I don't believe it. Who's the "they" who knows about the "change"? When did this supposed "change" happen?
Look, I was just disfellowshipped last year. The charge was "reviling and causing divisions" since I reported abuse and warned the rest of the congregation via email. The elder in question was a COBE and HLC and substitute pioneer school teacher and a high rated convention speaker, and the other elders wouldn't proceed with the procedures as written in the elder book. Instead they did everything they could to throw in "monkey wrenches" and dance around even their own procedures. I sent copies of a transcript of one of the "shepherding calls" to Bethel, as well as copies of emails sent to me by the CO and different elders so that Bethel would see how they weren't following their own supposed procedures. (A lot of that time was during COVID, so much of the communication was via email and Zoom rather than at the KH.) It turns out Bethel was the one telling these guys what to do, so they could keep that elder in "use". There were three different KHs involved, three bodies of elders, two COs, and then the appeal committee with elders from another circuit/KHs.
For months, one tactic these guys used was to copy a paragraph from the w88 about mentally deranged people shouting out during meetings and quote it to me saying "you need to be medicated." They even said "we'll take you to the doctor so you can get treatment" even though I very clearly told them I regularly see my medical practitioner for a thyroid disorder that is treated with medications, thank you very much, I have a clean bill of health and I am under no need for any psych medications. I have never disrupted a meeting. Those elders kept giving me assignments to research and arrange phone and writing territories during COVID, and they kept calling on me to comment during Zoom meetings. It wasn't until I sent emails to the congregation members to tell them what was going on about the abuse situation that the "get medicated" baloney started getting shot at me on the "shepherding calls".
Eventually after several extremely rude and condescending "shepherding calls" I told those elders - "Fine - make an appointment. Sure, you can take me, and when we go in to the doctor, I'll tell him that these elder-clergy-guys here with me want me to be drugged up because I keep telling on how they are allowing an abuser to stay an elder in the congregation." After that, they stopped with the "we'll help you get to the doctor" bit, but they stripped "privileges" little by little, saying "we're not supporting your ministry any more, no more literature for you" and "no more Zoom meetings" since I would turn off my video/audio during their hypocritical prayers. Then when meetings were going to resume "no coming to the KH" since I asked to meet with the elder in question about the abuse and the elders didn't want to have to follow up "with the second part of Matthew 18". (They told me they wouldn't talk to that elder about the abuse allegations until I confronted him first, and that I hadn't talked to him yet since he wouldn't answer my repeated phone calls and letters.) They got a trespassing ban on me when the KHs were opening up again because they didn't want to have to follow through with the abuse procedures. Bethel told them how to avoid having to follow those procedures.
These guys have known me for over 20 years. I pioneered for five years, then married an elder and raised my two kids as good little Jehovah's Witnesses. They were baptized at ages 9 and 11. I auxiliary pioneered every year a few months of the year. I was interviewed on different parts at conventions. They never gave me a hard time about being "disruptive" until I told the truth about abuse an elder did, and then they threw me under the bus.
They disfellowshipped me even though they labeled me "mentally" whatever. Their label was a lie, just like their charges for disfellowshipping me were a lie. They don't care about anyone, ExBethelitenowPIMA. Those "changes" are just for show. They are a pack of liars who are trying to "rule as kings" now. They have slaves. They have positions and people paying for their cars and insurance and food. It's a scam. They aren't letting go of their "kingdom" until Jesus comes and rips it away from them.
If it's to their advantage to "disfellowship" someone, they'll do it. It doesn't matter to them if the person is suicidal or not, or whether they are guilty or not. My alcoholic husband was caught smoking, committing adultery, celebrating Christmas, arrested for domestic assault and breaking conditions, there were plenty of witnesses, he never repented, and he was not disfellowshipped because he supports the elder worship/GB worship.
It's a scam. It's all a bunch of baloney.
Here is part of an email from one CO to me...
