Sessions announces 'religious liberty task force'

[Tbs77]

http://thehill.com/regulation/administration/399482-sessions-announces-religious-liberty-task-force

 

Attorney General Jeff Sessionsannounced Monday that the Department of Justice is creating a "religious liberty task force."

Sessions said the task force, co-chaired by Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio and the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy, Beth Williams, will help the department fully implement the religious liberty guidance it issued last year.

The guidance was a byproduct of President Trump's executive order directing agencies to respect and protect religious liberty and political speech.

Sessions said on Monday that the task force will "ensure all Justice Department components are upholding that guidance in the cases they bring and defend, the arguments they make in court, the policies and regulations they adopt, and how we conduct our operations."

 

Escorting us during hailstones and respite?

 

Put in speculation forum mods if you'd like.

 

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[Cushi]

1 hour ago, Tbs77 said:

 

http://thehill.com/regulation/administration/399482-sessions-announces-religious-liberty-task-force

 

Attorney General Jeff Sessionsannounced Monday that the Department of Justice is creating a "religious liberty task force."

Sessions said the task force, co-chaired by Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio and the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy, Beth Williams, will help the department fully implement the religious liberty guidance it issued last year.

The guidance was a byproduct of President Trump's executive order directing agencies to respect and protect religious liberty and political speech.

Sessions said on Monday that the task force will "ensure all Justice Department components are upholding that guidance in the cases they bring and defend, the arguments they make in court, the policies and regulations they adopt, and how we conduct our operations."

 

Escorting us during hailstones and respite?

 

Put in speculation forum mods if you'd like.

 

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What exactly are you asking when you say “escorting us during hailstones and respite?” 

[Tortuga]

55 minutes ago, Brother Jack said:

What exactly are you asking when you say “escorting us during hailstones and respite?” 

It's possible this task force will be used against anyone that criticizes the governmentally approved religious freedoms. Our judgement message may put us in opposition to this task force one day.

Edited July 30, 2018 by Tortuga

[Tbs77]

What exactly are you asking when you say “escorting us during hailstones and respite?” 

Expecting the Unexpected.... Jehovah using this task force so that religious liberties for his people are protected during respite and hailstorm . At least for a time...

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[Cushi]

26 minutes ago, Tbs77 said:

Expecting the Unexpected.... Jehovah using this task force so that religious liberties for his people are protected during respite and hailstorm . At least for a time...

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That’s what I thought you meant. Speaking of the of hailstone message, the July 15 2015 watchtower said in the article entitled your deliverance is getting near: “None of this will go unnoticed by our enemies.” It then goes on to talk about the attack by gog of Magog. Remember, Daniel 11 talks about the last king of the north hearing “reports” that disturb him so much that he tries to destroy God’s people. Though they may not interfere too much because the attack will be cut short, it appears that the judgement message will anger them so much that they try to kill all of Jehovah’s servants. Don’t mean to be a part pooper 

[Tortuga]

14 minutes ago, Brother Jack said:

That’s what I thought you meant. Speaking of the of hailstone message, the July 15 2015 watchtower said in the article entitled your deliverance is getting near: “None of this will go unnoticed by our enemies.” It then goes on to talk about the attack by gog of Magog. Remember, Daniel 11 talks about the last king of the north hearing “reports” that disturb him so much that he tries to destroy God’s people. Though they may not interfere too much because the attack will be cut short, it appears that the judgement message will anger them so much that they try to kill all of Jehovah’s servants. Don’t mean to be a part pooper 

Agreed. I have a feeling this task force is more likely to be against us than for us. It might protect some religious freedoms but if we are in opposition to other religions then the task force will protect them from us..

[nanceebgd46]

From my vantage point, this means something, it's not just

a capricious move by the government....they're trying to get

a message to their constituency....who are religiously inclined

that they will have their backs!

[Cushi]

42 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Agreed. I have a feeling this task force is more likely to be against us than for us. It might protect some religious freedoms but if we are in opposition to other religions then the task force will protect them from us..

I can’t imagine them caring about other people’s religious freedoms since they will have completely destroyed false religion by the time we preach the judgement message. They instead may be angry with us because we might be preaching that Jehovah was the one behind the destruction of false religion and that their destruction is near along with satan’s System.

