OUR LAWYER'S LETTER TO WATCHTOWER & THERE R...

by ARoarer 55 Replies latest social current

  • ARoarer
    ARoarer

    When an elder called us to "invite" us to the KH to meet with them to question us regarding accusations of apostasy, while another elder sneakily sat on another line as a "second witness", we, after not being active for several years, having no contact with anyone in the congregation, we felt their phone call was harrassing. We called our lawyers who drew up a letter that say:

    Watchtower Bibel & Tract Society
    200 Watchtower Drive
    Patterson, NY 12563-9205

    Dear Sirs:
    This firm represents ---- & ------- -------. They have requested that I communicate with you regarding matters previously involving Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.
    First, this letter will serve as official notice that no members of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses (including its legal corportations, the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York, Inc, the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the International Bible Students Association), the ------- ----- Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, the Elders of the ------- ----- Congregation of Jehovah's Witness or anyone acting on their behalf are permitted to communicate with or come to the home or poperty of the ------- family. ------- & ---- ------- also notify you that their children are not to be contacted. Any person who violates this notice and comes to the home or property of the ------- family will be considered trespassers.
    Second, this letter will serve as official notice that no slanderous, libelous or harrassing statements are to be made about the------family by any of the aforementioned Jehovah's Witnesses Organizations. This letter is not to be deemed a disassociation letter. The -------- advise that they have done nothing wrong to be considered as persons to be disfellowshipped or disassociated. Understand taht it is your practive to make a public announcement regarding disfellowship. The -------- will consider any such statements slanderous. Further, any effort by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, (including its legal corporations............) the ------ ----- Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses or any member of these organizations to encourage Jehovah's Witnesses to shun or avoid the ------- or to cease or modify their business relationships with the --------will be considered slanderous, libelous, in violation of the -------- Constitutional Right to Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech and as illegal interference with the ------- business relationships.
    Third, the letter will officieally advise you that this is in no way a dissociation letter. As stated, the -------- advise that they have done nothing wrong under the teaching of your religion. They believe that there is no proper basis for disassociation or disfellowship. The -------- take great personal offense to the current interrogation of the entrapemnt practices being utilized by the Governin Body of Jehovah's Witnesses including the (legal Corporations.........) the ------- ----- Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. In the event that a decision has or is in the future made to disfellowship ---- or ------- ------- or their children, the -------demand a detailed written itemization of the incedents giving rise to the disfellowship proceeding, along with notification of the charge and proceeding date. The ------- demand written notification of their rights and responsibliities in the event that any judicial proceeding is undertaken, the right to participate at any such proceedings and the right to prepare a response to any accusations. The ------- family will not consider any actiontaken by the Judicial Committee as valid unless it is communicated to them in writing, with full detailed explanation of the nature and basis of the action.
    Fourth, the hereby notify you that they are prepared to take legal action if any action is taken in violation of this letter. For those who desire to actively participate and follow the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society Doctrine and instructions, the ------- family have no quarrel with them. Their desire is to be quietly left alone, free from coercion, duress and harassment.
    By copy of this letter to the ------- ----- Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and the Elders of the ------ ----- Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, I am advising them of the -------- desires. Please direct all future commuinication to this firm.

    Very truly yours,

    OUR LAW FIRM

    We just heard from the lawyer last week and they faxed a copy of WT response. It is as follows;

    Re: ------- & ---- -------
    Judicial Committee Hearing

    Dear Ms. ---------
    I represent the body of elders in the English Congregation of ------ ----- N.J. anad I am wariting pursuant to your letter of February 4, 2002, to Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. The body of elders ahs appointed a judicial committee to meet with Mr. and Mrs.-------
    concerning allegations of apostacy. The judicial committee invits them to meet on Monday, May 6, 2002, at 7:30 p.m., at the Kingdom Hall located at----------------------. Mr. and Mrs. ------- may present evidence or witnesses on their behalf at this hearing. The judicial committee encourgages them to be present and would like to help them if they have sincere doubts. But if Mr. and Mrs------ decide not to appear, the judicial commitee will proceed without them and make a decision on whether to disfellowship them based on the available evidence. In case you are not aware, attorneys are not permitted to represent individuals at congregaton judicial commettee hearings.
    Of course, if Mr. and Mrs. ------ no longer disire to be Jehovah's Witnesses, please inform me in writing before the hearing date and the judicial committee proceeding will be terminated. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Do not contact local elders.

