Hello all, I finally got around to posting my letter to my judicial committee meeting requests. Sorry its kind of long, it came to 4 pages because of the special meeting requests. Enjoy.
Tuesday January 28, 2014
Judicial Committee,
32138 Road 400 ********** CA
Dear Brothers Craig Kinder, Brett Haynes, and Chuck Roerhl
I am writing you in response to the letters I received Jan 13 and January 22. I cannot begin to convey the shock and hurt I have felt in having received it at all and especially at this time of turmoil that my family and I are going through, as you are well aware. It has been emotionally distressing, highly unloving, and as I asked on the phone, I must ask again, why was it even sent out at a time like this and after you had been informed of my father’s situation.
Have I been so perceived on by others to be such a dangerous threat to the congregation, that all principles are overlooked and a judicial committee is formed regardless of feeling and circumstance? Have I been so reported on as to be known as unloving, a disgusting sinner that is stumbling the congregation? If there have been reports as the result of my father, I must impress upon you the devious nature he has been hiding for an unknown amount of time and that my husband and I have been victims of his lies and slander. I only recently have been made aware of the extent to which his lies have reached regarding **** and myself among my own extended family members, so I can only guess as to what lies, if any, he has spread to those in the congregation.
In addressing your request for a meeting regarding my “association with the local church” I have this to say; I have done nothing scripturally wrong to warrant the formation of a judicial committee over this matter. It is none of your business or concern to involve yourselves in my personal, conscience driven, spiritual choices. Whether I may have attended services in the past at a Christian church is part of my own personal spiritual journey to find biblical discussion and truth and should not be up for a group interrogation with the possible outcome to discipline or shun because no wrongdoing has taken place. Nothing communicated previously, nor in this letter, nor any personal actions, are intended to be, nor should ever be construed as "Disassociation”. There is nothing I see in the Bible that calls for a formal or informal announcement of disassociation in my situation. I have not formally disassociated myself by word or deed and I will never make such a pronouncement as I will never renounce my Christian faith. I have come to the realization that the society, the elders nor any other individual on this earth is responsible for my salvation based on the choices I make. Everyone renders their own account to god and is judged accordingly so I ask why are you men trying to step into a position of judge and jury when such a position is only entitled to God and his son?
I am still baffled as to how the actions taken against my husband have been justified by scripture. He has not renounced his Christian faith by word or actions. Upon further research there are things that need to be brought to light with regards to the view and stance this judicial committee has taken on “disassociation”.
The first and
most serious stance I must address is your denial of an appeal to a person
about to be disfellowshiped on grounds of disassociation. Nowhere in our Organized
To Do Jehovah’s Will or the Organized To Accomplish Our Ministry books does it
state the person suspected of disassociation is to be denied an appeal. However, It is stated on page 154(Organized to do
Jehonahs Will) that “An appeal is granted as a kindness to the accused and allows him a further hearing of his concerns” and
since it states on page 156 that disassociated persons are to be treated the
same as disfellowshiped persons then someone being accused of disassociation is entitled to the same appeal
process. In all cases where the decision
is to be disfellowshipment an appeal must be allowed in order to correct
possible human judgment error and as a kindness and sign of our brotherly love.
You, Brothers, have all made a decision based on your own understanding, not
the scriptures, and have even disregarded the society’s direction. **** was denied an appeal and handled in the
most unloving manner by the committee. Why
should I subject myself to the same unloving manner and injustice?
Secondly this judicial committee’s view as to what “disassociation” can be applied to is incorrect according to the Watchtower Society. The January 15, 1982 Watchtower addresses this exact issue of disassociation in its question from readers. It states that there are only two situations in which a person disassociates themselves. The first such situation is where a person no longer wants to be a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses and may renounce his faith by oral announcement or by letter and is therefore seen as disassociating himself and may be disfellowshiped. The second situation applies to a person who joins a secular organization whose purpose is contrary to the counsel found at Isaiah 2:4, “they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation; neither will they learn war anymore.” By the action of joining such a group he may be seen as disassociated and subsequently disfellowshiped. Neither of these situations has applied to **** or me since we have never renounced our faith by word nor have we ever taken action or plan to join any Secular type of organization that deals with war or the condoning of war or that violate the Christian principle of love which we see as the main principle behind Isaiah 2:4.
Finally I wish to draw your attention to the fact that the YLC church is in fact a religious organization that is bible based and in every sense believers in Christ and therefore Christians. By your stating that they are ones “disapproved by god” is a gross over reaching of your position and certainly not your right to pass judgement and declare them as such. If ever they are to be judged as “disapproved by god” then such a declaration will be made during god’s judgment of the righteous and unrighteous. To the best of my limited knowledge, the church does not have political ties and they are not part of any secular organizations. If in the future I ever decided to attend there and become a member, I don’t understand how scripturally that would be grounds for disassociation when they certainly do not violate Isaiah 2:4.
At this time I feel it is important to share with you brothers that, if being members of a secular organization that is in violation of Isa. 2:4 is grounds for shunning then, we all should be pointing the finger at each other and calling ourselves Hypocrites. I have enclosed with this letter a document retrieved from the United Nations archive website that states the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society was an NGO member (non-governmental organization) of the United Nations for almost 10 years. Now as you know the United Nations is a secular organization with very strong political ties that call for peace and security and yet has employed military infantry to attain such a goal. If ever there was an organization to avoid because of its violation of Isa. 2:4 the United Nations would be one of them. Since this information was not made known to me before ****s unjustified disfellowshipment then I must implore you brothers to reconsider your stance and recant the decision made on ****s behalf and desist with this judicial committee on my behalf. If you are so unwilling to see your error and hold firm to your stance then I must point out you are guilty of the condemnation the bible points to at Romans 2:1-“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are, if you judge; for when you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.”