[Tortuga]

12 minutes ago, Brother Jack said:

I can’t imagine them caring about other people’s religious freedoms since they will have completely destroyed false religion by the time we preach the judgement message. They instead may be angry with us because we might be preaching that Jehovah was the one behind the destruction of false religion and that their destruction is near along with satan’s System.

I suspect that our stand on neutrality and other issues are already putting us on the wrong side of the political systems idea of religious freedom. Personally I don't think the task force is a good thing. It's like Putin protecting the Russian Orthodox church...

 

 

[Cushi]

29 minutes ago, Brother Jack said:

They instead may be angry with us because we might be preaching that Jehovah was the one behind the destruction of false religion

Can you imagine if you were high up in the government and thought that you and the others in government who helped destroy false religion we’re geniuses and that it was all y’alls doing... only to find out that it was Jehovah who put it into your heart to do it and that Jehovah’s Witnesses had been saying it would happen for decades...

Edited July 30, 2018 by Brother Jack

[Tbs77]

I suspect that our stand on neutrality and other issues are already putting us on the wrong side of the political systems idea of religious freedom. Personally I don't think the task force is a good thing. It's like Putin protecting the Russian Orthodox church...
 
 

Timely Regional Convention!

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[lovjahupepl]

For some reason this scripture popped into my mind after reading a few articles on this "task force"

Rev 18:7 - To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.'

 

ws13 7/15 pp. 9-14 “Look! I Am With You All the Days”

Part of Paragraph 13....

Quote

Christendom is part of the harlot described in Revelation chapter 18. Even today, Christendom says about herself: “I sit a queen, and I am no widow, and I shall never see mourning.” (Revelation 18:7) She still feels she is in control and even tries to be “a queen” with power over political leaders. So false Christians represented by the weeds are still boasting today. They have not started to weep. But that will soon change.

Perhaps things like these boost adherents of Christendom into feelings of victory they still have "power" over political leaders. They may be and feel even more supported & elevated now but will soon see mourning.

 

Quote

Rev 18:8 - 10

That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire,+ because Jehovah* God, who judged her, is strong.+

9 “And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality* with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning. 10 They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city,+ Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’

 

[Dages]

This year is really interesting.

This is quite new.

[Saffron]

I still don't know what to make of this, really. Whatever it's intended to be, my gut tells me that it will be nothing good. 

 

Interestingly, I got this article and a text sent to me yesterday by text. This was from my ex who thinks we are in a cult and who has fought me every step of the way for years now. He said that he was shocked that some of what I told him was coming true. (He doesn't remember it exactly or understand completely). Regardless, he is still not interested in learning anything about the Bible. He knows that there are standards and he is happy doing what he wants to do. Sad. 

 

What I'm kind of wondering now if this task force will make anyone else start to wonder? Maybe someone who used to study or someone we used to visit regularly? I pray that their response is better than his. Come on while there is still time!

[Cushi]

55 minutes ago, Saffron said:

I still don't know what to make of this, really. Whatever it's intended to be, my gut tells me that it will be nothing good. 

 

Interestingly, I got this article and a text sent to me yesterday by text. This was from my ex who thinks we are in a cult and who has fought me every step of the way for years now. He said that he was shocked that some of what I told him was coming true. (He doesn't remember it exactly or understand completely). Regardless, he is still not interested in learning anything about the Bible. He knows that there are standards and he is happy doing what he wants to do. Sad. 

 

What I'm kind of wondering now if this task force will make anyone else start to wonder? Maybe someone who used to study or someone we used to visit regularly? I pray that their response is better than his. Come on while there is still time!

What was it that he noticed was taking place that we talked about?

[Tbs77]

Removed by me

[Tortuga]

4 minutes ago, Tbs77 said:

Twitter Rains Hell On Jeff Sessions' New Religious Liberty Task Force

Some of the tweets in the article are very interesting.... 

[Tbs77]

Some of the tweets in the article are very interesting.... 

Yep

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[Saffron]

11 minutes ago, Brother Jack said:

What was it that he noticed was taking place that we talked abou

He is remembering from years ago our discussion about the GT, just not remembering details correctly. A whole actual task force focused on religion triggered the memory. Perhaps he thinks that attention from the government on religion will ultimately lead to something else? Whatever it is, it was a slap that woke him up. It's just unfortunate that he won't do anything about it. 

