Appeal Committee question

flipper

If after the appeal meeting, they tell you it will 2-3 weeks before a decision, wtf takes so long? Mr flipper

jayhawk1

Just a guess... correspondence time with Watchtower Headquarters could take 2-3 weeks.

ozziepost

Just a guess... correspondence time with Watchtower Headquarters could take 2-3 weeks.

So in those 2-3 weeks you are presumably "in good standing" with everyone able to speak with you as if nothing's happened. Then, after 2-3 weeks if the answer is a you instantly become like a smelly garbage bin and those same people walk away from you. Strange, isn't it?

LittleToe

It would definitely be a correspondance thang. When that isn't required there is usually an answer given on the night, and an announcement made at the next Service meeting.

Appeals are rarely successful. If they have to enter into correspondance then it is evident that there must be some loophole that is tying up the Appeal committee, so the final determination will be down to someone in Bethel flipping a coin...

jayhawk1

To be honest, I have no idea how the appeal of the "Judicial Action" works.

(It seemed any time I had a question the Elders couldn't answer immediately, namely my beard, it took 2-3 weeks for them to come up with an answer. But looking back, perhaps it was those 2-3 weeks they needed to see if there was any wrongdoing by me to perhaps have a little "Judicial" meeting for. Could you imagine being disfellowshipped for wearing a beard?)

Okay, they disfellowship a person, is it immediately told to the congregation? OR... Do they hold back informing the congregation of the decision until after the appeal is heard and decided?

I would hate to think Jehovah's clean congregation would put up with potential fouling of the air.

But then again with Jehovah's spirit on the "Judicial" matter, why would they need an appeal process in the first place? Isn't Jehovah's spirit as perfect as Jehovah himself? But wait! Is the spirit that Jehovah uses in "Judicial matters" the same spirit that directs the writing and publications Watchtower makes? If that's the case, no wonder an appeal process is needed. It is a wonder there isn't several appeals needed, each one overturning the previous judgement!

So many questions... so few answers...

WTWizard

So many problems that they have created where none needed to exist. All they would have to do is simplify the rules (they simplify everything else, including people's lives). And here is the simplified version of the rules:

(1) No one is permitted to initiate the use of force, threat of force, or fraud against another person or thier property.

Yup, that's it. If everything were to fit within that one rule, then those appeals committees would be largely unnecessary. There would be far fewer people going up against them, because there wouldn't be so many rules and they wouldn't be changing all the time. If something is initiatory force or fraud today, it always was and always will be. If it isn't, then it never will become initiatory force or fraud. And that would eliminate the flipflops, difficulty in living up to the rules, the ensnarement with them, and much of the rebellion that happens when authority is abusive.

And, I bet if they were to simplify their rules to this one rule, there would be far more people willing to come in. They would also have very few disassociations, and inactive people could come back without a period of being treated like dirt. Things would run a lot smoother, since there would be better things to do than rat each other out, call and hound for meetings, and try to determine whether a specific act is scriptural or not. It would also rout out any pedophiles in short order, since they are committing an act of initiatory force. So would the beatings with those wooden spoons disappear since that is also initiatory force.

Of course, the Watchtower Society will never take that route. That would involve losing control of the members' thinking. And that's something that means even more to them than the money. So, there will always be stupid judicial hearings and even worse ~~kangaroo courts~~appeals committees.

OnTheWayOut

They are trying to be careful, following Mother's advice on everything. If the appeal committee
realized that everything was done according to proper JW procedure, then there's no real delay.
If they could see that there wasn't proper evidence, or that the committee DF'ed just because
they wanted to, then Mother will be contacted. Mother will cause the delay.

The Borg might contact the first committee (or ask the second committee to do it) and determine
if there is a need to DF the person. If there was a clear violation of procedure, but they feel it is
dangerous to keep the person in the congregation, they will still DF, and they gotta come up with
a way to make the original DF stand. I know that sounds nuts. This may be their only opportunity
to get rid of a person, so they don't want to blow it on a legitimate loophole. Usually, they will say
the appeal was valid (if it was) but the person is DF'ed for apostasy or something they found in the
appeal letter. They will feel that they are doing the right thing for the wrong reasons, but they will
do it.

The only successful appeals are pure lack of credible evidence, and committees not properly
determining repentence. Unsuccessful appeals on lack of evidence would cause the local BOE
to take longer to reinstate. I would appeal any DF just to be a thorn in their side.

Appeal Committee question

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