Against 'god's Will'? - The Australian Court Case...

[agchristie]

In what circumstances could the Holy Book be used as a Defence in a civil or criminal court case?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-49017512

//In his judgement, Associate Justice Stephen Holt said that while he believed the Beerepoots' beliefs to be genuinely held rather, he said there was no specific reference in the Bible to support their argument.//

[Cloverjo]

Oh blimey! What can you say? Shouldn’t even have got to use up court time.

[agchristie]

Cloverjo - some people hold very strong beliefs.

It is very telling that they decided to represent themselves or was it the case they could not find a legal bod willing to argue the case?!

[aelmpvw]

they appear to be surprisingly 'stoked' considering they've lost everything

[naomi24]

//Ms Beerepoot told the court: "We don't own anything because we are [God's]."//

If they don't own anything, I wonder what they thought they were paying for when they coughed up the money to buy the farm?

[ludwig]

// In what circumstances could the Holy Book be used as a Defence in a civil or criminal court case? //

I don't know the actual answer to that, but I really hope it's 'never'.

[jim360]

I suppose the bit about rendering unto Caesar passed these dopes by.

[ludwig]

This bit too jim..

// “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.//

[jno]

since the full quote about rendering unto Caesar etc was Christ's response to a question about whether Jews should pay tax, I would have thought the Bible had answered this one already. Perhaps the family had inadvertently skipped Matthew 22; the judge seems unfamiliar with it too. Such is godless Tasmania.

[agchristie]

//If they don't own anything, I wonder what they thought they were paying for when they coughed up the money to buy the farm?//

Exactly! I wonder whose name ended up on the title deeds!

[agchristie]

//I don't know the actual answer to that, but I really hope it's 'never'.//

Ludwig, can you imagine if,in this case, they succeeded!

Think of the precedent!!