Why has the Belgium courts recently labeled the jehovah's witnesses shunning practice as a hate crime? ?

Question

"The Belgian chapter of the Jehovah’s Witnesses have been handed a €96,000 fine by a court in Ghent for discrimination and incitement to hate. It sets a precedent in Belgium that religious doctrine cannot be used as an excuse to break human rights laws."

https://www.thebulletin.be/court-hits-jehovahs-witnesses-eu96000-fine-discrimination

"Jehovah’s Witnesses given €12,000 x 8 fine for incitement to hatred against ex-members"

https://www.brusselstimes.com/news/belgium-all-news/160238/jehovahs-witnesses-given-e12000-fine-for-incitement-to-hatred-against-ex-members-ghent-correctional-court-unia-shunning-policy/

Annsan_In_Him · Accepted Answer

According to those two links to Belgian newspapers, the truth is finally coming to public light. It was in 2015 that an ex-member took the organization to the Ghent public prosecutor’s office for slander and defamation, insults and violation of the discrimin-ation law. He claimed that once the members had left the group, they were disowned and completely isolated socially, by order of the organization. Four charges were made: incitement to discrimination on the basis of religious belief against a person, and against a group, as well as incitement to hatred or violence against a person, and against a group.

The chap apparently sat on JW judicial committees to render shunning decisions. He claimed that  ex-members were to be be shunned like the plague. Also that a man whose wife was still a member, was ignored by her in his own home. He also knew of a woman who had never seen her father since the exclusion order against her.

Shunning, the plaintiffs said, is a practice used to discourage members from leaving, or even questioning, the religion’s doctrines. Should a baptized JW no longer want to be a member, or begin to question some of their beliefs and practices, they risk being excommunicated and consequently shunned. It's about time the public got a clear idea of the horrendous tactics leveled against any baptized JW who begins to express doubts / disagreements, or just wants to resign and leave. They can do that, but then they are shunned! Intimidation tactics! Expect your Q to be removed pronto.

angel · Answer

Ya you ******** idiottttt

? · Answer

Clearly
they do not protect religious freedom as an individual right
nearly as strongly as does the U.S.

P.S. Freedom of religion is not about beliefs, but about practices. (You can't legislate beliefs.)

Anonymous · Answer

Is the government going to FORCE them to talk to their ex-members now? How would that even work. Sounds ridiculous.

? · Answer

Because hate is exactly what their shunned become from the Jw´s.... CONSTANTLY !
So its great news. I hope other countries in Europe follow suit, in all honesty.....

And we are fine J.  I hope you  and yours remain the same as that.

Why has the Belgium courts recently labeled the jehovah's witnesses shunning practice as a hate crime? ?

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