by rebel 7 Replies latest jw experiences
Has anyone ever appealed against disfellowshiping and been successful?
Do any ex-elders know if appeals actually work?
I was told by an ex-elder that he has never known an appeal to be successful because it would be elders verses elders and they would not take the side of someone against the body of elders. Is this true?
My mother appealed her DFing and it was "over turned." It was determined by the society that she really was repentant and should not have been DFd. She went on her own and confessed to one act of fornication. This was about 20 years ago. She got the CO involved and he pushed it forward to Brooklyn.
It was decided that the elders had an agenda against her.
Too bad she fought it. I would like to think she would be more normal now if she had gotten out.
Rebel,
I recall that my Dad got several DF'ing decisions reversed in the Matock, Derbyshire congregation when he was appointed as PO there. He knew that they were based on personal likes and dislikes. Incredibly, the 2 elders who manipulated it all died in separate road accidents, which gave the gossipers a field day.
Englishman.
How does one go about getting the CO involved. In my mind, wouldn't he just go with what the elders say? I think it is good that your Mum was reinstated - not from the fact that she was back in the organisation, but the fact that she didn't take the rubbish they dished out lying down. Now, all she has to do is realise that this organisation is not what it seems. I can understand people wanting to be reinstated as it is so scarey if you have family and friends who are JWs. You feel as if you are letting them down plus you will not be able to talk to them until you are reinstated. This is so horrible and I can't understand why more people don't question it.
rebel, I'm no expert on current JW policy, but as I recall the appeal committee MUST be selected by the CO, so he automatically gets involved (though not necessarily as a member of the appeal committee).
I know of one df'ing that was reversed, about 30 years ago. A PO (then called the Congregation Servant) was removed and df'd. He was never the same after that, and it was almost 20 years before he was even allowed to be an MS. One way or another, there's always a price they make you pay.
Craig
I saw an appeal upheld, once.
It hinges on proving that you were repentant at the time of the first hearing.
A strong case could be made if the course of action, of the individual, changed radically after the first hearing.
It's rarely sucessful, because it calls into question the original body's judgement. Gotta love those pharisees, huh?
Hi rebel,
From what I recall, my mom was friends with the CO from the days when he was PO and an elder when she first became a dub.
I know that she wrote an impassioned letter to the society and CCd all the elders, the PO, the CO and anyone else who would listen. She really did cause a ruckus. It took about 6 months, however, they (the elders) got up on the podium and announced that her DFing was reversed and she (and I by extention) was in good standing.
All her close friends knew what happened and stood by her, believe it or not. I think they really were impressed that she stood up the to elders and fought back.
I don't know what the rules are now, however, I would guess that between media exposure and better ability to document events, the CO would probably back the elders and not the publisher.
So where does the actual scriptural back-up for judicials come from? I can't find anything like them in the Bible. The only thing remotely the same was the nation of Israel, they had judges who tried cases. But if I remember correctly, these were held in public. Why don't elders allow the person on 'trial' to have someone in with them? What are they trying to hide? I asked to be present at a judicial and they almost laughed in my face.
