I was usually on small bodies of elders - It was question of the P.O finding 3 people available and willing , thats all. If possible they tried to put family men to deal with young people, but it did not always work out.
Judicial Committees: What was it like selecting them?
by Open mind 15 Replies latest jw experiences
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Open mind
Monophonic,
Doesn't sound like you were ever very good "elder material".
(Be glad for that)
But you do sound like someone worth getting to know.
Open Mind -
monophonic
thank you, i forgot jealousy in my equation.
you bring up a good point...elders and elders who have stepped down that i know, they are pounded with congregation work, by the time they get to a committee they're already pissed that they have to devote more time from their personal lives to go through the JC process, which some elders, the ones with no families, no lives, will get excited and drag the process out when the others just want to get it over with and go home.
so, a JC is already a set up for a negative experience as those on the JC probably have full time jobs and have to put in an extra 30 hours of week of elder work including meetings, preaching, etc., throw a JC at them and they're not happy already.
and being in the elder mafia, b/c it is a mafia mentality, young elders have a hard time saying 'no' and older elders have figured out how to pass the shitty work to the new elders.
it's a set up for becoming a pissed, jealous human being, but not knowing why they're pissed and jealous and so they take it out on those who have genuine happiness, even though they're supposed to portray this 'spiritual well being' themselves, while inside they're seething....and don't even know it.
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Vinny
On simple cases, who ever wanted the job got it. Usually the less capable brothers volunteered since it made them feel useful. Whenever an elder's family member or close friend ws involved, it was another story entrely. Politics, stacking the deck, maneuvering all were used every single time.
The worst case I ever saw involved the PO's own son, a ministerial servant, who was accused by two different people of breaking into the home of another Witness family (from a diff cong.) during their meeting night. My own son, who was 16 and df'd at the time, confessed to being a part of this as well. Two days after it happened I got him to admit he was there (I used the "they had fingerprints" trick, which was actually a lie). He confessed however and was turned in by myself (I was also an elder then). For three months he would not say who else was with him, though said that two other JW's were involved. The JW family had him taken to court even though he returned everything as well as apologized in person with me towing him around. They decided to press charges because he would not nark on the other two people. The owner of the house was also an elder and he said my son was not repentful enough by not telling him who else was there. So to court he went.
Three months later another JW comes forward and mentioned who the other two JW's were, after he was beaten up badly by another JW kid also involved in the break in. One being that PO's ministerial servant son. I asked my son if this was true, he said it definitely was. But he did not want to get him in trouble. And only agreed to tell because somebody else came forward first. I confronted the PO's son after the Thurs meeting where he confessed to me that he was there and broke into the home, stole the goodies etc. He said he did not know why he let it happen. I told him I'd give him until Sunday to go to his father and then the brothers.
One night later the father (PO) calls me. He asked me what we should do. (He knew exactly what to do but was hoping I'd sweep it under the rug.) I said we have no choice but to take it to the brothers. This was robbery and covering up as well. He is also an M.S. My son had to go to court as a minor, community service, fine, counseling on his record for five years etc. Had his son, an adult, been caught it would have been even worse.
So we met to form a JC a week or so later. We had two witnesses and a confession from the kid himself. Pretty open and shut case right? WRONG.
First of all the deck was instantly stacked when the PO's best friend and WT conductor stepped up and volunteered to be on the JC. (They had Both moved to this island together from the same town many years ago). Then another friend joined in to be on it. I knew this is exactly what would take place. But watched it happen anyway, while amazed. I then raised my hand and suggested that it would be less than the course of wisdom to have two close personal friends on a JC case like this. Finally another elder raised his hand and agreed with me. Then a third. We ended up getting those two friends off the case and a very fair and unbiased selection of brothers. I was not one of them since my son was also involved. The PO was stiff necked and pale after seeing what just happened in a matter of moments.
So, the very next night they meet, and the next morning I get a call from the JC chairman (our secretary), and they decided on public reproof along with his removal as an M.S. They said he confessed and cried and seemed sincerely repentful. That should have been end of story.
The very next Thursday, just before our meeting, I call the B school conductor to let him know his talk number 4 would need to be replaced since it was that PO's son who HE had just reproved and was removed. Then the shocking revelation to me that they, "changed their minds", that he was not reproved at all, nor was he removed as an M.S. They said the PO met with them two nights before and said his son was too ashamed to tell them the "real story" about what happened that evening. That what really happened was that his son had "NO IDEA" a robbery was taking place when he walked in. That when he walked into the house (under the cover of darkness...heh), and saw the other two were stealing, he made up some story about hearing people there so they would run away. In fact, he now claimed that he "broke up" this robbery. Unbelievably the JC committee reversed their decision entirely after hearing this new version FROM THE DAD, and PO.
Well, I had a big fat COW . I talked to my son who said this kid was lying. He said he tried to use his t-shirt to avoid leaving fingerprints. HE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. He said that he was the person that kept the sunglasses and bragged about it, (which I had to pay for). The other JW that was beaten up and is the one that came forward to begin with, said they talked about robbing the house because it was a meeting night. And why didn't he tell me on the night I confronted him about this story? Why did he not tell the original JC meeting that he broke it up? He even apologized to the elder whose house he broke into and never mentioned he "broke it up".
Well that elder whose house was broken into called the CO. The CO called the original JC brothers. The JC brothers changed their mind a second time, this time agreeing with their first decision to reprove and remove as an MS. The father then says they will appeal the decision. So, this time an appeal committee is formed and guess who is made chairman, but a very close friend of the PO from another cong. I went in as a witness, my son went in, the other JW who narked and then the elder and his wife who were broken into all went in to testify that this PO's son knew what he was doing ahead of time.
The decision was reached that he was innocent. No reproof, no removal, NOTHING.
Yet this is the very same PO that told me I should not get involved with my own son who was disfellowshipped starting having suicidal, emotional problems. He told me I might be destroyed at armageddon because I let my sone come back home to get help.
I have seen other similar stories like this with other elder's kids too. One was having sex for months with another sister. She would literally climb through the window of this elders's home and have sex many times. He was a pioneer too. Bought condoms and knew what they were doing. Yet this very same close friend elder that tried to sabatoge the JC committee above made it on this one and they only offered private reproof. I was on the JC of this sister. We told the chairman not to make any decision until we could compare stories. But they did not listen and offered the private reproof. We could not df her, for doing the very same thing the brother was reproved for.
Then, this very same kid (just two months ago) confessed to doing the very same thing once again. This time with a different sister and this time she was pregnant. Yep, just reproved once again.
It can be nice being an elder's kid at times.
Just Politics as usual in JW world... -
emptywords
I haven't heard one word about praying to Jehovah for help in making their decisions. I was before a JC in the eighties, four elders, after confessing (that while I was out for 6yrs) I commited fornication, married out of the truth and smoked dope and cigs, they prayed for me and said the slate had been wiped clean, and that I would have to study for six months before I could go out witnessing again.
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Open mind
Monophonic:
Jealousy described my feelings exactly when we were down to a very, very small elder body and I had a young family to support and not be there for.
Vinny:
Thanks for taking the time to share in such detail. I could really see the "spirit" directing everything that happened in your stories. NOT!!
My PO truly believes that the Holy Spirit and angels have directly influenced the outcome of various Kangaroo Courts over the years.
*Open mind shakes head in disbelief*