Belle

Ok so I go for my second day of jury duty where they start weeding us out even further with direct questions about our beliefs and views (ie. should drugs be legalized and so on...). Anyway one particular woman politely raised her hand and simply stated that as a Jehova's Witness she could not pass judgement on another human being. Ok fine. She's crossed off the list of potential jurors. No biggie.

Here's the thing that has me wondering.....How does a JW expect to keep themselves or their families safe if they don't pass judgement? If the whole world followed their religion and beliefs would there be no courts? Would criminals just walk the streets and continue to perpetuate crime? Am I over simplifying the situation? I believe they have elders or maybe that's Mormans...I'm not sure. Anyway would their elders pass judgement if needed?

P.S. After today I firmly feel that all jurors should be chosen by IQ scores only..well maybe emotional IQ scores. Some of these people asked the same questions or asked to have the attorney reinterate a question over and over.

simian

Could just be a way of getting out of jury duty. Perhaps the JWs have something to that effect, but if it is supposed to be "do not pass judgement", I would assume that includes evaluating employees, so no management positions for JWs.

Simian

Melkor

Boy, the last time JW's were at my door, telling me that my soul was in peril unless I lived by their interpretation of their deity's word, it sure seemed like they were passing judgement on ME....

I guess like everything else, it's only a good excuse for when it's convenient for them, huh?

beastmaster

Curious: was anyone disqualified on that basis?

Didja get picked?

I think it has something to do with "let he who has not sinned throw the first stone." Maybe there is a more specific injunction against passing judgment -- Sermon on the Mount, perhaps?

Jesus's teachings -- to the extent they make any sense at all -- were profoundly impractical. You either have to knowingly break them or, do as the JWs do, and resign yourself to the margins of society.

But to answer your question, JWs expect *Jehovah* to keep them and their families safe.

Belle

No I didn't get picked. I know that those of us who raised our hands when asked 1) do you think drugs should be legalized? and 2) Do you think sentences for drug law violations are too harsh in some instances?..were not picked.

Putney Swope

How to get out of jury duty:
When the DA or defending lawyer asks if you can be impartial, say, "Sure, I can be impartial. Now get the guilty bastard out here and let's get this trial over with."

Next stop, the county jail for being "in contempt of court".

Loren Pechtel

What became of a jury of our peers?







Oh, I forgot, another casualty of the war on drugs!

beastmaster

More curiosity:

(1) Did the judge ask you if your opinion about drug legalization would interfere with your ability to apply the law as written?
(2) How would you answer if the judge did ask?

As an advocate of legalization, I don't know how I'd answer.

Belle

Yes it was asked by the attorney. No it would not interfere. I would be able to apply the law as written. Luckily I would have the chance to apply it as leniently or strongly as needed(probation to 20yrs)depending on the situation.

The attorneys did ask us if we would be able to consider the full range of sentencing from probation to 20 yrs in prison. My answer is yes, I would have been able to consider the full range of sentencing. This was apparently a case of "delivery". The young woman was being charged with a felony for delivery...not even selling. Shessh! Anyway as long as she wasn't delivering crack to a 12 year old and the transaction was between adults I probably would have given her probation. Keep in mind I have no idea of the facts so there's no way to know for sure what I would have done.

beastmaster

Sorry to hear you weren't picked, in the interests of justice. She'll probably get 20 years, if they don't extort her to rat out someone else in exchange for a reduced sentence.