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The Supreme Court will soon weigh in on who counts as a minister.


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The Supreme Court will soon weigh in on who counts as a minister. Its answer could change religious freedom law forever.

https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2020/5/10/21248160/supreme-court-ministerial-exception-catholic-schools-hiring-firing-discrimination-lawsuit

 

....Those who seek Jehovah can understand EVERYTHING......Proverbs 28:5. (The possibilities are endless!)

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6 hours ago, JudyO said:

The Supreme Court will soon weigh in on who counts as a minister. Its answer could change religious freedom law forever.

https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2020/5/10/21248160/supreme-court-ministerial-exception-catholic-schools-hiring-firing-discrimination-lawsuit

 

It sounds like the focus is in church schools and employment 

 

 

 

Quote

 

If the Supreme Court says the teachers are just teachers, the schools could face penalties. They could also be vulnerable to more employment discrimination lawsuits in the future.

 

To resolve the disputes, which both feature Catholic schools in California, the justices will have to decide just how much freedom religious organizations should have to hire and fire employees without government interference, as well as who should control the definition of minister moving forward.

 

 

Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well-spoken-of, whatever things are virtuous, and whatever things are praiseworthy, continue considering these things. 

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Most churches have a paid clergy who perform these duties for a living. I think this is a big reason why many ministers have been performing public church services in defiance to the stay at home orders. It's their means of support. Not having a paid clergy has proven to be a protection for Jehovah's people especially since it was already set up that we can continue our voluntary donations on jw.org, so it even minimized the risk that congregation donations would be decimated by the virus. With every disaster, I feel like we see, more and more, the wisdom in how Jehovah leads his organization.

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Interesting.   The article states "The justices will decide whether two Catholic school teachers performed enough religious duties to count as ministers under anti-discrimination law." 

 

So it seems that there is some legal standard as to what constitutes a minister and what a religious duty is:  where did they get the definition of "a religious duty"?  and who decides how many hours one must engage is said duty to be a religious minister?  Either they are interpreting Cattholic internal law (in which case they are deciding if a religious law has been properly administered). Or they are writing religious mandate.

 

Is preaching from house to house a religious duty? What about conducting a bible study?  The recent court decision in Europe prohibiting us from the taking of notes on the field ministry or not at homes was based on the assessment that JWs were not visiting their neighbours as friends but engaging in a professional business program and that due rules should apply.

 

It's true Jehovahs Witnesses do not ask for or provide a paid service as ministers but it seems to me we should keep our eye on any case that determines or applies "religious duty" 


Edited by sunshine
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6 hours ago, sunshine said:

Interesting.   The article states "The justices will decide whether two Catholic school teachers performed enough religious duties to count as ministers under anti-discrimination law." 

 

So it seems that there is some legal standard as to what constitutes a minister and what a religious duty is:  where did they get the definition of "a religious duty"? 

A lot of this is for tax purposes. Being a minister puts an individual in a tax exempt category for performing religious activities. 

 

Jehovah's Witnesses do not charge for functions like weddings or funerals.  We also have no paid clergy nor do we run schools to educate children.   We are not the target of this legislation. 

Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well-spoken-of, whatever things are virtuous, and whatever things are praiseworthy, continue considering these things. 

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3 hours ago, Omoyeme said:

You may want to take a look at this school's website linked below.

NewSystem School

Nowhere does that website state the school is ran or operated be Jehovah's Witnesses.  The Organization does not run that school.  This home schooling program is ran by people like you and me for people like you and me. 

 

It would be the same as if we here at JWTALK.NET.  This discussion board is a website for Jehovah's Witnesses.  Further, while people who run this website are Jehovah's Witnesses, this website is not owned or operated by the Organization. 


Edited by Shawnster

Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well-spoken-of, whatever things are virtuous, and whatever things are praiseworthy, continue considering these things. 

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There is no indication that those who started the NewSystem School are trying to get "minister" status for their teachers - as is the case for the school in the article/lawsuit 

"Let all things take place decently and by arrangement."
~ 1 Corinthians 14:40 ~

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