How did your JC meeting affect your life?

hopelesslystained

Here's my story:

I had only one experience of being counseled by the elders, and it was in a tribunal thingy many years ago when I was 18 living at home with my 'presiding overseer' father.

My dad was overly upset imagining I was smoking pot!??? I wasn't, but in 1968 I was not willing to condem the happy weed as being any more destructive than alcohol. Actually I didn't have much of an opinion about it one way or the other. So I was being seen as, well, what I don't know other than maybe being a possible bad influence? No, I was not smoking! But my best 'allowed' friend at the hall had seen a clay pipe in the back window of my car...which I didn't know had been left there by my then jw boyfriend.

Anyway, Dad saw fit to call a tribunal with him, the circuit overseer and the 'great' teddy Jaracz.

Well, these 3 were getting nowhere with me since they were trying to get me to make the statement that,
"Marijuana was from the devil and that I would never do it".

No only did I see their request as stupid and ignorant but I wasn't about to lie just for their gratification!

The meeting went on for seemingly hours with me breaking down finally in uncontrollable sobs from their lack of respect for my opinion and obvious uncaring attitude. They just wanted me to succumb to their wishes.

Yep I am a stubborn one.

Finally, ted jaracz had the others leave the room and join my mother (who was not allowed in for any of this).

He then went on to threaten me that If I did not comply with what he required me to state he would be forced to remove my dad from his position and make me an outcast. My dad loved his position, and i loved my dad (even if he did turn into a jerk after his appointment). Teddy was emotionally blackmailing me into complying with his requirements!

I finally did break down, told him what he wanted to hear.
I lost all self respect and happiness.

He then ushered the others in and told them something to the effect that, I believe you can work with her now.

What happened to me? I soon ran away into the arms of the boyfriend and married him. He turned out to be
abusive in all ways.

I still tried to be a good jw but finally threw up my arms after 10 yrs of a rotten marriage I was told to stay in, took control of my life without the wt in any way. That meant leaving everyone I had ever known for 27 yrs.
Was it worth it? You bet!

How about you?

Dragonlady76

That is quite a story, sorry you had to go through that.

BTW Teddy is an asshole.

Quandry

stained,

He then went on to threaten me that If I did not comply with what he required me to state he would be forced to remove my dad from his position and make me an outcast. My dad loved his position, and i loved my dad (even if he did turn into a jerk after his appointment). Teddy was emotionally blackmailing me into complying with his requirements!

So let's see. You did not actually smoke pot. Therefore you did nothing unscriptural. But your thoughts needed to be controlled by these men to the extent that you must say that you think it is wrong to smoke pot.

It seems a bit like the movie that was out awhile back with Tom Cruise, where a person could be arrested because it was determined that they "would have committed a crime" if not stopped before.

Wouldn't this occasion have been a perfect time for a man who was supposed to be a spiritual shepherd to comfort a sheep, believe in them, caution them, and inspire them to serve God?

No, it is easier for them to destroy the spirit in a young life, and "show them who's boss."

Hateful people.

Mum

So we understand why the WT discourages studies of psychology. They want to use it their way against people who don't understand their tactics.

I was 32 years old when I consented to a JC. I took a tranquillizer and went. I was baffled and taken aback. The effect was that I walked away with the full understanding that I had been duped, that God was not in any of this nonsense, and the elders were a bunch of Society-men hypocrites. I never looked back except to go to a few meetings for my daughter's sake.

Regards,

SandraC

hopelesslystained

Quandry: So let's see. You did not actually smoke pot. Therefore you did nothing unscriptural. But your thoughts needed to be controlled by these men to the extent that you must say that you think it is wrong to smoke pot.

That's it in a nutshell!

Mum: No studying of psychology is right. I took one class in high school and loved it but was told not to continue studying such nonsense, how much better to spend my time studying the awake and paying attention at the meetings.

I just walked away broken but still wanting to win j's approval so did my best to stick with it anyway. Once i started to grow up and mature a little i then realized what a sham it all is.

Hortensia

I'm shocked - that is just terrorism. How could a teenager hold out against someone like that. I am so shocked - I am glad you are free from all that mind control. It is worth it to get out even if you lose friends and family.

SPAZnik

In answer to your question, my JC meeting affected my life in that it gave me cause to change my entire perspective about Jehovah's Witnesses being "divinely directed" or "divinely inspired" or however their current legalese terms it these daze.

Thanks to events leading up to and surrounding my JC meeting, I finally saw that the JW organization, and it's "representatives", are mainly about human powertrips (politics), just like any other organized group of humans, and I've held the view ever since that it is unlikely the elders premature adjudications have any connection whatsoever with some invisible being high in the sky.

Witnessing that, changed everything.

Thanks for sharing your story hope...so sorry you went thru all that.

S.

merfi

I was 32 years old when I consented to a JC. I took a tranquillizer and went. I was baffled and taken aback. The effect was that I walked away with the full understanding that I had been duped, that God was not in any of this nonsense, and the elders were a bunch of Society-men hypocrites.

Yeah, this pretty much sums up my experience. Only I was 37, had nothing on board (I wish I'd have thought of it though) and have not gone back at all... My JC was a foregone conclusion, but they mentally and emotionally tortured me for four hours. I was sent out twice, during which I was able to eavesdrop enough to realize that there was no way this was going to go well. But in actuality, it DID go well as it was the smack upside the head that I needed to realize this religion is a farce, run by power-tripping men and basically stoopid. And I was outta there, never going back.... Wrote my DA letter that night and was announced a week later. Sweet freedom.

So yes, my JC was totally life-changing. It got me out.

~merfi

WTWizard

Here's why it had no effect on my life yet: (1) They still need to catch me doing apostasy and worshiping the sun before they can do it. And (2) When they do catch me, they are going to have one hell of a miserable time trying to get in touch with me. I will not answer anything they send. And if they find my email address and start spamming me, I will report it as spam (which will stop that problem--they will not get through to me, no matter how many spams they send me).

And even if they do manage to schedule the hearing, I am going to blow it off. All that work to schedule it, all those phone calls and wasted gas and postage, the wasted energy to get to the Hell, and I am going to blow it off. About the only effect is that it will create problems for them when they try to recapture me later.

NewYork44M

I have met the criteria as someone who should be the focus of a JC. However, I was never invited and I have no idea if I have been disfellowshipped.

Can you be difellowshipped without a meeting with a JC?

How did your JC meeting affect your life?

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