Not willing to meet with Elders? DF?

thedepressedsoul

If a person says that they are not willing to meet with the elders or does not meet with them, will that get them DF'ed?

There is a rumor about a person who has left the truth (went inactive) about being imoral. They do not have the 2 person witness so they can't take actions because of this. However, the person will not meet with the elders so they can see if it's true or not. Can they df someone for that alone?

My thoughts were you needed 2 witnesses or a confession. If a person never meets, they never get that confession or are able to make a ruling. Anyones thoughts?

thedepressedsoul

From the book, "There must be either two witnesses or a confession of wrongdoing"

OneEyedJoe

Technically you're right, but I suspect it wouldn't be without precedent for someone to get DF'd just for 'brazen conduct' because they refused to meet with the elders. Also, from what I've read here, I wouldn't be surprised if they manufactured evidence or witnesses to DF someone if they want it bad enough.

St George of England

I know of someone who stopped attending and openly lives with his girlfriend and has done so for several years.

The elders tried to meet with him but he simply refuses, when they phoned he would just hang up.

Eventually the CO said to just let it go, Jehovah would deal with it.

George

jgnat

I know a young man who was DF'd for not showing for a Judicial Hearing convened in his honor. I think they had "two witnesses" without him, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E3c-X86Y6o

sir82

Technically, no, just refusing a request to meet with 2 elders is not enough to get one DF'ed.

However, this point is crucial to remember - so it important it needs to be written in bold:

Anyone can be disfellowshipped at an time for any reason that 3 elders agree upon.

Juan Viejo2

I was DF'd and I told the elders I was not coming to their meeting at the Kingdom Hall. I was falsely accused of cheating on my wife, and had already worked all of that out with her, but the gossips wouldn't let up - so they completely set me up and blindsided me. When they called me on the phone while I was at a JW friend's house, I told them to hold their meeting, but I was not coming. Never regretted my decision. Never once considered reinstatement. Never confessed to anything because I really had nothing to confess about. I was being accused by gossips who had been my friends.

When I look back I'm glad I did not buckle. Freedom is a wonderful thing to have.

JV

DATA-DOG

I don't think most Elders would try to DF you for refusing to meet. Especially if you play the depression or anxiety card.

DD

Magwitch

I refused to show up. They kept setting up committee meetings and leaving me phone messages where and when to show up, and I absolutely did not show up. They sent me registered letters that I would never sign for. I heard it was turned over to three different committees over an eighteen month period. The last committee was made up of a young group of elders, one being someone that my husband and I had met in the door 2 door work and studied with. The 3rd committee decided to DF me in my absense. They sent me a registered letter to notify me of the decision (that I did not sign for). Eventually they notified some elders in a hall in another town that knew my father in still another town. They called him and asked him to notify me that I was DF'ed. Message received. It was very anti climatic - my father called me while I was sitting in traffic on my way to work on a Monday morning. He gave me the news and then we talked about his pet chckens and the weather.

I did not care what their decision was. But I did know that there was no way in hell I would EVER go sit before three men and talk my vagina. I was a dignified 40 something woman. NO REGRETS!

cantleave

We refused to play their game, we were both DF'd in absentia.

Not willing to meet with Elders? DF?

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