by thousands or millions. Christians strive ?to mind their own business,? The use of juries is not universal. The first passage tells of a Jewish man who asked Jesus to judge in a legal dispute over inheritance. "?Matthew 27:24, 25. With all due respect to the above author, it is usually best to by freddi Supreme Court turned down the contention that Gigante was exercising his claimed " duty as a priest" in his relations with the prisoner, who is serving a 62-month federal sentence for interstate gambling violations and was additionally convicted of bribing a prison official. It must be your personal decision not to serve not because the WTS is telling you not to serve on a jury duty. A jury duty excuse letter aims at explaining to the court officials why you would rather not attend the duties altogether. Not enough people vote. What is the attitude of Jehovah?s Witnesses toward jury duty??U.S.A. They really should provide better compensation since people are taking time off work for that. . For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged" ( Matthew 7:1-2 ), or as we might say in modern language, "Don't convict others of sin ." Christ's disciples should not engage in the trying, judging, sentencing or punishing of others. A regular jury only hears what is given to them, but a grand jury is the mother lode. Jehovah?s witnesses recognize that what people do with reference to jury duty is a personal matter, governed by the dictates of conscience. The part I don't like is that they pay you $9.00 for the day and that doesn't come close to covering gas and parking expense, so I'm using public transportation rather than drive into Pittsburgh traffic. It is something to consider. "Jehovah's Witnesses abhor child abuse and strive to protect children from such acts. You can also have a say in putting away thugs who prey on people. A professional judge guided them on points of evidence. A professional judge guided them on points of evidence. Jurors concluded church elders did not receive notice of the 32-year-old woman's abuse in 1998 as she said they did, and therefore did not have a duty to tell authorities. But a distinctive feature of common law countries is the use of juries composed of average citizens. As far as they personally are concerned, Jehovah?s witnesses generally do not feel that they should sit as judges of other people. During my 38 yrs as a witness I was called to jury duty three times. The apostle Paul urged "holy ones" in Corinth to settle differences within the congregation. Former Jehovah's Witnesses who have testified before a state grand jury say investigators are seeking to shatter the wall of secrecy around the religion's leaders and their response to sex abuse complaints. Its best not to go to your normal doctor . Still, some persons have reasoned that the local or national government is "taxing" one?s time in requiring any qualified citizen to serve briefly as a juror. In jury duty the task is to hear evidence and offer an honest opinion on points of fact or law. Rats! It has been reasoned that all citizens benefit from courts and so should be willing to be jurors, even as all benefit from other governmental services and so should pay taxes for these. While referring to the judiciary of secular courts as "unrighteous men," Paul did not deny that such had a place in handling secular affairs. If a guilty verdict is in error and the death penalty is imposed, would a Christian on the jury share bloodguilt? In that case he should prepare himself to face whatever consequences may arise as a result of his decision. And in the state of Colorado persons who can prove by documents that they are Jehovahs witnesses are granted exemption from jury duty. 99.9% of Witnesses will write a letter to the courts asking that they be exempted from service due to religious convictions (such as not sitting in judgment of another person especially as all. 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