Class action suit for pain, suffering & discrimination (page 4)

sammielee24

Great logical points Elsewhere!

Might I add that if you have letters from family they can be used as evidence.

I have letters from family telling us that 'if we come back' they can have association and that kind of thing. This clearly indicates that unless you belong to the group that you will be shunned. Further the assemblies notes such as the ones that were put up on this site, telling members that they will not have association with disfellowshipped people, would be good.

I would like someone to get on tape, an Elder telling a JW that they will be disfellowshipped for being with another disfellowshipped person. That sort of thing - sammieswife.

besty

I think the best legal approach will be one that links parental coercion of a minor to get baptised followed by parental shunning when that minor becomes disfellowshipped.

At what point will legislation be put in place to protect minors from religious abuse?

Yes I support religious freedom, but caveated and superceded by my view that some children should not suffer for a lifetime because of a religious 'choice' made by their parents.

And of course you have to address the issue of 'hardline' JW parents versus 'liberal' JW parents. There is a continuum from child beaters to those that encourage education and thinking skills.

And in education lies our most potent weapon - not the long and winding <not to mention expensive> road of legislation.

I wrote a brief blog entry of my own experience here: http://www.freeminds.org/Blogs/From-Ctrl-to-Ctrl-Alt-Delete/no-choice-for-children.html

I do hold some hope for the Western governments that are looking at the tax status of 'charities' and their public benefit. In the old days charity was given away. Increasingly, charity is being 'sold' as a product - hopefully we will get legislation that removes charitable status from those organisations that are on the fringes of delivering any public benefit.

sammielee24

The discussions on the changes to families who have children actively engaged in higher education, could be another legal argument. Those children who live with the guilt/fear/shame that they will cast dispersion on their fathers if they pursue their education could also be looked at - we all know the ramifications of telling kids that not only are they a) never going to graduate school so there is no point in further education but b)the punishment of the father if the son continues on in his education, could have some legal issues attached to it.

These are all things - including from emails, elders notes, those who were missionaries/Bethelites, letters and assembly notes, that can and should be collectively used to present a case for everything from education, door knocking, allegience (they won't let a kid vote at a school function but they themselves vote in the GB), two witnesses, the validity of the judicial committees, shunning etc, etc, etc. sammieswife.

besty

@SL24 wife - I have the original posters contact details if you want me to put you guys in touch - drop me a PM

lettib74

Thank you all for your advice and input. I will take all of your thoughts into consideration. I guess for me this is something I have to do in my heart. If I can help change the way people view this cult and maybe save folks from being recruited...isn't it worth it? If I can change the views of even a handfull of the 'brothers & sisters" get them thinking for themselves....I know it's a long shot but it's worth a try right? It's going to be an uphill fight but a fight I am willing to take on. How can a few hundred or more people be ignored?

undercover

I'm not a lawyer...nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night either...

But a lawsuit against the WTS for pain and suffering and even discrimination isn't going to go far...at least in the US. In France, eh, who knows...

Let's face it...when you get down to the nitty gritty, no one held a gun to our head and made us stay. Most of us stayed of our own will. We allowed our families and JW friends to influence us to follow the WT rules and practices.

The JWs are a club with distinct rules. Disobey and you'll be kicked out. They have that right, as do other clubs and religions.

And a class action lawsuit could only perpetuate the feeling of persecution among the faithful followers. They're constantly reminded how the world hates them and that "apostates" look to destroy them, so their seeing this kind of action will only draw them closer to the bOrg, actually making it harder for some us working to free family members.

besty

undercover and jack214 - neither of you have addressed the coercion of minors

if you haven't seen it before take a few minutes to watch this by V:

http://www.freeminds.org/v/WTV080515ChildBaptism.html

Class action suit for pain, suffering & discrimination

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