Here is part of a letter I wrote concerning my disfellowshipping and my appeal. As some will notice, I totally copied from DocBob's letter at the end. :D
The purpose of this letter is to clarify certain matters and to secure and protect what I consider basic human rights in dealing with agents of the multinational, multi-billion dollar Watchtower corporations.
I have not attended religious services at the South Cheektowaga Congregation or with any Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in 33 months. I have not attended any meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses, I have not reported any field activity in that time, I have not attended a Memorial observance, a Witness funeral, a Witness wedding, or any function the Jehovah's Witnesses organization whatsoever. I am completely unaware that I have had any measure of contact with any aspect of the organization. My only association with any Jehovah's Witness has been in conjunction with social affairs arranged by my wife in my own home, or those of which both my wife and I have been invited by Jehovah's Witnesses to attend. I have not pursued any association with any baptized Jehovah's Witness other than my wife's own family.
I fail to see how my choice to associate with a person who has been disfellowshiped from the South Cheektowaga Congregation has any negative bearing on the Congregation at all, considering my state of inactivity. This was never fully or lucidly explained to me by the Judicial Committee. It has been my motive to not cause any divisions in the Congregation, to not disrupt the Congregation, and indeed no Jehovah's Witness has approached me with any concerns regarding my association with a disfellowshiped person. I do not understand why the Committee feels my activity is so significant that in the nearly three years after I have last advertised myself as a Jehovah's Witness they feel the need to disfellowship me. I can only assume that it is because they are more concerned about how the Congregation perceives them to be "doing their job." I do not consider that to be a fair and just motive for the action taken upon me, considering my state of inactivity.
Concerning such inactivity, the Watchtower Society has published certain guidelines that I believe the elders in the initial judicial committee have either failed to comprehend, or have decided to wholly ignore.
For instance, pg. 100 of the book Pay Attention to Yourselves and to the Flock states regarding judicial activity:
"Depending upon length of inactivity… elders may determine to hold the matter in abeyance."
Further, the Watchtower of 9/1/87, pg. 14, gives a hypothetical situation to be used as guidance in such matters:
"If Mary had reported first to the body of elders, they would have been faced with a similar decision. How would they handle confidential information coming into their possession? They would have had to make a decision based on what they felt Jehovah and his Word required of them as shepherds of the flock. If the report involved a baptized Christian who was actively associated with the congregation, they would have had to weigh the evidence as did Mary in determining if they should proceed further. If they decided that there was a strong possibility that a condition of "leaven" existed in the congregation, they might have chosen to assign a judicial committee to look into the matter. (Galatians 5:9, 10) If the one under suspicion had, in effect, resigned from being a member, not having attended any meetings for some time and not identifying herself as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, they might choose to let the matter rest until such time as she did begin to identify herself again as a Witness."
Finally, the official Public Relations website for Jehovah's Witnesses states:
"Those who simply cease to be involved in the faith are not shunned." (URL: http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/beliefsfaq.htm)
It is my contention that an appeal committee be formed and that they would take into consideration the evidence I have provided for my lack of association with the South Cheektowaga Congregation and Jehovah's Witnesses in general save for my wife's immediate family, with whom I have engaged in no "spiritual association" whatsoever. I did not meet with the original committee, nor am I meeting with the appeal committee because I recognize their authority. My meeting with them was merely to determine their intent and to graciously answer their inquiry. I do not believe the original committee took such matters into consideration with due comprehension or appreciation. If necessary, I will write to the Branch office having jurisdiction over the South Cheektowaga Congregation for clarification of these matters. I am quite confident that they will advise you elders to let my matter rest and rescind your initial verdict, since their directives state that it is not mandatory to disfellowship someone with my circumstances. You will be acting personally and electively, and on your own with no assistance from the organization.
In reply to this letter, I request the following information be presented to me.
