Class action suit for pain, suffering & discrimination

by lettib74 55 Replies latest jw friends

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  sammielee24

  It very easy to ignore 1 person but it wont be easy to ignore a few hundred maybe a thousand........

  I agree. sammieswife.
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  Olin Moyles Ghost

  Not sure what country you're in--you mentioned your Mexican family, so I assume you're in Mexico or the U.S. I can't speak for Mexico, but in the U.S., you will face an uphill battle.

  The WT has a great record of defending itself against suits brought by victims of its disfellowshipping practice. U.S. courts of appeal have held that the WT practice of shunning is protected by the First Amendment. Of course, you should feel free to talk to a lawyer about the specifics of your case. My guess is that he won't have good news for you...but who knows?
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  crazyblondeb

  http://www.lovenorris.com/

  This is the attorney I was talking about.
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  crazyblondeb

  Here's the link to a couple of their victories.

  http://www.lovenorris.com/verdicts.htm
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  sammielee24

  Most organizations and churches have standards of conduct. The only place where I think the law might have a place is the baptizing and Df'ing of minor children. But again it's so murky there is technically no law against not loving your children. Legally all you have to do is feed them and put a roof over their head and keep them from poking their eyes

  If I join a golf club and they change the rules after I paid them my dues - I can take them to court and most likely win. There are also laws that dictate the legal age of joining a club - and if the club accepts my payment, they can be taken to court and I'd win. There are other laws that say if as a minor, I got my parents written consent, then the parents would be responsible for my payment.

  As a minor, many have been baptized into the WTS club..without any written consent from their parents. As a minor who got baptized, there is no way to understand the punishment the club enacts if you act out. Comprehension is not there. Fear is and guilt is if you don't do it.

  As a minor who was baptized before the change in allegiance in the 1980's, allegiance was with God and the WTS changed that to themselves...major change in the club rules. Unfortunately,, many who were already baptized could not get out because of the punishment for joining as a minor - they were ill equipped to deal with the fall out mentally, emotionally, physically and financially.

  There is also the discrimination aspect of it. A baptized person cannot be disfellowshipped and ONLY a disfellowshipped is under the terms of the WTS to be shunned. Hence a person who is baptized is treated much more harshly than a non baptized person - that's blatant discrimintation. Aren't we as a society supposed to be moving away from punishment based on color, gender, age etc? I would attack the baptism issue regarding minors and the discrimination basis of shunning. This might force the society to change the whole shunning as a punishment for ONLY baptized persons - they would have to either start forcing shunning for all people disassociated in any way - or else stop shunning all together. If they started forcing shunning for ALL people who aren't faithfully attending - then there would probably be a massive exodus or the lawsuits would be falling faster and more furious as the society was brought to it's knees.

  Then lets hit the books and find out why a cover up of a religion is able to escape other laws in other countries in the manner of workers comp, medicare and social security. These are all things a person may need - and again, a medical perspective of the mental/emotional/financial damage done to a person long term and the effect on them as an adult, could go far. There is no such thing as free will or choice in the society..and a cult expert, a psychologist who has studied the effects of cult behavior on children and adults, would most likely have no problem attesting to this.

  sammieswife.
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  sammielee24

  but in the U.S., you will face an uphill battle

  .

  Perhaps...but then again, didn't the society preach that they had an uphill battle to become established. A class action suit against a corporation with substantial assets and wealth, will often be taken on contingency and the more people involved the better. There are discrimination laws on the books and legalities regarding minors - as I mentioned the blatant and destructive abuse of the WTS in shunning ONLY disfellowshipped people at this point can be argued as prejudicial. sammieswife.
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  The Oracle

  I would love to a see a successful lawsuit launched, but be sure to get thorough legal council before you proceed. There may be some new angles that could be tried that might be successful.

  Another angle to consider, if you are thinking about going to the time and expense of launching a class action suit - is to instead go to the media with your story and launch a bit of a PR against the WT in your area.

  The Oracle
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  Homerovah the Almighty

  Of course there are many other examples of religious discrimination by small fringe cults that are similar

  to the JWS where the individual goes through much pain and suffering just because that person wishes

  not to participate in this select religious faith. In indifference to these small cults the larger main stream religions

  such as the Catholics, Protestants and Anglicans will not try to inadvertently disrupt that persons close

  relationships with other members in the church that they had originally chosen. Such as that member being announced

  of being disfellowshipped at the church and and instructions given out to the rest of the members to not associate with

  this person. And this in my opinion is where these certain cults violate a persons legal freedoms and civil liberties.

  In essence they have intensionally created their own set of rules and laws that breaks and goes against the laws of the

  land for which they have been given an opportunity to worship in. They too are responsible to abide and obey these laws

  in supporting individual civil liberties, like it or not.

  Organized religions are institutions that are still being over looked by are governments in regard to their behavior and actions.

  In my opinion the JWS directly running on their own laws by design have broken the law regarding a persons liberties for freedom of

  choice of religion, inciting pain, suffering and discrimination.
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  quietlyleaving

  I would love to see something like this happen
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  sammielee24

  In my opinion the JWS directly running on their own laws by design have broken the law regarding a persons liberties for freedom of choice of religion, inciting pain, suffering and discrimination.

  I agree and that is why I hope there is a huge class action suit.lots of PR..lots of negative publicity..all the doctrines about sex, submission, molestation, two witness rule, insurance, no blood, organ transplants, the hatred against the people of the world (and that is something most average people don't even know)...all those things would bring a bad light to the organization and do major harm. A lot of churches and religions would understand how very disturbed ex jw's are at being lied to for so long and a real run could be made on those sympathies and you could garner support for the cause. Most religions want people to find comfort and hope inside their organization - the WTS does not..in that respect, many churches might be an untapped source of support and a true definition of religion vs cult may emerge.

  The only way for any family to get out, for any friend to get out, is to dismantle the society...with great, aggressive counsel, it could undoubtedly work. sammieswife.