Harrassment and defamation/slander/libel are the legal grounds on which they could be taken to court. Not taking them to court because that'll say something about those "evil 'postates" is no reason. They already believe that stuff, anyway. If, however, that belief comes back to bite them in the arse, they might think twice about how to handle future ways in which they interpret and apply Mother's intructions. In the old days, exes were cowed and without external support. Things are different now; exes are well-informed and now empowered.
Your Opinion: What Do You Think Of Legally Going After Individual Elders?
by minimus 41 Replies latest jw friends
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Stephanus
Taking the first result of 'Financial' - most elders havent got a pot to piss in and so it would be no good chasing money from those who simply havent got it.
Oh, I dunno, a bloke who might lose his house may think twice before harrassing an 11yo boy in a public toilet...
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minimus
When I was an elder,(and the other elders will substantiate this), we were told by the CO and DO at an elder's school or special meeting to write certain things down in our Pay Attention books. This was when they told us not even use the expression "the Society" or say anything that could suggest that the WT. was responsible for the decisions that the elders made. It was clear that the elders were solely responsible for what actions occured judicially.It was clear that the elders could have legal problems if they screwed up. Knowing this, there must be something that would trigger action where an elder would find himself or the body of elders alone in legal trouble.
Imagine legally going after elders that DID have something to lose! A home, savings, possessions....It could be interesting.
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JeffT
I don't know what effect it had, if any, but our DA letter included a line saying that they could say we were no longer JW's but if they made any statement defaming our Christian character we'd take legal action. It certainly doesn't hurt anything to put the scare into them.
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minimus
Jeff, the announcement is short and sweet. No defamation attempted.
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Seeker4
As you know, Min, I attempted something like that last year when they sought to DF me.
Here's the link: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/15/91672/1.ashx
I'm at the end of a huge week of work and really too tired to write about this tonight, but I will share what happened to me.
About six months after I sent this letter to the body of elders, I found out that they had quietly disfellowshipped me. Quietly in that they never asked me to another committee meeting, they never informed me of their decision, they never told me I had a week to appeal their decision. Just six months later, without even warning my ex-wife of 33 years, they simply announced at a service meeting that I was no longer one of JWs.
I found out a month or so later from someone who was told by someone who was at the meeting!!
More later. But your's is not a bad idea.
S4
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minimus
Seeker, even by their own standards, they did everything illegally.
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Sarah Smiles
defamation/slander/libel well that you would need to be kind of famous.
Anyhow, you still need to prove harm, What harm was done?
did you lose you leg? health? emotional problems? what was the harm?
You want to sue, what do you get? Money so how is a judge going to say how much harm was done without proof?
defamation and slander are you a star did someone write something the a local paper about YOU? NO
What is the harm? Kicked out the kingdom hall and how did you suffer? Lose of family, big deal it is a personal choice.
Go to the doctor prove that you did not have symptoms until after the facts.
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Seeker4
Min,
Yeah, they broke all their own rules. But what are you going to do, sue them for not following procedure?
That was the gist of my original letter to the elders: My argument was that, since I'd not claimed to be a Witness and had not attended any meetings for about 6 to 8 years, I was, by their own definition, not viewed as a Witness and should just be left alone. I quoted the literature to them, and told them that I would sue the body for coming after me, and that they knew the WTS would not support them because they were violating written WTS policy.
Their claim was that I had been so prominent in the Witnesses that they had to take action against me for living with my girlfriend.
I had a few hopes, and I wasn't especially worried about being dfed. It really meant nothing to me. My thoughts were: I've threatened to sue the entire body, and I supplied copies of my letter for each elder. Because each elder was at risk, they should each get a copy of the letter, which stated my reasons for leaving and why the WTS was not what it claimed. So, it gave me a chance to have my say. Also, I knew it would be sent to Bethel, and I'd get to have my say there as well.
If Bethel agreed with me, they would tell the elders to back off, and I'd be left alone. If not, at least I had my say. The fact that they handled it the way they did - making the announcement without contacting me in any way, months and months after I gave them the letter, lets me know they were trying to sneak that in, but that the WTS evidently told them to go ahead.
S4
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minimus
Seeker, so the Society obviously felt you had no leg to stand on.
Sarah, what about suing for violation of one's civil rights and liberties?