Difficulty of serving on Judicial Committee

by Masterji 12 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Masterji

  For me? The other two.

  More on that later.

  Your thoughts?

  M
• 

  LB

  Well that was clear as mud.....

  
  Never Squat With Yer Spurs On
• 

  kevin221

  Lol@LB

  You go pardner.

  Kev
• 

  jst2laws

  Masterji,

  Are you saying the greatist difficulty of serving on a judicial committee was dealing with the "other two" elders on the committee?

  Jst2laws
• 

  FreePeace

  My biggest problem with serving on judicial committees was dealing with other elders who didn't have a clue about the human condition, not always, but several times.

  I was never on a committee that DF'd anyone. I'm still undecided as to whether that was a good thing or not.

  FreePeace
  "The World is my country, and to do good, my religion." --Thomas Paine
  TruthQuest: http://beam.to/truthquest
  Who Am I? -How to Reinvent Yourself After Leaving the WTS
• 

  Richie

  When elders serve on a Judicial Committee, they are in effect setting themselves up as judges. Their aim is to stay close to the bible and follow its principles. Having said that, many problems still ensue as many elders just don't have the education level required to make sound decisions which should be entirely based on bible principles without getting emotionally involved, but at the same time showing a good measure of mercy. They invariably follow the thought of the majority whether they have individual questions or not. That's why they are often not helping the afflicted one come to his/her senses in a compassionate way; no, they are seeking out ways to catch the guilty one in order to take disfellowshipping action. It's all in the name of keeping the congregation clean, which is foremost on their minds. It's almost as if the elders have to "reward" themselves in spending many extra hours of their time to deal with problems, so as a result they show favoritism, one elder will "outdo" the other in presenting scriptural references, being overzealous, clashing with their egos while all the time knowing that a disfellowshipping action is already in the works regardless of the circumstances and pleas from the guilty one, especially in cases where there are appeal committees! It's actually worse than an impartial court case: you cannot have a lawyer to defend yourself, you're all alone and any defense you are presenting will often be viewed as an excuse rather than an honest demonstration of facts and therefore making the verdict of the JC predictable and cold without showing too much heart.
  It's almost like going back to the Middle Ages...

  Richie :*)
• 

  Gopher

  Richie,

  Your post shows the lack of wisdom in the whole judicial arrangement as it currently exists. Where in the Greek Scriptures is there a reference to any such committee?

  You are so right, it is almost impossible to defend oneself in this setting. And if you don't say the right things or look sorry enough,
  your arse is grass. Appeal committees? If three people won't believe you , why would six (including THE appeal committee)?

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
• 

  Masterji

  Richie
  Amen to your response.

  You covered the basics.

  More than once it was said before the hearing: "This is an
  open and shut case."

  M
• 

  avengers

  Judicial committees suck. And this goes for all three, not just the other two.

  The bigger the lie, the more that will believe it.
  Adolph Hitler
• 

  cellomould

  I have a question:

  May an elder be used on a judicial commitee if he was recently reproved privately? Say, within 6-8 months?

  I have heard a story about an elder who 'switched congregations' because of reproof. It seems they can be re-privileged sooner because of a need for elders in another congregation.

  Is this true?

  I have a suspicion that an elder who sat on my judicial commitee had recently been reproved.

  When I first met him, I was still an m.s. He seemed quite closed off to simple polite inquiries. Not rude, but not entirely present.

  There had been a 'great need' for elders, but no one from his hall wanted to come. Flat refusal. Then all of the sudden, here's one. But it took quite a while before they announced his appointment.

  He was much more 'present' and interested in me when it was my turn to get punished.

  Anyhow, no hard feelings, just curious...

  cellosinner

  "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Edmund Burke