New from South Africa.

by jakes 12 Replies latest forum announcements

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  Earnest

  hi Jakes,

  Welcome. I'm also originally from South Africa and I believe there are some others on the forum. It's difficult to believe that any elder could get away with saying to someone they are disfellowshipped and "dont you dare appeal". I don't mean that I disbelieve you as I have come across my fair share of autocratic elders, but when someone is disfellowshipped they should be advised they can appeal. In fact, that brother has grounds for his disfellowshipping to be reversed (if he so wishes) as the action as you describe it would make the judgement unsafe.

  How sad that one person can have so much authority that even the presiding overseer wishes to step down. Does this, perhaps, have racial overtones with a white person in a predominantly coloured congregation? I am sure in some of the smaller towns there could still be a residue from the apartheid years.

  Earnest
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  Stealth453

  First of all, let me say "welcome, glad to have you aboard".

  Now...

  "One brother was disfellowshipped while he was lying in his bed.Elder E kicked down the door to gain entry to his home and told him right there in his own bed "You are disfellowshipped and dont you dare appeal."Whatever this man says is law in the congregation."

  That is exactly the spirit of brotherly love that, in part, drove me away from that band of loons. In my humble (ok, not so humble) opinion, good ole Elder E needs a taste of his own medicine. Someone should kick down his door in the middle of the night, and introduce him to Elder Baseball Bat.

  Unfortunately, there are a lot of so-called elders that really believe they have the power to do these sort of things. If people in the real world pulled this sort of sh*t, hell would follow.

  Man I'm glad I'm out!!!!!!
• 

  SirNose586

  Wow, jakes, that is just out of control bad...
  
  I've never heard tell of a bust-in Df'ing before, but then again, given the power an elder can have over his congregation, I'm not suprised.
  
  Over in my congregation the BOE might not bust down your door, but they will enlist people to spy for them and generally bug the crap out of you until you do what they want...