by 4mylove 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I keep hearing that at judicial committees (?) very explicit details are asked of those being questioned. Do others in the congregation know how detailed these meetings get? I mean, is it common knowledge and that is why people are so afraid of them? What is the purpose of someone having to go into such great detail?
Sorry for the 20 questions game. Just preparing for the biggest debate of my life.....
4
My last JC consisted of 4 different meetings w/ each meeting getting more detailed than the last; long story. If you have never experienced a JC, you probably heard about it from your JW friends who were grilled in one. Word gets around about those things. The purpose? Probably because their lives are boring and their wives are prudes...it gives them material for a circle jerk after the DF'd or reproved publisher leaves the KH.
Hello 4mylove,
There are a number of reasons why the questions are so detailed.The JC functions much like an interrogation.Some elders are nicer about it than others, but it still comes across that way.Right in the middle of one meeting I stopped the "proceedings" because an elder (a big time jerk I later helped get removed) had reduced a sister to absolute tears.He kept pushing and she was getting hysterical so I pulled another elder outside the room and told him that this had to stop ! That this is NOT the way things are done ! I'm not trying to upset you if you are headed to a judicial committee because it's not likely things will go that way but don't let it take that direction either.Being straightforward and confident goes a long way and tends to disarm others.One gains strength from the power they think have or can take from others.
Anyway, on to some specifics.It's the Society that demands that a detailed explanation of the "offense" be outlined.Even if it's reproof a descriptive letter is written out , dated and the signatures of all elders on the committee are placed at the bottom of the letter.The letter is then placed in a sealed envelope and the name of the publisher is written on the outside along with the decision: "Reproof", "DF", etc.It's also dated and the JC member names also appear on it.It's then placed in the congregation file and kept there permanently.Old letters are not destroyed, they remain there indefinitely.
In the case of a Disfellowshipping, or Disassociating, a couple of forms have to be filled out and sent to Bethel.The largest form looks much like a job application and in the center is a large blank space provided to outline the offense and what steps were taken by the elders to help the person.It's requested that if more room is needed than the provided blank space allows then the brothers use another piece of paper to go into greater detail.This is all designed to show that the elders followed procedures and that grounds for disfellowshiping are "justified".They're covering their butts.Of course, some "brothers" are pervs or just plain nosey, but a lot are afraid that there will be a "loophole" that can be exploited if the person decides to appeal.You know how some people are left off the hook because the cops didn't follow "proper procedures" ? Well, it's similar here.
Without a doubt some of those who went through a JC will tell their friends what happend and how they got grilled.This is especially the case with younger ones.But some are simply too embarrased or traumatized by the whole thing and would rather forget it than to talk to others about what happened.I don't know if this is what you were looking for but this the way things are done and hopefully this will help you to feel more "prepared" for things.Naturally, you don't have to attend a JC at all but they will have free reign to do what they want then.I'm glad I'm no longer a part of it.
Do others in the congregation know how detailed these meetings get?
Some elders would share the details with their wives. Those wives might reveal these details to their friends and would spread like wildfire within the cong or the whole circuit.
It is the most humiliating experience that anyone should ever go through.
Sweetface,
Circle Jerk, hilarious!!!!!
BreakingAway,
Thanks so much for the response. I just don't think that God requires so much paperwork. No, I'm not going to face a committee, I am not a JW. My hubby of almost 3 years is.
The debate I'm talking about is my hubby and I talking about having kids. It's fast approaching in our relationship, and issues need to be discussed. I've brought this up before in another thread.
Thanks again,
4
BreakingAway,
Thanks so much for the response. I just don't think that God requires so much paperwork. No, I'm not going to face a committee, I am not a JW. My hubby of almost 3 years is.
The debate I'm talking about is my hubby and I talking about having kids. It's fast approaching in our relationship, and issues need to be discussed. I've brought this up before in another thread.
Thanks again,
4
You're welcome.The thing to keep in mind is the WT is a Corporation and corporations love paperwork because that's what lawyers demand.They want to protect their ass-ets.CEO's take their direction from lawyers, because once again, they want to protect themselves and the company.I can't emphasize that enough.My time as an elder really made that clear to me and very much helped to open my eyes as to what was going on and why things were being done a certain way.For instance, a "no blood" talk is given which is followed by passing out blood cards that are signed in the presence of witnesses and dated, this is emphasized as a "legal document".The same thing with Power of Attorney forms.
Just think about what the Pharisees were like.They were essentially lawyers.They interprted the Mosaic LAW. They emphasized the letter of the LAW.They imposed sentences,They went beyond the LAW by their Oral LAW which they said was for the benefit of protecting God's law.They oppressed the people while they themselves were full of wickedness shrouded by the whitewash of "godliness".They denied the very One they claimed to serve and killed the one for whom they had waited centuries.And for what reason ? Because he exposed them for what they really were.
I don't know if the interrogation is worse than the deliberation session when the 'sinner' is waiting for the decision...
Brother Swipe: She didn't seem very repentant to me.
Brother Sanctimonious: No, she didn't even whimper when we asked her if she enjoyed taking...
Brother Idontcareanymore: Well brothers, she did say she feels terrible that she hurt Jehover.
Brother Swipe: But Brother Idontcareanymore she did it 3 times before she came to us and asked for our help.
Brother Sanctimonious: That should tell you something about her real motives Brother Idontcareanymore.
Brother Idontcareanymore: I suppose you are right. Call her in here. Who's going to be Good Guy and who's going to be Bad Guy before I tell her that because she did it 3 times before she came to us and asked for our help she is spiritually dead in Jehover's eyes?
Honesty,
That "conversation" is priceless!
I don't know how they are going to get excitement in my case. There is no way of making some porn case out of setting up Christmas decorations and leaving them up. All I will do is tell them that I ordered them on purpose, and I intend to leave them up all year long. That will deprive them of any sexual innuendos that they might have been looking for.
Besides, I will tell them that, if they push the issue any further or try to reclaim me, I will decorate the Kingdumb Hell by taking about $50,000 right out of the Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund, ordering as many Christmas decorations as I can get with that money, and I will decorate the Kingdumb Hell. And I don't give a fxxx if it's the middle of summer.
