Nina & BigTex:
I reread your letter from the original posting. It choked me up the 1st time I read it, and it did once again this time. Then I read the Society's hollow, empty, uncaring, unfeeling reply. It is clear that they are practicing blame-shifting guilt-trap tactics in their response to you... I could pick it out so clearly.
I particularly appreciated this comment from your original letter:
You have behaved exactly like the Pharisees whom Jesus condemned. You will have to answer to Jehovah for your actions. (Matt.25:41-46) I have nothing but contempt and disgust for you.
This is so well put. It was my impression from a first read of their reply that they treated your father, and now you for bringing an injustice to light, as "Amharets". Like dirt. This is just what they did.
Having been "in" for 6 years and now recently "out", I can readily recall how wrong this whole disfellowshipping process is. You are treated with contempt, unable to speak at meetings, OR BE SPOKEN TO, and then, after much mental anquish, after much humility and shame, and after being treated by practically everyone in the congregation with disgust for your deeds - deeds that are supposed to remain confidential, but which leak out thru the elder's wives network in the ladies room- are indelibly etched in the minds of every gossipy judgemental person there, and even those who are not so much that way, but end up that way out of sheer conformist behavior.
Then, the disfellowshipped one is "welcomed back" and everythings supposed to be A-OK. Just fine. I'm OK, you're OK. But, it's not. The elder's wives network has already condemned you forever. I know one elder's wife who would tell every one about DSFings that went back 20 years... never forgotten, always at the tip of her tongue to bring forth as dirty laundry gossip when that person's name came up in conversation. Yes, we don't believe in Hell, but for some we create it here on Earth.
My first congregation had a P.O. that sounds like yours. A nasty, sour, uncaring miserable autocrat. A dismal excuse of a man. We left that congregation because of him and his attitude that permeated the whole congregation. Really, a congregation of JWs is a top-down societal microcosm, and the P.O.'s personality determines for the most part if it is a loving congregation, or a selfish and dismal one. It sounds like yours was the later, unfortunately for your father.
We were luckier, I guess, as the 2nd congregation was full of loving elders that DID go out of their way to take care of most of the elderly and infirm ones- in fact, there were quite a few in the congregation, and they got regular visits and care when they were sick in the nursing homes. One pioneer sister coordinated meal deliveries between many sisters to make the load light. It was a warm and loving congregation. Unfortunately for us, the lies of the Society and its cultic influence became too much to bear, but it was not the folks in the congregation...
OK, I rambled a bit there. I have one last point, though. We lost someone in our company where I work last summer - he committed suicide. Everyone liked him, too, and all were shocked. All of us felt like we did not do enough for this person. That somehow each one of us should have known, should have done more, should have gotten to know this person better, should have stopped by the house, should have done something... anything. We still feel that loss, and I am talking about a coworker. So, I cannot begin to know the sadness you must feel for your father. It must be a 1000 fold greater...
Last but not least, I would like to apologize for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and for the anonymous clerk in the Legal Department that wrote that thoughtless reply. "They know not what they do...", Jesus said. It rings true again. These people will stop at nothing to maintain unity. The Truth is not a factor. Justice is lost. Self-idolatry of the organization is all that matters...
Pity them. Work to forgive them if you can. Pray for strength in the days ahead... Pray for them when you can forgive them some day. (I am still working on this myself, so I know it may take a while.)
May God comfort you and your family in the days ahead.
==========================================
Note to Sword of Jah: You have your freedom of speech, but seem to have lost touch with your "Bible-trained conscience". Your comments remind me of the remarks of 13 year-olds with no maturity. Why do you want to stumble others?? And, if you are so keen on the Society, why are you on this BB in the 1st place? You can be DF'd for this at your local congregation if you get caught. Run on home now...