Appealing a JC Decision

by Amber Rose 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Amber Rose
    Amber Rose

    I had my JC about a month ago now and thanks to my dad I keep thinking "Shoul I have appealed?" Has anyone ever heard of a decision being reversed because of an appeal? Do very many people appeal? How complicated of a process is it?

    The truth is, I wanted to be out of the org. The elders had built a very weak case against me. (I wasn't sorry for joining the YMCA.) I told my parents that the elders had made the decision to DF me and they were sad but OK. They were expecting to hear the announcement at the next meeting but there was no announcement. My mom asked why. They said that they had given me a week to appeal and the full week wasn't up yet. (The elder also twisted my words and told my mom that I said things at the JC meeting that I didn't say, but that's another story) So then my dad gets all upset with me that I didn't appeal and had I appealed maybe my sister would still talk to me and I could have prevented the family being ruined. I got what I wanted. I didn't want to sit through a third meeting of being judjed. I just wonder if appealing would have changed anything.

  • Emma
    Emma

    From listening to others experiences, I doubt that appealing would have changed a thing.

  • OUTLAW
    OUTLAW

    Amber Rose..The WBT$ had a 10 year association with the United Nations-NGO..Now your being DisfellowShipped for joining the YMCA..?????????????..LOL!! What a bunch of hypocrites!!.....Do you really want to go back to the Insane Asylum?..Crazy Eyes..LOL!!...OUTLAW

  • Sassy
    Sassy

    they always wait that time period because everyone has a right to appeal..

    but it really means nothing.. you don't win the appeal either.. it just more energy and emotion for nothing..

  • minu
    minu

    My ex-husband appealed his decision and he's currently in good standing. But I still divorced his stupid ass and I got df'd. Good for me, best thing that ever happened.

  • restrangled
    restrangled

    Dear AR,

    I went through an appeal and it was reversed. So the DFing was stricken from all records..... It didn't change a thing for me. I felt just as worthless, and it was just another kangaroo court. The emotional turmoil of the entire process, from the letter writing to the society to the final episode, the politics involved etc., all did tremendous damage to my emotional well being. It was erased from their records but not from my soul.

    Leave it behind you and move on.

    r.

  • sir82
    sir82

    Pretty much the only way an appeal will work is if you (the accused) can demonstrate that the elders on the original committee didn't follow some "theocratic" procedure. For example, if they D-F'ed you but there was only one witness instead of 2.

    Incidentally, the only way to know the real accepted "theocratic procedure" for a judicial committee is to read about it in the secret elders' manual, or get coaching ahead of time by an elder (or ex-elder).

    If you think you got a raw deal because you really felt repentant, but the elders didn't believe you, forget it - no way on God's green earth will that get overturned.

    The appeals committee is there to check to make sure the elders followed procedure, end of story - they don't give a rat's patootie about you.

  • OnTheWayOut
    OnTheWayOut

    It was a weak case. It is possible, but not likely that an appeal would have been
    successful. Most likely, the appeal committee would rule on your attitude and
    not on the weak case- in other words, they would uphold the DF.

    I am quite upset that the elders are told to say they don't discuss the details
    outside of the judicial committee, even with the other elders, but you know that
    they did discuss details:

    (The elder also twisted my words and told my mom that I said things at the JC meeting that I didn't say, but that's another story)

    Also, your dad is acting like these guys are not guided by Holy spirit by his comments:

    So then my dad gets all upset with me that I didn't appeal and had I appealed maybe my sister would still talk to me and I could have prevented the family being ruined.

    Don't ever let him bully you into thinking that you could have prevented the family from being ruined.
    You know it's the organization that is tearing you all apart, and the family members' willingness to
    go along with the organization. NOT YOU.

  • Amber Rose
    Amber Rose

    Thanks for your responses everyone.

    Sassy said :but it really means nothing.. you don't win the appeal either.. it just more energy and emotion for nothing.. That is pretty much what I told my dad. I guess I just wanted to make sure that I didn't just make that up. It's just these dumb games that they play to make it look like they are fair and reasonable. Sometimes I fall for it.

    OnTheWayOut Said: Also, your dad is acting like these guys are not guided by Holy spirit by his comments. Exactly! He even said that he thinks one of the elders on the JC has it out for Drew. He knows that it was three dumb guys that made the decision and he doesn't think there is anything special about them at all. Its so frustrating talking to him because he has no idea how their system operates but he thinks he knows more that I do. He's gotten himself into a comfy position and he won't budge from it. He's an unbaptized publisher, goes to 3 out of 5 meetings and service once a month (he refuses to work territory, just other people's calls). That's enough to keep my mom quiet and easy enough for him and nobody bugs him about it. So he thinks why can't I just do that too.

  • BluesBrother
    BluesBrother

    I have had experience of two d/f decisions that were overturned on appeal. One that I was not one of the committee and helped her to draw up the letter because I knew that she was repentant, and another where I was on the committee. That time I had confidence in the d/f decision but the appeal committee thought differently and believed her to be genuinely repentant. The facts were not contested in either case.

    I would always appeal, even if only to tie up their time and be a thorn in their side..

    Incidentally, if you join the military or a church , you just get announced as d/a...but join the "Y" and they hold a committee...strange isn't it? I bet there are a fair few dubs who dont know that it is a d/f offence

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