Does a criminal conviction, say for fraud, render one disfellowshipped?
Just had some rather disturbing news about a so-called JW relative...
Thanks!
Question for previous elders...very important.
by diana netherton 15 Replies latest jw friends
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OnTheWayOut
The question is vague. The only reason one is disfellowshipped is for being unrepentant when violating some Watchtower rules. The criminal conviction is a violation of those rules and does subject one to a judicial committee.
Like Ray Franz, they will throw such a person under the bus if they want to. But their records will indicate the attitude portion of their reason for a DF. If such a person wants to kiss their asses, they stand a good chance of remaining "in the fold."
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diana netherton
That's a bit clearer, thanks. So as long as you're repentant, it doesn't matter
what you do (as long as it's not apostate stuff?)
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cofty
I agree with OTWO. The person will lose all their "privledges" but it does not follow that they automatically will be DFd
The extent of public noteriety should not affect the outcome but in practice it may.
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sir82
Criminal convictions do not affect JW disfellowshipping judicial issues (unless it brings notoriety to the WTS itself, in which case DF-ing is swift).
As OTWO stated, disfellowshipping is (theoretically) based on repentance or lack thereof. A person might be convicted of a crime but still be able to convince 3 JW window-washers that he is "repentant" and thus wouldn't be DF'ed. Conversely, a person might go to trial, be found innocent, but not be able to convince the JW kangaroo court of his "repentance" and thus be Df'ed.
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thetrueone
I think most congregations would DF this person if he or she was baptized , citing conduct unbecoming of a Christian.
even is there was a motion toward repentance.
Of course the severity of the fraud would also be a contributing and concerning factor.
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james_woods
Of course, this was over 30 years ago when I was an elder in Oklahoma City - but I knew of a Presiding Elder in another congregation who was convicted of public intoxication, his name was published in the criminal court reports of the paper, and nothing was done about it.
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outsmartthesystem
A criminal conviction will not necessarily lead to disfellowshipping. True story. I know a guy that was 20 years old and slept with a 17 year old girl. 4 years later he was arrested for statutory rape. He served 9 months in jail. He had a judicial committee and expressed remorse for the one time (ha!) lapse in judgement. The elders believed him. He was not disfellowshipped.
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thetrueone
It should be realized that Judicially handed out punishments vary at each congregations from one to another.
Different people at the helm, as there are varied situations as well .
I have heard of certain JWS getting involved with bogus business dealings and nothing at all happened to them
particularly and especially if elders were involved.
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undercover
From the mouth of a CO... criminal investigations/arrests/convictions do not necessarily mean that a Judicial Committee meeting should be convened and the person accused/counseled/reproved/DFd.
It depends on the crime, the severity, the victims... and if it got as far as a JC meeting, repentance. Judicial matters are separate from Caeser's law.