Your Opinion: What Do You Think Of Legally Going After Individual Elders?

by minimus 41 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Sunspot

  Would you think that approaching an 11-year-old boy in a public restroom and telling him that he must go back to the meetings to "please Jehovah" was harrassment? I sure did.

  I was livid for weeks and my hubby said to just let it go to keep peace in the neighborhood. I wondered how this ELDER would have liked it of a Priest had confronted one of HIS sons in a public restroom and said that THEY were a cult?

  It just made me sizzle to think of how many liberties they take with the feelings (and the children) of others.

  Lo and behold---we see his death announcement in our local paper.
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  minimus

  I think that elders should back off from kids. Going after children is harassment.
• 

  JeffT

  Somebody might really be able to put them in a bind here.

  The religious exemtions to court cases ought not to apply. The WTBS has been saying (in writing) for about 100 years that they have no clergy. If they don't have clergy they can't hide behind religious exemptions. If the WTBS backs them financially the claim that they have no clergy is proven to be bunk.

  I think current elders would really start to lose sleep if they realized the WTBS was going to hang them out to dry when there's trouble.
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  minimus

  If individual elders started getting sued everywhere, you would clearly see how the Watchtower Society would distance themselves. It would be an eye opener. Plus, they already told elder bodies that the elders are on their own.

  I say, "let's put them to the test".
• 

  jaguarbass

  I like the idea of holding the elders responsible. I'm sure the Wac Tower does too. The elders have shallow pocets the Wactower has deep pockets. What are you going to get from someone who rents and is a janitor?

  But I am all for holding all those dingbats responsible.
• 

  flipper

  This spring as I was going to a appeal committee meeting being brought up on false charges I also had submitted a preformed letter to the elders telling them if they dfed me on unsubstantiated false charges, I would sue them for defamation of character and slander. Apparently they sent this and a request to the society on what decision to make in my case as there was no real evidence of wrongdoing or witnesses of it. So after a months waiting, the chairman called me back and said the decision is not to disfellowship you. He didn't explain why, the elders never do, want to keep people in the dark on decisions they make or why they make them, however it made me glad I called their bluff and challenged the bastards. Now I can fade quietly and still talk to my 80 year old parents. How do you spell control? Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  R6Laser

  So if this is such a great idea, how come nobody has done it yet and shared with everyone how good it went.
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  flipper

  Rglaser- I think some of us just did describe it went quite well challenging the elders. I got a shred of justice and peace. Do I sense a lurker here? What is your story? Yes, in answer to your question, it can and has gone quite good challenging their authority
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  calico

  I was very concerned about that when I was an elder. I can think of several senarios where an elder could be potentially at risk. I got into the habit of not giving my personal opinion on anything. If someone wanted to know what the WTS take on a particular issue was, I'd research and give the printout to the person.

  If most elders felt this way, then there was no reason to ever go to them for advice!

  Can you sue someone for being a complete idiot? Then I would try!
• 

  diamondblue1974

  Before you enter into any litigation you first will need to sit down objectively and assess what result you intend to obtain - is it financial, or are you seeking to prevent an action of some sort?

  Taking the first result of 'Financial' - most elders havent got a pot to piss in and so it would be no good chasing money from those who simply havent got it. The second required result however is more probable in that you can obtain restraining orders or equivalent orders in the US courts.

  However the costs of obtaining such an order can often be prohibitive without legal expenses insurance - you might seek to recover your costs from the person you obtained the order against but the fact that they havent got money leaves you in a position where you have thrown good money after bad.

  Its much cheaper to get a big dog and suggest that he's hungry and likely to eat any Jehovahs Witness that steps into his yard!

  Just my thoughts.

  Gary