coma,
I applaud you for your efforts I hope it goes well for you. All the best. Kate xx
Could really use some help regarding legal letter to avoid DF
by Comatose 42 Replies latest jw friends
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Band on the Run
Ray Publisher,
I've studied Martin Luther King and Gandhi. There are enormous differences. Both had allies with resources, such as education and financing. If only there were an exJW South Christian Leadership Conference or Congress Party.
I might make the same decision if I were involved. This is one reason I love it when hire lawyers to represent me in personal matters. The emotional layer are removed. Normally, one worries about paying damges. Losing one's family is a whole different story.
Can't you lie to them? Say you reflected on their wise counsel and now agree with them. I was fortunate that when my family left we effectively faded.
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Comatose
I don't want to lie. I was brutally honest for several reasons. First, I told my JW family beforehand I would be honest and ask for help with my doubts. I was given none and instead told I should fake it to avoid losing everything. That was a threat.
Second, if I lose my family I will live life to the full with no fear of spies and no fear of being caught one day.
Third, my mental health required personal honesty and to know I had tried to see if the elders had some magic bullet or wise advice.
When end this is all over in a few weeks I estimate, I will be able to tell my family my story. An honest story. I hope they see the honesty in it. Or if the letter works then great. But I don't have my hopes up. Just trying. These guys have royally botched this. Royally. Full story will explain. I'm not free to do that now unfortunately.
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Gypsy Sam
Shepherd Book's letters were very interesting and his links incredibly easy to use and follow. Thank you.
comatose, I wish you all the best.
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bnybyt
1. write the elders telling them you want to be removed from that congregations member list.
2. say clearly and repeat it, you are NOT disassociating yourself as a JW nor are you disassociating from the greater community of JW's and continue to hold on to your right to seek membership in another congregation where you feel more comfortable.
3. tell them you do NOT want elders calling on you and you will seek legal guidance and a restraint order be put against them if they do not desist from calling on you.
4. tell them in the letter that you will sue them for harassment and defamation if there's any public announcement against you made at the Kingdom Hall.
5. emphasize that you are not seeking to sue any branch or part of the WTS unless they (the elders) request the Society for legal representation. If the WTS gives them counsel then they will also be upholding the elders harassment and defamation and will appear in the suit.
There are legal cases in the U.S. that uphold a person's withdrawal from a congregation and their right not to be harassed, denigrated nor defamed as a result of their withdrawal of membership. Just because you seek to withdraw membership from a congregation does not mean you are disassociating yourself from the religion as a whole and this creates a loophole where the congregation cannot take actions against a former member. They can't just say "so and so is no longer a member of the _______ Congregation. A JW can chose to go to whatever congregation they wish, the JW hierarchy cannot by law force anyone to go anywhere they don't want to go. But by following those steps above they can't announce that you aren't a JW anylonger which is their covert way to announce you should be shunned.
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sspo
Hope it ends well for you and not get DF.
I personally walked away ,slowly missed meetings and faded. Never got DF even though my ex wife and father in law worked their butts off to get me DF, they failed.
The results though are the same,whether you are DF or fade.... no so called JW " friends "will talk to you again and as i told you my daughter has not talked to me in 4 years since the word will spread that you do not believe in the watchtower doctrines anymore.
Good luck
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DeWandelaar
Is there actually anyone who had a official lawyer handling their case against DF?
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Witness My Fury
Marked for future use, thanks....
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Jennicaz
I am Shepard Book's wife, and we used the letter from our website, which was adapted from Doc Bob's letter he posted on his website. We did not get disfellowshipped, however, we did get "removed". They made up this special category for us, never met with us or told us an announcement was being made, and announced that we had been "removed from the congregation". Our friends and family didn't know quite what that meant, so some still have limited contact with us. We obtained proof that we had been "removed" in violation of the terms of the letter we sent, and contacted a lawyer. The lawyer said that generally religions are very protected in these kinds of cases, but in our case since we had sent this letter she felt we did have a case and was willing to take us on as clients. We could not afford the legal fees at the time however so we ended up not pursuing legal action.
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Comatose
I should know something in a week or so on how my crap is going. I'll report it when free to. It is a legal matter right now. :)