Let me give you my expierience with appeals....
When 3 elders decided to DF me, they said that my questions to them on the handling of child molestation constatuted apostacy. This was because I would not accept that I just needed to wait on Jehovah. I had "waited on Jehovah" for years and while waiting for justice for my step-sister-in-law another little girl, 8 years old at the time, was sexually abused by my father-in-law. STILL, the elders would not take action against him. This was causing me great distress and I kept going to my local elders for help. I was ALWAYS told that the difference between JW's and other religions was that they can answer ALL our questions. They could not answer the questions on child abuse policies and why Dan was not DFed.
Anyway, I decided to appeal the decision to DF me. I did not put my notice for appeal in within the 7 days they said that I had. I thought I had lost my oppertunity. I called and the elders on my original commitee said I was too late. My husband talked to a friend who was a subsitute circuit overseer and he said that it was a little known fact that I could appeal right up until the announcement was made. My announcement was delayed due to an assembly that week. The elder said that they don't like to volunteer that info. I thought that was very weird and unloving. I then wrote an appeal letter and hand delivered it to an elder on my commitee. We got a call that night that the CO was called and he was setting up an appeal. We had the appeal meeting within the week. I was told to show up at the hall at 7pm. My husband and I went and when we got there at 6:45pm the 3 elders from my commitee and 3 elders from another hall that I had never met were there. They did not chosse any of the elders from the 5 congergations in Bradenton. They had elders come in from Sarasota. They were already meeting before we got there. They then asked me to come in. I went in and cried my eyes out, pleading my case. I told the whole story. That was when the elders on my original commitee started telling the others that I said that I did not believe in God. They also at said that I said that God is a child molester and abuser! I was devastated that they were sitting there and LYING about me! My husband told them that I had NEVER thought or felt that way. I think the first brothers realized they were losing the battle and they needed a weapon. My husband and I were asked to leave the room so they could talk. What happened next really SHOCKED me! We could hear the elders in the "b" school and they were shouting at each other! The elders on the first commitee were yelling at the others saying that I was a danger to the congergation. Then the first elders were excused from the room and they came out and told me that no matter what happened they loved me. I had just heard them yelling about how I was a danger and they wanted me DFed. The elders were called back and this went on for a while. Finally, at about mid-night the elders on the appeal commitee came out and said that I should go home because they were obviously not going to come to a decision that night.
My husband and I left. The main thing that struck us was that we were always told that Jehovah's holy spirit guided these meeting and yet the elders could not only not agree, but they were actually arguing VERY loudly. We knew that Jehovah's spirit was not there or else they would have all agreed.
My husband called one of the elders the next day and he told my husband that they never came to an agreement and they would have to contact the WTS in writing for an answer. He said that the WTS would not write back saying to DF or not to DF but that they would write back with scriptures of mercy or judgment. If the scriptures were of mercy that would mean that they were not to DF, but it seems the scriptures were that of judgement. The WTS themselves decided that I should be DFed.
The whole process was very eye-opening to me and it was after all of that that I decided I did not want to be a JW. Thus started my new journey and I am very happy with where it has taken me. I still have a lot of "issues" but I am heading in the right direction.
Laurie
