Jehovah's Witnesses: Keeping the Norwegian judicial system outside by using their own internal 'Judicial Committees'

[Jack Ryan]

An article from the Norwegian newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad, with a front page 'top teaser' headline, a double page photo and an approximately 4,800-word article spread over a further four pages.

With a daily circulation of around 40,000 copies - Stavanger Aftenblad is Norway's fifth most circulated newspaper.

 

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Jehovah's Witnesses: Handling gross violence themselves, keeping the Norwegian judicial system outside

Stavanger Aftenblad (Norway), Friday, June 8, 2018 - front page (top teaser headline) plus pages 14 to 19

This is how the Jehovah's Witnesses deal with matters outside the Norwegian judicial system

Jehovah's Witnesses: Coarse family violence. Abortion and sex outside of marriage. Divorce after assault prosecutors.

Four women. Four stories. The Jehovah's Witnesses' Judicial Committees that handle serious matters internally, outside of the Norwegian judicial system.

• History # 1 - Family violence

• History # 2 - Abortion

• History # 3 - Sex outside of marriage

• History # 4 - Divorce after assault charges

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Judicial Committees in Jehovah's Witnesses (box)

• As a rule, brothers and sisters in Jehovah's Witnesses should not go to justice with each other in the "worldly legal system."

• When deemed necessary, the elders in a congregation create internal judgments. The members of the committee are men, chosen among the elders.

• They determine a wide range of things from money to sexuality, and also consider issues that affect violence.

• The ban on using the courts is not absolutely absolute. Jehovah's Witnesses open up for the police in cases of sexual abuse against children.

• Members may also use the courts to obtain divorce, to be granted parental responsibility, to claim insurance payments or to settle among creditors in bankruptcy cases. There is also no prohibition of opposition if another brother or sister has first brought an action against you.

• Jehovah's Witnesses Committee of Judges has established its own appeal opportunity. One case can be dealt with by a new judicial committee.

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Pursuant to Section 139 of the Criminal Code (box)

Criminal Code Section 139 implies that it is punishable to refrain from waiving or reporting to the police a number of specified crimes, including violence in close relationships, incest and negligent intercourse with minors. Where abuse and abuse happens repeatedly, one can also expect abuse in the future. Knowledge of such ongoing circumstances may therefore be included in this notice.

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It is hoped that an official full English translation of the article will be provided shortly.

READ ORIGINAL LANGUAGE:
https://www.aftenbladet.no/innenriks/i/XwLVnb/Medlemmers-grove-lovbrudd-og-sexliv-handteres-i-egne-domsutvalg