The Flemish Draft Law on Religious Communities: A Critical Analysis
The proposed decree feeds into to the growing distrust of religion and raises serious religious freedom concerns, according to a FORB Perspective.
Belgium
Excommunication: Looking for a Balance of Interests Between Opposite Freedoms
The Ghent Court decision declaring shunning as practiced by Jehovah’s Witnesses illegal ignores European and Belgian precedents, and is clearly wrong.
The Ghent Jehovah’s Witness Decision: Anomaly or a New Reality?
In an unprecedented ruling, judges turned the long-standing interpretation of articles 9, 10, 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights on its head.
Jehovah’s Witnesses: Disfellowshipping, Shunning, and the Ghent Ruling
Many do not understand how shunning exactly works. Erroneous representations of the practice may have influenced the Ghent judges.
Jehovah’s Witnesses: How the Ghent Decision Subverted the Idea of Liberty
Declaring that shunning “apostates” is a crime implies accepting the ideology that surrendering our freedom to an organization is always suspicious.
The Ghent Jehovah’s Witnesses Decision: Big Brother Is Watching You
The Belgian court adopted an intrusive view of the powers of the state, incompatible with democracy—and with common sense.
![On July 27, 1656, philosopher Baruch Spinoza was disfellowshipped by the Jewish community of Amsterdam. The herem ordered that “no one should communicate with him, not even in writing, nor accord him any favor nor stay with him under the same roof nor [come] within four cubits in his vicinity” (from Twitter).](https://bitterwinter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Baruch-Spinoza.jpg)
The Ghent Jehovah’s Witness Decision: Dangerous for All Religions
Suggesting that current members do not associate with “apostate” ex-members has been historically common in many religions.
The Ghent Jehovah’s Witnesses Decision: Dangers for Religious Liberty
Contrary to other courts in several countries, the Belgian judges dangerously intruded into the internal organization of a religious group.
Jehovah’s Witnesses Fined in Ghent for Their “Ostracism”: A Wrong Decision
Contrary to rumors spread by opponents, the Witnesses do not suggest that immediate family members shun relatives who left the faith.
