Can You Defend Yourself before a J. Committee?

by D wiltshire 45 Replies latest jw friends

  • LB
    LB

    Speaking of defending yourself does anyone know of a particular case where you can bring an attorney in? I suppose if you refuse to show up unless you attorney is there will just get you DFed regardless. Still I just wonder if those brothers would sweat over this point or not?

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    I have a tape of my dfing. My defence was weak, even though i had lots of ammunition. I was scared shitless. I could hardly think, but i taped it anyway. I still can't listen to it.

  • DannyBear
    DannyBear

    SS,

    Have someone transcribe the thing...change the names to protect the guilty...and let us have a look?

    Danny

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    In time i will.

  • D wiltshire
    D wiltshire

    When I was first invited to appear before a JC I said OK but I will bring my lawyer.
    The 2 brothers that were inviting me said it was alright to bring a lawyer.
    The very next day they came to my shop at about 8 am, and said; "You was not allowed to bring a lawyer".
    I then proceeded to ask them what specifically was the charge, and they would not tell me, instead they beat around the bush, and asked me what I thought the charges were.
    I said "You are inviting me to a JC and you can't tell me what the charges are, but expect me to tell you what the charges are when you won't even tell me what they are?"

    Finally after me taunting them they came up with the charge of: "Speakinng Against the Organization".
    Did anyone ever hear of such a charge? That's the first time I ever heard of such a charge, I think they just made it up right there.

    Anyway I wrote the charge on a piece of paper, and asked them to sign it, to which they refused.

    If someone lived a trillion X longer than you, and had a billion X more reasoning ability would he come to the same conclusions as you?
  • hillary_step
    hillary_step

    David,

    You are a courageous man and I salute your stand.

    That none of the elders involved in your DF saw the point of what you tried to do is irrelevant, you obeyed your conscience and bought a little dignity to the chaos.

    Kindest regards - HS

  • Abaddon
    Abaddon

    That's a ghastly experience D wiltshire... I think there are few things worse than not being able to defend yourself.

    I actually never got DA'd or DF'd. I was fortunate in that I deliberately delayed any JC action until I had not been associating for over eighteen months, and then argued I was, in fact, by SOciety definition, a Jehovah's Witness; there's a Watchtower quote somewhere to the effect that you can't call yourself a Jehovah's WItness unless you Witness in a six month period.

    As such, I was able to profess regret and repentence for my actions, say I didn't feel I was ready to start back at meetings and that my wife and I were not getting back together, abd as such they couldn;t DF me as I had repented.

    I dare say if their cumulative IQ had been over 100 they could have got round it, but they went away and have never bothered me since.

    Oh, I did bump into an elder from an old cong once. The bastard contrieved to make me feel guilty, looking me up and down and acting all quiet and disappointed.

    I'm sorry your experience was so negative.

    People living in glass paradigms shouldn't throw stones...

  • JT
    JT

    LB ask:

    Speaking of defending yourself does anyone know of a particular case where you can bring an attorney in?

    ######
    WT rules will not allow you to bring a lawyer- sorry

    WT judical is a whole different kind of process- smile

  • Frenchy
    Frenchy

    DW:
    Actually you have one more appeal that's available to you. You can write directly to the Society and appeal the appeal. They will read your letter and decide if they need to intercede.

    You can contact the elders and tell them you are appealing directly to the Society and that you wish to give them a copy of the letter. Ask to meet witht he entire committee and then read the letter to them. They will sit and listen since they may be called upon to act on your letter. You will then have the opportunity, by reading your letter, to say what it is that you wanted to say in the first place.

    Good luck.

  • Pathofthorns
    Pathofthorns

    I agree with JT in that it is pointless to even think you will be allowed some sort of forum to present your side and that they will somehow reach these logical conclusions too and say "gee, u know that brother makes alot of sense, he can't be an apostate, we've all been taken for a ride".

    You need to keep in mind that they need two witnesses to whatever you said. If you go and shoot your mouth off in the congregation, then you are cooked no matter what you do or say.

    Lots of times though they don't really have credible witnesses and the tendancy is to panic and meet with them because many people think if they dont' then they will get the big "D".

    What happens is that when you meet with them, you will often mistakenly give them what they are looking for.

    Personally, I would say I will attend, then not show up. That way you waste their evening and you get to keep yours .

    Few people realize that SILENCE is your greatest weapon in leaving the WT. There is very little they can do until you open your mouth.

    Hopefully most people can take the time to educate themselves in silence, so that they make an informed choice as to how they will make their exit from the WT. What you want is NO SURPRISES.

    Path

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