    Very truly yours,--------

    So this is how the loving Watchtower Society deals with those who do not want to come into the Kingdom Hall any more, after the Society supports the Pedophile and his incestuous family protecting him. Get rid of the victims and their family and everyone can talk to the Pedophile.

  • ARoarer
    ARoarer

    Sorry for the spelling. I was so annoyed typing this letter. Obviously they want to df us and it is not something that we did not expect, but it really hurts that we spent a lifetime cultivating friendships with people we loved so dearly, and now we, who have shown nothing but kindess to all who knew us as thier friends, will have to be shunned, as if anything we did is soooooooo horrible in the eyes of the legal dept. in comparison to the pedophile we took to trial. I know they want to silence us as they do all victim/survivors and create a lid of silence so as not to talk to anyone about the truths of what occured. I just found out that the family protecting the pedophile is in the same congregation and the pedophile's nephew was just made PO.

  • detective
    detective

    What jerks! It's smacks of such absurd control freakishness, it's utterly appalling!

    They have said that your attorney can't represent you. But they do not say that your attorney cannot attend. (I suspect they meant to say as much but...) I'd try to bring your attorney along if I were you, even if only as an observer.

    This is interesting because you said in another post that you were filemd for dateline? In which case, this seems like a pre-emptive strike to discredit you before any publicity glare.

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    Unfortunately you are under "Ecclesiastical Law” so long as you are recognized as a member of the religion and the secular courts cannot interfere with any “religious” proceedings. They can do what ever they want and break any of their own rules and laws – the secular courts cannot touch that. They can have you DFed for “loose conduct” when all you did was fart at a meeting – they are in control, not the courts.

    Even if you “simply cease to be involved in the faith”*, they can still have you shunned for DAing yourself – even though their own web site says otherwise*.

    Again, it is all based on internal "Ecclesiastical Law”, and they are in control of that – the secular courts cannot touch it.

    Unless you have a DAMN GOOD lawyer, you will be DFed for apostasy or whatever else they can pull out of their ass. They can then say that you were kicked out for some “serious unchristian conduct”*. Whether the courts will interpret that as “slanderous or libelous” is unknown unless you bring it to court.

    I would LOVE to see someone drag this out in court and test it!!! If you have the gonads (and the $$$), then go for it! The hard part will be getting evidence out of the WTS and the local congregation.

    * http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/beliefsfaq.htm

    "As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible" - The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
    Believe in yourself, not mythology.
    <x ><

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere

    As a preemptive strike on your part, you may want to DA yourself so that they cannot DF you. Otherwise they will be able to go to the media and say: “Oh that person? He cannot be trusted because he is angry about being DFed, you see, we had to remove him from the congregation for “serious Christian wrong doing”.

    "As every one knows, there are mistakes in the Bible" - The Watchtower, April 15, 1928, p. 126
    Believe in yourself, not mythology.
    <x ><

  • Scully
    Scully

    Just an observation ARoarer:

    I notice you went to great pains to edit names, and I'm glad you did.

    But, I also notice that it was missed several times and the family name appears in your post. Just in case there are any silent WT drones lurking on the board, it might be a good idea to edit your post so that the family name is not revealed.

    If you've been interviewed for Dateline, the family name may be enough for the WTS to create a legal injunction against the program airing any information from your interview.

    Love, Scully


  • ARoarer
    ARoarer

    Scully, how do I edit it

  • dungbeetle
    dungbeetle

    There's some info on this....maybe Dateline should know about all these newest 'light'....

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=26684&site=3

  • TR
    TR

    AROARER,

    to edit, click on the icon of the paper and pencil on you original post to this thread.

    TR

    UADNA-WA
    Unseen Apostate Directorate of North America- Washington Division

  • WildHorses
    WildHorses

    ARoarer, click on the little icon with the pencil on it. This is the edit button.

    Lilacs

    I don't want someone in my life I can live with. I want someone in my life I can't live without.

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