Disfellowshiped Last Night - Elder Question (page 2)

yknot

Billy got a great point !!!!!!

A little shame never hurt .....

Cry on some shoulders, talk about you wanting to be humble but not expecting to be hanged.

Ask for help in forming your appeal and any advice a JW will give you.

I would say you have a good case for appeal.. should you choose that route.. Keep in mind, that according to WTS legalism, the appeal committee is not concerned if you are repentant NOW, they are concerned if you were repentant during the JC. They don't give a shit if you cry your eyes out now and say you are repentant now...

On the other hand, while I can understand you are in a state of shock (as I was when I found out my DA had been announced against my will), you may also see it as an opportunity to finally break free from the cult. Do you have any compelling reason to stay in? In my case, leaving JWs has been the best thing I've ever done.

A@G

Homerovah the Almighty

Johnny since you conquered your addiction to drugs and thats great, why don't you now conquer your addiction to the human ignorance of religion

another elusive mind damaging vise.

Maybe Johnny doesn't realize that Johnny is growing up and has become a mature and responsible adult.

Think about it ...........Take care

penny2

I'm disgusted that you've been disfellowshipped. I think you should appeal, if that doesn't work, appeal again (go straight to headquarters).

And tell as many people as possible about how you have been treated! Both inside and outside the org (yes, tell your doctor, your neighbours, workmates if any - they'll give you support).

penny

cognizant dissident

Why would you want to appeal to be let back into a group that has treated you so badly? You say you were sitting on the fence before this? Well, by their actions in df'ing you, the elders have pushed you off the fence. Do you want to climb back on the fence and straddle it again? Look at this as a sign, if you will, that this is not the place for you. This is not an environment that is supportive of people healing from an injury or an addiction. Use this as an impetus for making a fresh start. To overcome an addiction, it is necessary to experience caring for yourself, a healthy sense of self-esteem. You will never receive this from Jehovah's Witnesses. The way they use guilt and shame to control people is much more likely to push someone off the wagon to use again than it is to help them in their recovery.

Cog

ldrnomo

As a former elder that sat on appeal committees it is usually a kangaroo court they will not reverse the decision.

Why do you want to get back in this crazy religion? There is life after the Watchtower Society believe me.

And good luck with overcoming your addiction to prescription drugs.

By the way I know different witnesses that are addicted to prescription drugs and they have never been disfellowshipped.

LD

jamiebowers

I had a cat that suffered tremendous pain from an acute onset of a heart ailment. He was on prescription pain medication for weeks during his recovery and became addicted to them. No, I'm not joking, and my point is that addiction to pain medication is primarily a physiological problem and not a moral failing. The immorality comes in when an addict lies and/or steals to get their drug of choice instead of seeking medical treatment for the addicton.

You are not the first to be df'd due to decisions made by uneducated and uninformed elders, and you won't be the last. If being shunned by family is your motivation for appealing the decision of the elders, go for it. But please think long and hard on whether you really want to be part of this cult.

golf2

Like you, the elders didn't think I was repentant. To me, this was the best thing that could have happened. Who the hell are they to read my heart condition? Anyways, they did me a great favor, I NEVER returned to any meetings from that moment on.

I hope you get some recognition if and when you appeal.

SnakesInTheTower

johnnyc...

first....I dont know your background, so I cant comment on why you would want to remain a JW... I will presume based solely on this thread that you want to.

As a former elder, I will tell you (as you know) that you have the right to an appeal. YOU MUST SUBMIT THIS APPEAL LETTER WRITING TO THE CHAIRMAN OF YOUR JUDICIAL COMMITTEE WITHIN SEVEN (7) CALENDAR DAYS FOR IT TO BE CONSIDERED. Hand the chairman a copy, and each of the members of the committee a copy. Also send a copy to the chairman via registered (or next day if you are out of time) mail, just in case they want to play games.

I will also tell you that rarely do the appeal committees disagree with the original committee. If in the rare instance that they do, you will not know it directly. Rather, the original committee will hold the announcement of your DF in abeyance but you will be on full restrictions while the process continues (though you will have the right to field ministry, they will probably ask you not to go in service).

The appeal committee and the original committee will both send their notes and comments to the Society. The Service Department will process the paperwork. If they see that the original committee made some fundamental error in either judgment or technicalities, then the original committee's decision will be overturned and likely you will be reprooved...either publicly or privately. This part of the process is not transparent, meaning you will not know how high your case will go.... the brother in Service that looks at the case originally, the Service Committee in the (presumably) US branch, or the Governing Body. Since the description of your case is more common than you might think, there will likely be precedent for them to go by.... and it will be handled at the lower levels of Service. Your appeals and original committee will hear back fairly quickly, depending on the case load in NY.

What I dont understand, from your side of the story, is if this was a matter that was private, you came to them, that others dont know about (thus not a danger to the congregation) and is something you were being treated for, why they would DF you?? It sounds like you have grounds for a successful appeal. The mere fact that they said that you "seemed repentant" yet use meeting attendance as criteria tells me they are screwed in the head. (As a side note, the last JC I sat on a was for a sister who is an alcoholic...we DF because it was alcohol abuse combined with loose conduct.....not what she needed in retrospect...she needed help.... anyway, the JC chairman had DF her in the past, so he was making an example of her...and when she tried to get reinstated, made her wait an additional 3-4 months by "proving" repentance by making all ALL of her meetings. Hell, he didnt make all, but expected her to meet that rigid standard..myself and the other elder couldnt get him to budge)......my point in telling you that little side story is that your case is not an isolated case...elders get these power trips

having said all of that...if you want to appeal...and you want to be part of this screwed up cult for whatever reason, then I would advise getting off this apostate forum and play their games their way. You will have to grovel and beg and plea and humiliate yourself to get back in..and then you will always be damaged goods in their eyes... no matter what....

however, if you want freedom in your life...please walk away sir. Even if you are successful in your appeal, these elders will make your life a living hell (moreso than it is now) because you made them look stupid in front of local circuit elders and the Service Department (and the CO, because he is the one that usually recommends the appeals committee). NO ONE likes to be made to look stupid.,...especially men on power trips....

whatever your choice, I wish you well... and when JWD closes...come on over to JWS....

Snakes ()

Quandry

In your first post you said this:

I am not a JW, yet I know there does not exist great truth somewhere else.

How were you df'd if are not a JW? If you were, why did you tell us you were not?

Disfellowshiped Last Night - Elder Question