Should we tell my sister in law she can appeal her DF'ing?

by AlmostAtheist 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  AlmostAtheist

  Gina's sister and her husband haven't been DF'd yet, contrary to what we were told. She will be announced this Thursday.

  She's not aware of the "organization" side of the organization, Gina and I both feel she is unaware of her right to appeal. If we tell her, and she appeals, I think she stands a decent chance of having it overturned. (Background: They are being DF'd for celebrating Christmas. They hid the tree, lied about it, told the kids to lie about it. But they claimed they were repentant, and had already THROWN AWAY their christmas tree prior to getting "caught". I think they can make a pretty good case for being repentant.)

  Should we tell her about this option? I can imagine that they have a better chance of getting out of the bOrg altogether if they get DF'd. But they might do that anyway, and if they aren't DF'd, then they can continue to associate with her parents and just do the fade.

  I guess it's more of a question of rightness and wrongness. Is it right for us to withhold that information from her, because we think it's in her best interests? She's slightly learning-disabled, but only slightly. She's not a child. I don't want to treat her like one. If she has an option available that she might want to take, I'm not sure I can (should?) keep it from her.

  Any thoughts?

  Thanks!

  Dave
• 

  Elsewhere

  I most certainly would tell her!

  In fact, I would strongly suggest that you and her review the Flock book regarding how elders are to handle such matters...
• 

  chachasmum

  Almostatheist

  From my experiece i have never known them to overturn a decision to df. You can try but i doubt that they will do so. Once a decision has been made they usually stick to it.

  A friend of mine appealed two committee's and even appealed to the Governing Body and it was not overturned. She had heard that once a committee makes a decision the appeal committee will most of the time deny the appeal. But when two committees make the same decision the GB has never changed the decisions of both committees.
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  Dragonlady76

  I would tell her, but I don't think it will help as the elders will hold their ground on the df.

  Hopefully she will see things a little clearer thanks to the shunning and leave the borg.

  Hope everything works out and I wish you and your family good luck.

  Dragonlady76
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  jgnat

  I am worried that she lacks the sophistication to pull this off. What she needs (and your whole family needs) is PULL. Do any of you know any of the elders? Can you appeal to their sense of common decency?
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  rebel8

  Interesting. I wasn't aware there was a formal appeal in place. I thought people just wrote letters to the WTS when they thought they had been wronged by the local elders. I always thought directly contacting Brooklyn was horribly looked down upon and would be, in itself, reason for DFing.

  Thing is, from what I heard, the WTS usually backs up whatever the local elders did. On the one hand, it probably wouldn't do any good for them to appeal to the WTS. OTOH, maybe she will get to see how corrupt and hypocritical the organization's leadership is by going through the "appeal" process.

  For me, the scrip "you will recognize them by their fruits" was the turning point for me when people didn't act like Christians. Even the dubs say other dubs "stumbling" them because of their failure to live up to that scripture is a major reason people leave the b0rg. Perhaps the failed appeal would help "stumble" her.
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  IP_SEC

  It would seem there is basis for an appeal here.
  

  Flock page 127

  "The appeal committee is to ascertain whether there was a scriptural basis for the original action taken and whether the individual was repentant at the time of the hearing by the original judicial committee.

  There may be mitigating circumstances the committee overlooked, such as a history of some type of abuse when a child, emotional or mental disorders, or other.

  While these do not justify wrongdoing, understanding the underlying reason or causes of emotional or mental problems can help the committee to reach a balanced and compassionate judgment."

  Not that there are mental or emotional problems, but mitigating circumstances

  IPSec
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  TheEdge

  To be fair - why run around after pathetic men who are trying to prove themselves? Your nephews and nieces are being compromised into LYING, and they are innocents - not fair - think of the long term effects.
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  95stormfront

  Why would she even want to.........

  NOw she can do what she wants without feeling without recrimination.
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  TheEdge

  told the kids to lie about it.

  PLEASE - these kids are innocents - imagine, take away their magic and fun, make Christmas a fearful time - just because WHAT? The parents begrudgingly celebrate? NO - the PARENTS are fearful of a man made organisation..... Old Sins Cast Long Shadows......think of the children.