this post links to the letter i sent to the london bethel following my judicial appeal decision.. this follows my series of podcasts recording the actions of the elders in my local area.. letter to london bethel.
please read the letter and judge whether these men acted fairly and in a just manner.. matt.
This post links to the letter I sent to the London bethel following my Judicial appeal decision.
This follows my series of podcasts recording the actions of the Elders in my local area.
Please read the letter and judge whether these men acted fairly and in a just manner.
Matt
this is the final of my series of podcasts in which the 3 circuit overseers decide my fate as a jehovah's witness.. my blog- deathorobedience.blogspot.com.
podcast 12 the final verdict- play the audio.
also available free on itunes (just search on itunes).. .
Thank you all for listening and expressing your views and opinions.
What I would say about the appeal hearing is that it was clear to me they had all discussed all the issues relating to me beforehand.
Some of the random unrelated questions they asked could not possibly have come from a group of men coming in "cold" so to speak, to see if the original descision was correct.
The need for a persons loyalty to be ascertained is paramount to the local leadership. It was not my choice to be df'd but since they had dealt with me in such a fudamentally unfair and unjust manner I felt I had to challenge them further.
It was my intention never to go back and take my chances on being chased down, but since they had a clear agenda in the original jc it was obvious what the out-come of the appeal would be. Perhaps the "shepherding" visits were all part of the same mechanism?
Anyway having decided to record the entire episode for personal use originally, I could not have hoped for some of the things they said to me,
which is why I decided that everyone who gets the chance should hear what went on. I believe that the same template and behaviour would be evident in many cases of a similar nature and this was a typical cult reaction to a "troublemaker".
Their attitude and speech was quite amazing, I certainly was not expecting such bias, ignorance and lack of natural justice.
In my opinion we are dealing with a cult here so I suppose to expect any of the above NOT to apply was probably a little naive of me.
This group of people purposely remove individuality from a person and replace it with a group conformity, so any "nice" people will be assimilated and will end up behaving in the same reckless inhumane way as the nasty ones within the "club".
The letter I sent to the branch to appeal this decision will be going up soon and it outlines the way I felt at the time.
Matt.
this is the final of my series of podcasts in which the 3 circuit overseers decide my fate as a jehovah's witness.. my blog- deathorobedience.blogspot.com.
podcast 12 the final verdict- play the audio.
also available free on itunes (just search on itunes).. .
cantleave:- Thanks, it wasn't easy but when you see the org and it's exponents for what they are you are on higher ground.
Leaving wt:- Don't you know that the old publications would be considered apostate?
I pointed out that if I was still holding to a teaching that was current when I left then it was changed in the interim then that would mean I was "stubornly holding" to a wrong belief. Without batting an eye they said that's why you need to keep coming to the meetings........lol. that's what we're up against.
Regarding personal views you're right you can't hold them. At one point Ian Shanks says "do you know what my personal views are?" He then gestures toward the publication he is holding...... and it wasn't the Bible. So the current teaching of the WTBS is his personal view....wow.
CyberJesus:- I'm no hero but thanks for the big up. lol.
Besty:- Martin Benzie , he chaired it. "more intelligent".....than?....lol
Thomas covenant :- thankyou for listening. My pleasure.
Boyzone:- Their cognitive dissonance is astounding.
I may not be a hero but I'll take amazing!! lol. Thankyou. x
Iknowall;- Well said. They are the one's who are trapped and want you back in their fold to reassure themselves they are in the right place.
Under their rules and preconditions though.
Slim;- He knows all about many of the issues but he chooses to ignore them because he wants to believe. Mind control at work.
Also it's worth listening to the 30 mins or so of podcast 8 which is a one on one with Ron and I down at the hall.
He is told that 607 is bogus and I don't believe it and he knew that I wasn't kidding around. I told him that if he wants to believe in it he can, just leave me out of the equation. I also have it on good authority that he was "seriously troubled by the things I said from the Bible so much so that he had to go and check it out".
You are right they wanted it done and dusted quickly but I wanted my day in court and for them to pay in behalf of the organisation for the many people who have been wronged in a similar way.
They consistently tried to catch me out on Blood , church attendance and memorial partaking which had not even been discussed previously. Treacherous i'd say. Wasn't expecting that.
Stonewall :- Thanks. It was a nice way to end things in an understated way. They claim to live by the Bible, so just let the Bible condemn them.
I agree that it's worth a listen for any JW or prospective member. It's one of the many reasons I recorded it.
Sacdfan:- Thankyou for your comments. I hope your "time never comes". It's sometimes not a matter of choice I admit though.
It is a truly great scripture and not one many Jw's are aware of , for obvious reasons.
No one outside of a court of law is fit to judge others especially on such specious things as the doctrines of a religious group, which is in-turn based on the idea that we can understand everything in the Bible and make rules for our fellow humans.
Password ;- well said. And big thanks for all your help in my efforts to expose these people and their actions.
Could not have done it without you brother.
Quillsky;- My brother dragged himself into it I'm afraid. His misguided loyalty to both the organiation and Ronnie Hunter is what motivated him.
Hopefully one day he will wake up and feel very "sheepish" if you pardon the Biblical pun.
You are 100% correct about their agenda , like a freight train with no brakes. I was never coming out of that room as a jw. The stain of the name is gone for ever so I guess they were telling me I'm not like them anymore.
Matt.
this is the final of my series of podcasts in which the 3 circuit overseers decide my fate as a jehovah's witness.. my blog- deathorobedience.blogspot.com.
podcast 12 the final verdict- play the audio.
also available free on itunes (just search on itunes).. .