If after reading this letter you still insist upon a meeting I will oblige you, however, because of recent revelations and developments and due to how **** was treated there are a few things I must request that I feel are basic human rights and which I think need to be clarified before I will meet with a judicial committee.
1. I shall be notified in writing of the time, place and the exact purpose of the meeting explained with any scriptural basis/evidence.
2. I shall be notified in writing of any accusations against me, the names of persons making such accusations and the substance of any evidence against me.
3. I shall be given sufficient time between notifications of any meetings with a judicial committee and the time of the actual meeting to prepare a response to any accusations.
4. I shall be allowed to have as many as two persons of my choice present during all meetings between me and the judicial committee as observers.
5. During the meetings with the judicial committee I may choose to use a recording device to attain accurate documentation of the proceedings and I and/or my observers will be allowed to take whatever notes we feel are necessary.
6. I shall be notified in writing exactly on whose behalf the judicial committee was convened and is acting: the C_______ Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses or its legal corporation, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses or its legal corporations, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the International Bible Students Association or any other agency/organization not here named.
7. If any other agency other than the one for whom the judicial committee has informed me they are acting for is consulted, reported to, or allowed to have any bearing on the outcome of the judicial process, I will consider the judicial committee as acting in the their behalf.
8. I shall be notified in writing as to my status as a member of any and all of the organizations for which the committee is acting or to which the committee will report.
9. Additionally, if the judicial committee takes any judicial action against me I will not recognize any action taken by the committee as valid unless it is communicated to me in writing, stating the exact nature and reason for the action with all scriptural basis clearly stated.
10. In this written communication the judicial committee must state exactly on whose behalf they have taken the action
11. If the judicial committee has stated that it is acting only for the C______ Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, it is enjoined from notifying any agency outside the congregation of their action. If the judicial committee or anyone acting in their behalf notifies or reports to anyone outside the C_____ Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I may take any appropriate legal action.
12. I may appeal any action taken by the judicial committee.
13. Before I will meet with an appeal committee, that committee must notify me in writing of the names of all of the members of the appeal committee and who each one represents
14. There shall be no contact between the judicial committee and the appeal committee other than to inform them of the time and place of my meetings with them. If I determine that there is any contact, communication or attempt on the part of any of the members of the original judicial committee or anyone acting on their behalf, in any way to prejudice or sway the appeal committee, I will insist that a new appeal committee be formed.
15. I shall be allowed to have two people of my choice present during all meetings between me and the appeal committee.
16. During the meetings with the appeal committee I may choose to use a recording device to attain accurate documentation of the proceedings and I and/or my observer will take whatever notes we feel are necessary.
17. I will not recognize any action taken by the appeal committee as valid unless it is communicated to me in writing, stating the exact nature and reason for the action with all scriptural basis clearly stated.
18. In this written communication the appeal committee must state exactly on whose behalf they are taking the action.
19. If the appeal committee has stated that it is acting only for the C_____ Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, it is enjoined from notifying any agency outside the congregation of their action. If the appeal committee or anyone acting in their behalf notifies or reports to anyone outside the C______ Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I may take any appropriate legal action.
20. I understand that if I am to be disfellowshipped by the judicial committee and the disfellowshipping is upheld by the appeal committee that I am, at that point, no longer considered to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I also understand that it is necessary to make a brief announcement that I have been disfellowshipped. From that point on, I will consider any attempt to convince by speeches, talks or teaching; coercion by implied or actual threat of similar judicial action; or to encourage by private counsel or suggestion any of Jehovah’s Witnesses to treat me differently from any other person that is also not one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to be a serious violation of my civil rights and I may initiate any legal action, civil or criminal that I deem appropriate. This includes any attempt to convince by speeches, talks or teaching; to coerce by implied or actual threat of similar judicial action; or to encourage by private counsel or suggestion any present Jehovah’s Witnesses to shun or avoid me, cease or otherwise modify their doing business with me, or terminate or otherwise abrogate any lease, rental, mortgage, or any other legal agreement that I may presently have with them. I may consider such to be an infringement of free trade and may initiate appropriate legal action.
21. I consider any communication between the members of the judicial committee and myself and the appeal committee and myself to be ecclesiastically privileged. Any attempt to reveal the substance or tone of those communications to any other person or group will be considered by me to be a breach of that privilege and may result in legal action. This includes any announcements beyond the fact of my disfellowshipping, speeches, talks, or any other communication, written or oral, public or private.
If you choose not to fulfill my requests then I must stress that I do not feel comfortable meeting with you and simply wish to be left alone as I wait upon Jehovah. I wish I could believe that your brotherly love will take precedence in this matter but I truly feel you will only look for a way to condemn. I wish I did not feel the need to protect myself but the fact remains that my trust and confidence in you brothers has been shaken by how you have handled mine and my father’s relationship reconciliation and how you handled my husband’s judicial proceedings. If you do wish to honor my requests then I respectfully await your response to this letter. The days and times I am available to meet over the next month are as follows: Saturday or Sunday February 8th /9th at 2pm or later, Saturday or Sunday February 15th /16th at 2pm or later, Saturday or Sunday February 22nd /23rd at 2pm or later. Please do not contact me by phone, any correspondence needs to be written and posted by mail. If there is last minute changes to arranged meeting times then you may email me at t************[email protected].
Sincerely,