Hey Path,
I suppose a jw should put as much faith in the jw judicial committee as a person does in the civil court system. Of course, one main difference is that we can face our accusers in a civil case - and have an attorney to plead our case and defend us, or at least have a public defender assigned to us.
When we go in with a jw judicial committee - we go in alone, one person facing at least 3 men. Btw, other elders can "sit in" if they want - so a person has no idea how many men they will be facing, just at least 3 men. The other elders who just want to watch (their reasons are not given to the accused, and the accused cannot refuse) are not suppose to question or comment to the accused - however, that is up to the elders' discretion.
When I was in in a judicial committee meeting in 1978 - I was a single mother (age 28) with 3 kids. I was told that 3 elders would be on the committee. I got to the meeting on time. There were 5 elders waiting for me. They sat up on the stage - under the stage lights facing me. I sat below them in the audience - in darkness - where I was told to sit. There was no empty chair for me to sit on an equal level with the 5 men. All 5 elders asked - demanded information from me. I was in there for sexual misconduct (being flippant in memory - he was cute.) I became angry at having to answer intimate sexual questions from 5 middle aged fat/balding men. Just being honest - I was better looking (then) than any of their wives every dreamed of being. Well, I was.
Anyway, I finally got mad. The same kind of cliches' they were using "what's wrong with being a good little sister?" were the same my father and his friends used with me - to be a good little girl, obey. Thankfully, I was able to focus my arguement - and thankfully, one of the elders - Doyle Coonrod of Frankfurt, Indiana - was a good, fair, man. He saved me - and later he told me he was the only one who voted not to df me. There was a lot of pressure to get rid of me. And he was kind enough to tell me it had nothing to do with "the sin" (I had onely sinned once, but refused to stop seeing the worldly guy) - it was my militant female attitude that goaded the men.
Because of Doyle, I wasn't df'd - stayed around for another 20 years. So the system worked - because of one good man - who stepped down from being an elder in the 80's - got tired of the runaround.
Btw, when going into a jw judicial committee meeting - most civil rights are suspended. If someone has reported you - you don't have the right to know whom - or exactly what was said about you. You, the accused, answer charges. You don't even have the right to know what the charges are ahead of time. No notes will be taken by elders, nor will they read or keep your notes. You can ask to have your witnesses for you heard. They can refuse your request. If these are worldly witnesses, or jw's from another congregation - a very good chance they will refuse. Naturally, no tape recorders allowed. No attorney allowed. No worldly persons allowed. All the rules are theirs, some made up on the spot.
If you talk about the outcome of the meeting with others in a negative manner - you can be called into meetings again. If you don't agree to silence when asked, you can be brought up on charges of slander "not for the good of the congregation."
The cards are stacked against the accused heavily. And these views are from personal situations of my own - not necessarily of all jw's.
waiting