Fuzzypaul;- I live in the UK so I don't really think U.S. law will have any bearing in this case and in any case I'm sure they would not want any publicity from a legal situation developing.
Thanks for the bump iknowall and yknot.
Ninja;- lol if they ever catch up wi you at least you will know what not to say!!
leec and dig692 :- it helped that I knew exactly what the organisation is and is not before I set foot in there.
I had no fear or worry at all, even about the outcome. At times I actually was so calm I enjoyed myself thinking they would be exposed in future.
thanks to all.
Matt
this is the final of my series of podcasts in which the 3 circuit overseers decide my fate as a jehovah's witness.. my blog- deathorobedience.blogspot.com.
podcast 12 the final verdict- play the audio.
also available free on itunes (just search on itunes).. .
This is the final of my series of podcasts in which the 3 circuit overseers decide my fate as a Jehovah's Witness.
my blog- deathorobedience.blogspot.com
Podcast 12 The final verdict- play the audio
Also available free on itunes (just search on itunes).
Remember the decision that is reached impacts a persons family and social circle and perhaps their livelihood and ultimately as Jehovah's Witnesses believe their life itself, in the event they term " Armageddon ".
This decision is meant to be just and fair and arrived at by means of the Holy Spirit directing these men's actions. The Bible should also be the ultimate source to determine a person's wrongdoing in situations such as these.
Please listen and make your own judgement.
Matt
george benson & friends - sing praises to jehovah .
rar file, 97.5mb (320kbps, mp3).
http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4856838/george_benson__amp__friends_-_sing_praises_to_jehovah.
Happy I've pm'd you
this the second half of the judicial committee meeting with the elders in which the decision is taken to "disfellowship" me.
the reasons are given at the end of the meeting.
here is the link to the audio podcast 10. here is the link to the webpage which you can leave comments on if you wish death or obedience.
>Ed.
Thanks Ed.
Looking back I would like to have been a little more forceful and said a few more things but hindsight is a wonderful thing eh?
Overall I could not really have done much differently as I didn't really know what they were going to hit me with on the night.
The guy telling me that he "loved me" does not even know me.....
Yeah they know it's on the net. I made sure that I leaked it to some folks in the hall including my parents but the elders decided not to pursue it any further.
Matt.
this the second half of the judicial committee meeting with the elders in which the decision is taken to "disfellowship" me.
the reasons are given at the end of the meeting.
here is the link to the audio podcast 10. here is the link to the webpage which you can leave comments on if you wish death or obedience.
>Lady Liberty
Thanks so much for your kind comments and observations. You are spot on with what you say about their fluctuating doctrines and beliefs.
I couldn't push it too much at the actual Judicial as I'd already done this at the "shepherding" visits and didn't want it to end the J.C. prematurely.
The reasoning you set out regarding the things you have to believe from baptism onward are very sound, and in fact this is why i've titled my site death or obedience.
The position that the organisation puts it's people in is not that of subjection to their God "Jehovah" but rather one of complete submission to the organisation and this is by design not by accident.
They may not be aware that their "teachings" which are compared to new light from God are actually in real terms lies in God's name, something which puts them in a perilous postion.
Either way the audio serves notice of the above in hard-hitting fashion to any new or interested ones or to doubting JW's.
> Boyzone
Thanks for listening. It's not easy to listen to is it? Even worse being there......Just about managed to hold it together.
Although I knew of the blatant injustice and their agenda before the JC even took place it was a little easier knowing that their behaviour would be shown up for what it was and very much on the record. It's no wonder they don't "allow" recordings eh?
I will never go back, be assured of that!!!
Matt.
this the second half of the judicial committee meeting with the elders in which the decision is taken to "disfellowship" me.
the reasons are given at the end of the meeting.
here is the link to the audio podcast 10. here is the link to the webpage which you can leave comments on if you wish death or obedience.
Whether I'd been in church or not was and is none of their business. They put their oar in every aspect of a person's life and use the Bible as their authority when really it's the GB's enforced rules they want people to comply with.
Matt.
this the second half of the judicial committee meeting with the elders in which the decision is taken to "disfellowship" me.
the reasons are given at the end of the meeting.
here is the link to the audio podcast 10. here is the link to the webpage which you can leave comments on if you wish death or obedience.
This the second half of the judicial committee meeting with the elders in which the decision is taken to "disfellowship" me. The reasons are given at the end of the meeting. here is the link to the audio podcast 10
Here is the link to the webpage which you can leave comments on if you wish Death or Obedience
This podcast concludes my first judicial hearing.
Remember, I was expected to defend myself in front of a committee of 3 elders with no representation; it was me against them. The two witness called to testify against me were both elders, one of whom is my brother. Both of these witnesses used conversations I had had with them, trusting that they were going to help me. Instead, they convened a meeting of the elders, brought their testimonies together and formed a judicial committee. This was a breach of clergy privilege.*
Please pay careful attention to what can only be described as a personal bias on the part of one of the elders in the committee who was supposed to have been going on holiday with two of our friends.
Compare his questioning, coupled with the testimony of the two elders, with the statement made right at the end by the Chairman that the committee was not prejudiced or biased.
Also, notice how attending other churches is grounds for disfellowshipping. This is a direct contravention of Article 18 of the United Nations Declaration for Human Rights. Click here for more information;
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
Remember, anyone who does not accept all of the Governing Body's interpretation of scripture is liable to face a committee such as I did.
Ask yourself whether the Watch Tower Society allows it's members to enjoy the same level of freedom of thought and religion as it itself expects to be afforded.
Is there any wonder why some view the Watch Tower Society as a dangerous cult?
Matt.