 

When the ban occurred in Russia, all kinds of people came running, asking to resume or start their studies. The ban was a wake up call for them. 

 

I'm not saying this is as earth shattering as Russia's ban or that it will yield those kinds of results, just wondering if this will in any way cause people to wake up or question things that they've learned previously. I can't imagine that he would be the only one. 

 

 

 

[Dages]

Pushing one way may force the thing the other way... "Freedom of religion ? Let's get rid of religion"... boom !

[Cushi]

1 hour ago, Saffron said:

He is remembering from years ago our discussion about the GT, just not remembering details correctly. A whole actual task force focused on religion triggered the memory. Perhaps he thinks that attention from the government on religion will ultimately lead to something else? Whatever it is, it was a slap that woke him up. It's just unfortunate that he won't do anything about it. 

 

When the ban occurred in Russia, all kinds of people came running, asking to resume or start their studies. The ban was a wake up call for them. 

 

I'm not saying this is as earth shattering as Russia's ban or that it will yield those kinds of results, just wondering if this will in any way cause people to wake up or question things that they've learned previously. I can't imagine that he would be the only one. 

 

 

 

Yeah, I often think about people in the world whom I’ve shared details about the end of this system with and how they will feel when it comes true. “And when it comes true - and it will come true - they will have to know that a prophet has been among them.” - Ezekiel 33:33. Hopefully he and many others will come to their senses and act before it’s too late.

[lovjahupepl]

Just ran across the "principles" of this new task force. https://qz.com/1335106/the-department-of-justices-religious-liberty-task-force-will-enforce-these-20-principles/

 

How timely this convention was when it comes to our neutrality! Some of those principles could sound very intriguing if we allowed ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security. Especially so when considering what our brothers are going through in Russia.... Even VP Mike Pence mentioned the plight of Witnesses in Russia during their "Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom." and feels that targeting religious freedom would help advance "peace and security..."  of the world....  of course we know the truth....

 

Starting @ 9:45 but mentions JWs briefly at 17:59

 

To me all this seems like something Satan would definitely use to try his level best to trip up as many of us as he can during this final stretch... 🙄 

 

Keep on the Watch....👀

 

Quoting the task force's principles in case there are accessibility issues for some members/countries..😉

 

Quote

1. The freedom of religion is a fundamental right of paramount importance, expressly protected by federal law.
2. The free exercise of religion includes the right to act or abstain from action in accordance with one’s religious beliefs.
3. The freedom of religion extends to persons and organizations.
4. Americans do not give up their freedom of religion by participating in the marketplace, partaking of the public square, or interacting with government.
5. Government may not restrict acts or abstentions because of the beliefs they display.
6. Government may not target religious individuals or entities for special disabilities based on their religion.
7. Government may not target religious individuals or entities through discriminatory enforcement of neutral, generally applicable laws.
8. Government may not officially favor or disfavor particular religious groups.
9. Government may not interfere with the autonomy of a religious organization.
10. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 prohibits the federal government from substantially burdening any aspect of religious observance or practice, unless imposition of that burden on a particular religious adherent satisfies strict scrutiny.
11. RFRA’s protection extends not just to individuals, but also to organizations, associations, and at least some for-profit corporations.
12. RFRA does not permit the federal government to second-guess the reasonableness of a religious belief.
13. A governmental action substantially burdens an exercise of religion under RFRA if it bans an aspect of an adherent’s religious observance or practice, compels an act inconsistent with that observance or practice, or substantially pressures the adherent to modify such observance or practice.
14. The strict scrutiny standard applicable to RFRA is exceptionally demanding.
15. RFRA applies even where a religious adherent seeks an exemption from a legal obligation requiring the adherent to confer benefits on third parties.
16. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, prohibits covered employers from discriminating against individuals on the basis of their religion.
17. Title VIl’s protection extends to discrimination on the basis of religious observance or practice as well as belief, unless the employer cannot reasonably accommodate such observance or practice without undue hardship on the business.
18. The Clinton Guidelines on Religious Exercise and Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace provide useful examples for private employers of reasonable accommodations for religious observance and practice in the workplace.
19. Religious employers are entitled to employ only persons whose beliefs and conduct are consistent with the employers’ religious precepts.
20. As a general matter, the federal government may not condition receipt of a federal grant or contract on the effective relinquishment of a religious organization’s hiring exemptions or attributes of its religious character.