I recently received an email from a poster here who wanted to know if a DF'd person could also ask to see his* records.
His identity will of course not be disclosed but I thought that a question like this would be well addressed on the board.
My first thought was 'what a shame that this person still feels somehow excluded because of the decision to DF'.
When leaving the org it's important to shake off any control they still have over you as quickly as possible. When you see any of your former dub friends say hello to them - if you want to.
If, for whatever reason, you decide to attend a meeting don't take the back row seat, sit at front row, centre - if you want to.
Once you are DF'd or DA'd you are, by definition, no longer a member.
Don't play by their rules - if you don't want to.
As to accessing your personal records, excommunication (or disfellowshipping) carries no legal status. You have as much right to access your records as anyone else!
It's an interesting question though, I would assume that an organisation would automatically 'forfeit' it's rights to hold records on a member once that member has been formally removed.
I'll look into that - in the mean time be sure to ask for your records from your old congregation secretary (in writing as per the thread) and let us all know how it goes.
Nic'
*His/her.
http://www.do-not-call.org
