Heard from the grapevine I am DF’d. Here is my letter that did not work!

by hoggieman 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    If there were two witnesses to testify against you, they may have conducted the JC in abstentia and made the decision to disfellowship you. If they went this route however, they would have supposedly notified you verbally and advised you of your right to appeal the decision within 7 days. Since evidently you were not contacted, I would suspect that the official stance is that you have disassociated yourself by your actions or statements in your letter--you have made clear that you do not want to continue any association with Jehovahs Witnesses. No JC, no 7 days, etc. Thus, if an announcement was made to the cong it was "Hoggieman is no longer one of JWs." Yes it's the same announcement either way.

    Can you sue? Sure. Anybody can sue anybody else. Can you afford the lawyer? Even if you can, is it worth it? If you sue on the basis that they had no right to "harrass" you after you had already made clear that they were to leave you alone, will the court/jury agree that the announcement (if there was one) constitutes harrassment? Did it go beyond the religion's 1st amendment protection? If so, do you have any damages? What were they? How much is that worth?

    If you win, WT will supply legal counsel and see that this kind of anomaly is appealed, even though they will not want to be a party to the suit. Can you afford the lawyer to go through the appeal? Maybe you could get lucky and the ACLU would take your side on it. But maybe they'd take the WT's side. If you win, it's going to become a serious 1st Amendment case and there would be lots of players wanting to be involved, most all against your position.

    NOT a lawyer here, so maybe someone who is will comment. Band On The Run?

  • Broken Promises
    Broken Promises

    If it was possible/profitable to have sued for slander when being df'd, it would have been done by now.

  • mamalove
    mamalove

    First and foremost you need to figure out if the rumor is indeed true. Then decide where to go.

  • blondie
    blondie

    My hubbie said they usually send a letter and give you an opportunity to appeal (7 days). But if you were considered as having da'd yourself, that doesn't happen. The announcement from the platform does not mention whether it was df or da, so I wonder how that person would know it was for df'ing.

  • sir82
    sir82

    OK, let me see if I understand...

    You sent them a letter saying "If you DF us we'll sue."

    They ignored it and DF'ed you anyway.

    OK so was your letter just a bluff?

    Or do you intend to sue as you said you would in the letter?

    If it was possible/profitable to have sued for slander when being df'd, it would have been done by now.

    Yup.

  • hoggieman
    hoggieman

    Thanks everyone for your replies. No I did not actually retain an attorney…it was a bluff. I was not going to go to the JC meeting and I just felt like I needed to do something…just did not want them to win. Unfortuanly I don’t have the means to get an attorney. But if I did it would be on the defamation of character basis.

    I was just surprised that i dropped off the letter on my JC hearing time and I never heard anything from them. I assumed they dropped it until my cousin told me the other day. I don’t know exactly what was said, he heard from my grandparents that they read “the letter”. I called the elder spearheading this campaign against me, and of course he won’t call me back! I was surprised bcs I was expecting the notice, right to appeal etc. Not that I would have…just surprised how this all when down.

    I did not really write the letter with the intent of it being a DA letter…I guess they could have read into it that way, but that is not were I was going. More of a cease and desist…and the part about not making any announcement. Interesting they assumed that and went ahead with a DA scenario (if that is what happened). Not that I really care, I am so over these people but part of me is mad with the way this all goes down. I left not to sell crack, kill people, or live some debauched life (like they always describe people who leave). I left to do the best for me my wife and family of 3 small kids. My “worldly” life consists of spending time with my family and trying to be a good person. But because of this announcement all these people I have known for the last 30 years assume I a have done some horrible thing. I just hate them so much.

    I am over it…but just though I would share since there was some question on the board if these letters worked or not.

  • sleepingbeauty
    sleepingbeauty

    They clearly ignored you believing they were doing an act of congregational cleansing as set out in there Elders Manual ! Gods things to God & Ceasars things to Ceasar regardless of the consequences of their actions. They will now feel that since no legal action pursued, Jehovah has looked upon their actions with favour ! :(

    Double Whammy I know, but I am sure this is what they felt when they read your letter to the congregation .... They couldnt resist the excitement of it all & it was done as an example to the flock...

    Totally Brainless yet will have had the desired affect... Either that or someone within the congregation will think that they acted in an under-hand way & will wake up... !

  • hoggieman
    hoggieman

    oh gheezzz i did not think of that! they probably do think it was a blessing from God. He was too busy to save babies getting killed in Haiti...but had just enough time to save them from a lawsuit.

  • designs
    designs

    Don't expect a Judical Committee to do things by the Book or handle things smoothly, they are untrained volunteers. You get what you pay for....

  • Meeting Junkie No More
    Meeting Junkie No More
    You get what you pay for....

    HA HA HA! Priceless!

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