Disfellowshipping - The Fly In The Legal Ointment?

by NeonMadman 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  NeonMadman

  There have been many posts on this board about people suing the Society over disfellowshipping. There have probably been as many showing how the Society endeavors at every opportunity to push the legal responsibility for disfellowshipping down to the local congregation level, and to the elders who are actually involved.

  It seems to me that there is a fly in the ointment for them in this area. If disfellowshipping is strictly a local matter, and the Society is uninvolved, then a person who is disfellowshipped, should be disfellowshipped only from the local congregation that took action against him.

  But that's not the way it is. A person who is disfellowshipped is disfellowshipped from the entire organization and from all congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. How can a local congregation have the power to take action on behalf of an entire worldwide organization? This fact should be able to serve as proof in any courtroom that disfellowshipping is done, first and foremost, under the auspices of the worldwide organization, and that the organization should bear primary responsibility in any action.

  Now, I'm no lawyer. But I think my conclusion is inescapable. Am I wrong?

  Edited by - NeonMadman on 5 August 2002 10:57:15

  Edited by - NeonMadman on 5 August 2002 10:58:46
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  metatron

  I've made this point several times. DF'ing, as done currently,
  implies a HIERARCHY and a centralized chain of command.

  Likewise, the Circuit Overseer arrangement, with its appointment
  of elders, implies the same thing.

  I would think that this must concern the legal dept BECAUSE
  they consistently attempt to deceive authorities about the structure
  of the organization and they lecture elders about 'what not to
  write down' about df'ing so as to NOT implicate the Society.

  In addition, I believe the Bonham, Texas case set a precedent
  for making the legal claim that elders are clergy and that the
  organization is a hierarchy.

  Stay tuned, I guess

  metatron
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  outoftheorg

  I have another question to add to this mix.

  I have pondered the two questions in the above and since I was baptised at the age of 17 at the time when the baptism talk etc. stressed that one was NOT joining a religion but only dedicating ones life to Jehovah. Would the use of all these technicalities at one time be of use in court?

  Is there anyone here with a legal degree or source to legal advice that can answer this?