by chok 63 Replies latest jw experiences
HELP!?!
I was trying to fade, and thought I had done so successfully for the past 18months.
I have just received a call from my dad saying it will be announced tomorrow that I have been disfellowshipped... CAN THEY DO THIS???
Please let me know?!?!
Chok
I'm not sure. I thought they had to meet with you first to determine your unrepentance. But they are always changing their rules. I know they have been on a big kick to cleanse the organization lately. Does it upset you that they are doing this? I promise it's not the end of the world, it just may help put some closure to your fade.
Not according to what I believe but I suppose it would depend upon what you have done or alleged to have done.
DB74
All they need is two witnesses. Sorry to hear it.
Did they call you to a jc and you refused to appear? Or at least has someone told on you? Normally they don't disfel/ like that, unless they are now getting really tough with the faders.
Short answer: They can do pretty much as they please.
Longer answer: According to the elders manual, they should not do this. Here is one idea that might be worth a try. Quickly write up a letter saying you appeal their decision, explaining that they should have met with you first, and send it to whoever the elders were on the committee. Get their names from your dad if you don't know who they are. Make copies of the letter, and send it to all 3 brothers on the committee.
Technically, they shouldn't announce the D-F until your appeal has been heard. That can give you time to figure what exactly happened. Heck, maybe if the appeals committee finds out they D-F'ed you without your knowledge, they may even reverse the decision.
But I wouldn't get my hopes up. One, if the elders ignored the rules for your original meeting, they are certainly capable of ignoring them for the appeal process. And two, appeals committees reverse disfellowshipping decisions less than 1% of the time.
Good luck.
nowadays, they just announce that "so-and-so is no longer one of jehovahs witnesses", so there is a lot of wiggle room in that wording. technically, you may not actually have been disfellowshipped but just "DA'd yourself by your actions" (a phrase my family used on me for years).this would get them around the technicality of actually talking to you, and the end result would be the same anyway. actually, if they don't technically DF you, but just use the "DA'd by your actions" approach, i doubt you'd have any room for appeal either as you would in a regular DFing case.
chok-
With the new zeal for cleansing out the wicked that seems to be taking hold in some areas, I would not be surprised at this. I understand that disfellowshipping is a term they are trying to stop using - the new announcement reads something like " so and so is no longer one of Jehovah's witnesses" - with no explanation. It could be they have in essence decided that you are DA'd for having left.
Sorry for the dilemna - I think the appeal letter is a good idea if u wish to not be Df'd or Da'd at this time.
Jeff
Sorry for your troubles. Seems like the elders do what they want no matter what the Society rules are, and then they lie to cover up any misconduct on their part.
If the elders tried this with me, they would have serious problems on their hands.
