US churches do not have to report child rapes.

[Sketcher]

Be that as it may, it appears that the Montanna legal system has now opened the way for all religions to choose not to report child sexual assault that has been disclosed to their church officials-- starting with the Jehova Witnesses. Is there a way that at a national level that decision can be over-ruled?

Any law that would do that would be taken to court by the Jehovah's Witnesses. If the law goes too far, they'll win.

 

[The Liturgist]

Be that as it may, it appears that the Montanna legal system has now opened the way for all religions to choose not to report child sexual assault that has been disclosed to their church officials-- starting with the Jehova Witnesses. Is there a way that at a national level that decision can be over-ruled?

Firstly, the Montana Supreme Court’s decision is binding only in Montana, although it can be a reference to jurisprudence elsewhere, under the common law system. Secondly, it could be appealed to the US Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Australia also uses common law and has a federal system of government, so the main difference is the US has a more literally binding Bill of Rights in the Constitution, and the state and federal governments work on the Presidential system, with elected Governors acting as the extremely powerful presidents of the states. We also like Australia have territories which are not states, like the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, but which have devolved governments modeled on the US federal system, typically with a governor and a bicameral legislature, except for DC, which has a mayor and a city council, and lots of social problems.

 

[The Liturgist]

That’s a lot of text to not answer the questions.

Your first question was fallacious, and the second, in my opinion, presupposes a factual dichotomy which is untrue, so logically, the questions are unanswerable, as far as I am aware. Or to put it another way, in the Japanese language, I would have to answer your questions with the word “mu.”

 

[The Liturgist]

The church should be a leader in this effort,

Well, the Church of England definitely is with its Safeguarding initiative.

 

[Zoii]

Any law that would do that would be taken to court by the Jehovah's Witnesses. If the law goes too far, they'll win.

What's too far in your view

 

[Larniavc]

Your first question was fallacious,

It was not. Re read definition of petitio principii. You appear to be using the vernacular form.

 

[Sketcher]

What's too far in your view

Honestly, any federal legislation beyond what we have seems too far. The FBI will get involved if there's sex trafficking or pornography concerning minors. That is because it deals with crimes that have inter-state reach, not crimes that are wholly within one state. The correct fix would be to tighten the state law at the level of the state legislature. That may bring about another suit to challenge it, but the US Supreme Court would be more likely to hear the case at that point. As it is, if the current case is appealed, there's a good chance it wouldn't get heard - the state supreme court ruled unanimously, and on the side of limiting the interpretation of law to protect civil liberties. If Montana looks at states with stricter laws on this, amending their own law to match would probably be a safe bet. Anything stricter than what any other state currently has (and I'm not sure which one is the strictest, TBH) would definitely be too far.

 

[Zoii]

It seems incredulous we even need laws to compel religious organisations to protect children from sexual assault. It seems being religious is no guarantee you won't be a sexual predator.

 

[Sketcher]

It seems incredulous we even need laws to compel religious organisations to protect children from sexual assault. It seems being religious is no guarantee you won't be a sexual predator.

Not all religious organizations are equal. There are some weird cults out there.

 

[Zoii]

Not all religious organizations are equal. There are some weird cults out there.

It's not just weird cults we are talking about - nor just Christian. It's right across the entire spectrum of religious organisations, though under-reporting of sexual abuses remains a higher potential in closed communities.

 

[Kylie]

It's not just weird cults we are talking about - nor just Christian. It's right across the entire spectrum of religious organisations, though under-reporting of sexual abuses remains a higher potential in closed communities.

And not just the little ones. I've heard many stories of this kind of cover up happening in the largest Christian denominations.

 

[BNR32FAN]

There are plenty of historical documents documenting the successors of the Apostles. Wouldn't that be sad if Jesus withheld his mercy from those who did not live during the time of the Apostles? Our God is a merciful God.

Neither Jesus nor His apostles ever said anything about successors receiving the privilege of forgiving sins. They did however specifically state that when we come to Christ our sins have been forgiven and we can stand before God holy and blameless without reproach. Confession to priests is not necessary for forgiveness of sins. I do however acknowledge that the apostles did encourage believers to confess to one another.

 

[Zoii]