1. I shall be notified in writing of the time, place and exact nature of any meetings with the appeal committee.
2. Before I will meet with the appeal committee, that committee must notify me in writing of the names and current addresses of all of the members of the appeal committee and who each one represents: the South Cheektowaga Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses or its legal corporation the South Cheektowaga Company of Jehovah's Witnesses, the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses or its legal corporations, the Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society of New York, Inc. the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the International Bible Students Association or any other agency not here named.
3. I shall be notified in writing exactly on whose behalf the appeal committee is being convened and is acting: the South Cheektowaga Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses or its legal corporation the South Cheektowaga Company of Jehovah's Witnesses, the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses or its legal corporations, the Watchtower
Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the International Bible Students Association or any other agency not here named.
4. If any other agency other than the one for whom the appeal committee has informed me they are acting for is consulted, reported to, or allowed to have any bearing on the outcome of the judicial process, I will consider the
appeal committee as acting in the their behalf.
5. I shall be notified in writing of any accusations against me, the names of persons making such accusations and the substance of any evidence against me.
6. I shall be notified in writing of any and all of my rights and responsibilities involved in the appeal process.
7. I shall be given sufficient time between notification of any meetings with an appeal committee and the time of the actual meeting.
8. There shall be no contact between the judicial committee and the appeal committee other than to inform them of the time and place of my meetings with them. If I determine that there is any contact, communication or attempt on the part of any of the members of the original judicial committee or anyone acting on their behalf to, in any way prejudice or sway the appeal committee, I will insist that a new appeal committee be formed.
9. I shall be allowed to have one person of my choice present during all meetings between me and the appeal committee as an observer. Since I think there is good reason to believe that the appeal committee may consult with one or more lawyers, specifically those employed by the Legal Department of Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society of New York, Incorporated, the person of my choice may also be a lawyer.
10. During the meetings with the appeal committee I and/or my observer will be allowed to take whatever notes we feel are necessary.
Additionally, if the appeal committee upholds the original judicial committee's verdict against me:
11. I will not recognize any action taken by the judicial committee or the appeal committee as valid unless it is
communicated to me in writing, stating the exact nature and reason for the action.
12. In this written communication the judicial/appeal committee must state exactly on whose behalf they have taken the action, specifically the South Cheektowaga Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses or its legal corporation the South Cheektowaga Company of Jehovah's Witnesses, the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses or its legal
corporations, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the International Bible Students Association or any other agency not here named.
13. If the judicial/appeal committee has stated that it is acting only for the South Cheektowaga Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, it is enjoined from notifying any agency outside the congregation of their action. If the judicial/appeal committee or anyone acting in their behalf notifies of reports to anyone outside the South Cheektowaga Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, I may take any appropriate legal action.
14. I understand that if the initial verdict of disfellowshipping is upheld by the appeal committee that I am, at that
point, no longer considered to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I also understand that it is necessary to make a brief announcement that I have been formally dismissed from membership in the South Cheektowaga Congregation. From then on, I will consider any attempt to convince anyone by speeches, talks or teaching; to coerce by implied or actual threat of similar judicial action; or to encourage by private counsel or suggestion any of Jehovah's Witnesses to treat me differently from any other person that is not one of Jehovah's Witnesses to be a serious violation of my civil rights and I may initiate any legal action, civil or criminal that I deem appropriate. This includes any attempt to convince by speeches, talks or teaching; to coerce by implied or actual threat of similar judicial action; or to encourage by private counsel or suggestion any present Jehovah's Witnesses to shun or avoid me, cease or otherwise modify their doing business with me, or terminate or otherwise abrogate any lease, rental, mortgage, or any other legal agreement that I may presently have with them. I may consider such to be an infringement of free trade and may initiate appropriate legal action.
15. I consider any communication between the members of the judicial committee and myself and the appeal committee and myself to be ecclesiastically privileged. Any attempt to reveal the substance or tone of those communications to any other person or group will be considered by me to be a breach of that privilege and may
result in legal action. This includes any announcements beyond the fact of my disfellowshipping, speeches, talks, or any other communication, written or oral, public or private.
