Tell them you took your iPhone to the police station and had it dusted for fingerprints.
Invasion of privacy and such. You are within your rights to do so. They want to mess with your personal items, hold them accountable.
(As the daughter of an actual policeman, it always pisses me off how the el-duhs want to play "Chief Investigator from God"!)
Strength and best wishes to you and your wife. I am only half kidding about the above.
~Sue
SBCheezits Judicial Hearing - My EPIC FAIL (REPOST for IE users)
by SweetBabyCheezits 98 Replies latest jw friends
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betterdaze
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betterdaze
NOT.
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AGuest
Man oh man, I'm tellin' ya, it's only a matter of time before they start friskin' ya'll before those meetings. Oh, no, wait... before ALL meetings... ("Uh, excuse me, brother, you'll need to remove your shoes before coming in... yes, that's right... okay, now, please, raise your arms... uh-huh, yes... now, turn around... uh-huh... good. Okay! Now, if you'll just step through the detector you'll get your shoes back on the other side... Uh, Sister? Uh, can you wait, please? Oh, and you'll need to put your book bags, purse... and Bible... on the conveyor belt... yes, right there, and use one of the gray bins, please... thank you...").
(Shaking head)...
In the meantime, dear SBC (peace to you!), perhaps you (and any others who will eventually go through this) can find some solace in the following words. I know I did, especially when I read them (verbatim) to those sitting in judgment of me:
"Now to me it is a very trivial thing that I should be examined by a human tribunal. Even I do not examine myself. For I am not conscious of anything against myself. Yet, by this I am not proved righteous, but He that examines ME... is [Jehovah]."
And then I read them the next line:
"Hence, do not judge ANYTHING before the due time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring the secret things of darkness to light and make the counsels of the hearts manifest, and then each one will have his praise come from God."
Well, of course, neither statement went over very well. Oh, the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" during THAT meeting. I tell you neighbor! And, of course, they didn't want to hear anything that told them NOT to judge... even if it was "in the Bible." Didn't like it when I reminded them that Paul (?) didn't mention "those who don't agree with you," in his removal list, either.
Take heart - we were told that they would "expel [us] from their synagogues (public meeting places)." Be glad you're part of the fulfillment of that prophesy!
Again, I bid you peace!
Your servant and a slave of Christ,
SA
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quietlyleaving
As flipper said, you have prolly stirred up a hornet's nest. I don't think they will actually disfellowship you now. Bethel will enable them to reframe themselves to save face but yet at the same time not take any real action against you. You will be free to dance away or dance with them. They can be accomplished dancing partners...
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zoiks
Thanks for the update, SBC...we were waiting with bated breath on this one! I concur with the others - not an epic fail at all. I admire your strength. Hold your head high.
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cattails
The reason for not getting back to you with a decision is that the elders didn't expect such "brazen" conduct as to have the accused one record the judicial commitee hearing.
Now they'll have to check in with the CO and maybe with the Branch about this situation: What to do if someone is caught recording a "secret" meeting?
The elders will try to make sure they recall as best possible everything said before it comes out in public. The fear is that if there's something that can embarrass the WTS the CO/Branch will know about it asap and be able to call in the damage control crew, that is the legal department.
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freddo
Further to what cattails said - I agree.
They will be on to the nameless drone in the service dept. for "guidance" who may decide that you have shown lying as in "brazen" loose conduct in recording it - this is the new catch-all phrase that Brooklyn uses to justify a d/f when they feel like it.
Your ace in the hole is that you have a recording and the local boys won't want to be all over the net with their judicial process.
A close call that could go either way. Outside chance they'll do a deal - as in you let one of their techhy savvy boys delete the recording (tho' they cannot be sure you've not spread it already ) and then they will view you as repentant. Nah! Perhaps not.
I reckon they will d/f because Brooklyn doesn't mind letting it's elders hang out to dry unless of course there was something damning against Brooklyn itself on the recording.
All in all, on balance I think you will be d/f'd.
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Chalam
Of course, the big question is why the WT don't allow recordings of their "court room sessions"?
What better "witness" could there be to the event (save video recording)?
It seems they clearly have something to hide.
Anyhow, transcripts are being made and they will have to account for every single word.
Matthew 12:36 (New International Version)
36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.
Daniel 7:10 (New International Version)
10 A river of fire was flowing,
coming out from before him.
Thousands upon thousands attended him;
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
The court was seated,
and the books were opened.Revelation 20:12 (New International Version)
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
Blessings,
Stephen
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slimboyfat
Thanks for the update. Interesting stuff.
Did the whole meeting consist of them asking you about your beliefs? Did they not mention any of the evidence against you? What your parents said, emails and so on? It sounds like maybe they were not so eager to disfellowship you after all.
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donuthole
SBC --
I know JC meetings can be stressful, no matter how good they turn out. I wouldn't beat yourself up to much. I hope it goes well for you.
BTW It sounds like you got the same list of questions I got. I find it hard to beleive there isn't a Society sanctioned anti-apostasy list floating around.
-Anthony