Lawsuits

2008-8-28 04:32:00

In message number 36317, written to JJ Dewey's spiritual discussion group, The Keys Of Knowledge Martha first wrote:

"I have been sent to this life, partly, to learn about bullies -- bullies of all kinds. I've learned well that to force or cajole someone is a serious error that hurts both the bully and the bullied. I've also managed to be a good supervisor. I've also seen the insidious little nuances, lying by inference and carefully falsifying documents. Now I have some opportunities to take some people to court, even to organize a class action.

"What say ye all?

"It would appear at face value (from the scriptures) that it is not a good thing to take anybody to court. Some of these scriptures, I cannot tell if they were referring to other people of your faith or all people in general, but it can obviously be an opportunity to promote contention.

"However, using the harmless principle, I may be doing Washington a big favor to engage my employer in legal action. It would hopefully save the pain of future victims. Also, if the family breadwinner loses his/her earnings and career due to a malicious bully, there is harm to dependent children. If the victim gets some money out of a settlement to aid his/her family, they are living by the harmless principle as regards their family, but not living by it at face value.

"So I guess there are two sides to the sensible harmless principle. I guess it is just a matter of which action causes least harm."

In message 36329 to The Keys Of Knowledge, Martha followed up with:

"The conflict (if it is) seems to me to be whether or not a law suit started with the highest good in mind is preferable to allowing the structures that support said bullies to go unchallenged, in order to not be participating in a law suit. Ruth raised a good point about the Hydra, and the beast might be able to fight back with more strength if we do this wrong. This is maybe not a "beast" like the beast in Revelations, but state agency leadership not dealing with workplace psychological violence, and employees being seriously hurt.

"Workplace bullying is the malicious and sustained targeting of an employee for expulsion or mistreatment. For instance: verbal assaults, humiliation, fabricating negative information, destroying relationships, criminal assaults and any similar behavior. The target usually succumbs to severe illness and can't work for a long time. If anybody would like more info, the group's email is stopthebullies@... and we can respond outside of this blog."

JJ responded with:

Martha asked about the rightness of justified lawsuits when it seems from the scriptures that Jesus asked us to not go to court.

It is written:

"And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also." (Matt 5:40)

Believe me I do not know anyone who would obey this injunction today. To understand the injunction of Jesus one must realize that he was emphasizing the need for non-attachment and the need to release oneself from the cares of the world.

As with any injunction the seeker must examine the spirit of the teaching and the principle to be applied.

A lawsuit does have its place and sometimes it is the only method one can use to obtain justice. That said, I believe that we have about ten times the lawsuits in this country that we should have. Many of them are initiated by people seeking to win a legal lottery and others by attorneys attempting to get rich whether justice is served or not. Most lawsuits could be settled by mediation. The Japanese have just a small percentage of attorneys that we do and in Canada and other countries the person who brings a losing suit against someone else has to pay all legal expenses. This greatly reduces frivolous lawsuits.

Our legal system is in need of reform for all of us have to pay more for goods and services because of too many unnecessary lawsuits.

Every once in a while though I read of one that makes me say "yes. Teach those SOBs a lesson."