s-395 Adjustments-to-handling-serious-wrongdoing-in-the-congregation

by gavindlt 37 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • ElderBerry
    ElderBerry
    Last week, it was said to my disfelloshiped friend that she should wait almost one year becuase only after her marriage, she shown repentance. She got very angry. After 3 days, the elders call her again and told ther that new rules arrive and she would be readmitted. Now I see this document and everything makes sense

    Good timing for her.

    90 sanction and it probably won’t even come to that if you say you are sorry

    Yes now is the time to get DFed not years ago:)

  • Vidiot
    Vidiot

    Ironic that the WT leadership got so scared of “apostasy” that over the decades, they dialed disfellowshipping up to eleven across the entire spectrum of, thus driving folks to apostasy who would otherwise have never even remotely considered it.

  • Jazzbo
    Jazzbo

    The Appeal Committee change is significant. I used to sit on an Appeal Committee and the rule was that the person appealing had to be repentant at the time they were being disfellowshipped. If they were only repentant when meeting with the Appeal Committee that wasn't good enough.

  • NotFormer
    NotFormer

    Vidiot: "Ironic that the WT leadership got so scared of “apostasy” that over the decades, they dialed disfellowshipping up to eleven across the entire spectrum of, thus driving folks to apostasy who would otherwise have never even remotely considered it."

    Identifying paradoxes within their approaches seems never to have been their strong point.

    Jazzbo: "The Appeal Committee change is significant. I used to sit on an Appeal Committee and the rule was that the person appealing had to be repentant at the time they were being disfellowshipped. If they were only repentant when meeting with the Appeal Committee that wasn't good enough."

    The terror had to be real, and palpable, all through the process? So maybe they are discovering a small part of the quality of mercy. Sad that they have done so, not because they believe that God is watching, but they now know that governments are.

    Many believe that Tony Morris was holding all this reform back. If that was the case, how long ago could these changes have happened if he was holding them back?

    The Norway thing is relatively new; would the disfellowshipment and shunning rules have changed without that happening?

  • Vidiot
    Vidiot
    NotFormer - Identifying paradoxes within their approaches seems never to have been their strong point…”

    Why would it be?

    They know it’s wrong, but believe it’s True, at the same time.

    Just about any paradoxical stance or outcome is possible once you’ve reached that point. 😵‍💫

  • StephaneLaliberte
    StephaneLaliberte
    "Appeal committee: If a wrongdoer demonstrates that he is repentant by the time he meets the appeal committee, he will not be disfellowshipped"
    Is there an objective criterion for demonstration of repentance? Or does everything still revolve around the subjective opinions and biases of the elders, JCs and appeal committees?
    Have JCs and appeal committees been ordered to be more lenient?

    Well, the first thing that comes to mind is if the "wrongdoers" get married in between the first JC and the appeal JC.

    Roughly 20 years ago, one of my friend got disfellowshipped, than got married and thought it would stop the elders from announcing his name the following Thursday night. Boy was he wrong! Well, today, that would no longer happen.

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange
    Well, today, that would no longer happen.

    Really? Are you certain?

    I've seen or heard nothing but speculation regarding these "kinder & gentler" Judicial Committees. I am anxious to hear some real experiences of it.

  • blondie
    blondie

    DOC, yes the WTS can turn on a dime (make a 180 turn from a previous policy/doctrine) because they have done it many times. It is all a show for the governmental arrangements to "think" the WTS has changed.

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