Troubled waters! Need quick answer on this one!

The_Bad_Seed

A friend of mine in an undisclosed province of this great country Canada is undergoing some duress -- it seems the elders from her old KH keep phoning her/leaving her messages with ultimatums and places they feel she should meet her, when really (and astonishly enough) she just wants to be left alone, having felt this way since a divorce in the spring of this year no longer attending meetings

My query - is there any form of cease and desist order, or restraining oder she could get that would make any further attempts to contact her a breach of some sort, resulting in lawful punishment?

Oh and by the way, hello old friends, and happy birthday Valis - YOU RAWK

avishai

Why not sue them for harassment?

SLOAN

Bad,

Has she told them to F#%* Off??

Scully

Anyone having gone through a divorce is in no mental or emotional condition to meet with a committee of elders.

She sounds like she's trying to avoid them as best she can. But they are like vultures, hovering around a wounded animal, waiting for her to die so they can swoop in and begin their feeding frenzy. They'll keep hovering and keep pecking at her until she either stands up to them and fights them off, or allows them to corner her into a meeting with their judicial committee.

Nothing is more intimidating to vultures than bigger meaner vultures. Tell her to visit one of the biggest meanest lawyers in town and and have him/her send a very I-mean-business type of letter naming all of the elders in her congregation that they are to cease and desist contact with her or else face charges of harassment. She should have documentation of the various forms of harassment that are being employed, including dates and times of specific incidents. She should be able to get the names and addresses of the elders in question. The lawyer should NOT include the WTS in this, because the elders will not have the WTS's blessing to continue harassing this lady, particularly if she has already told them that she wishes to be left alone. If the harassment continues, she has grounds to sue the elders, and the WTS will hang them out to dry.

If she holds each of the elders personally accountable for the harassment she is experiencing, they will back off very quickly when they realize their own asse(t)s are on the line.

Love, Scully

lovinlife

In my experience...if she can just hang on and not answer their calls, screen them with the answering machine...they will eventually stop calling. After awhile, they get busy doing their harrassment with other people who will respond to them. If she has a particularly graphic story to tell, maybe they are just wanting gory details. I wouldn't give them the time of day.

Sloan, good point! Tell them to f*** off. I had to order the two elders out of my house when one of them actually said that it was my "fault that I had all the problems I did with my abusive ex...after all I was the one who chose to marry him in the first place"! I told them to get out and never come back. They didn't, but did try to call me. I never responded and they finally gave up.

integ

Why don't the elders worry about their own eternal salvation and stop worrying about everyone else's?.

Country_Woman

In my former congragation I remembered that a widow send a letter to the elders, saying that she did'nt want any visit of them anymore.

The letter was read from the podium and they told us that this lady had to be treated the same way as if she was disfellowshipped....

Sassy

Wouldn't they take a letter like that to be one of dissassociating themself?

I am expecting the elders to be harassing me soon. My boyfriend is living with me and although I have been inactive for most of the year, a JW family has driven by twice as we were entering our house and looking our way when they did. I am sure they will have a talk with the elders. I have no plans to talk with the elders. They can call the house and knock on the door, but I am not answering since I left the religion, I don't feel I need to play by their rules. It would be different if I wanted to become active so then I would want to bare my soul, thereby seeking forgiveness. I assume the elders can, if they think you have done something wrong, set you up so if you do not answer their calls, send you a letter with an appointment that you are told to meet and any 'non attendence' would there by admit guilt, thus receiving dfing. Is this true?

I am interesting in knowing the answer to the question in this thread on how to stop harrassment since I am expecting it.

jgnat

Note 1 - Criminal Harassment
Criminal Code of Canada (section 264)

1. No person shall, without lawful authority and knowing that another person is harassed or recklessly as to whether the other person is harassed, engage in conduct referred to in subsection (2) that causes that other person reasonably, in all the circumstances, to fear for their safety or the safety of anyone known to them.

2. The conduct mentioned in subsection (1) consists of:

a) repeatedly following from place to place the other person or anyone knownto them;
b) repeatedly communicating with, either directly or indirectly, the other person or anyone known to them;
c) besetting or watching the dwelling house, or place where the other person, or anyone known to them, resides, works, carries on business or happens to be; or
d) engaging in threatening conduct directed at the other person or any member of their family.

3. Every person who contravenes this section is guilty of

a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years; or
b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.1993. C.45, s.2.

franklin J

I ditto Scullys post; I lived thru it 20 years ago ( USA, not Canada).

...and yes, the Elders will back off when they realize that they can lose the houses they live in through a court settlement.

Frank

Troubled waters! Need quick answer on this one!

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