my hubby was dragged in the back room to be told that two witnesses had seen him inappropriately
kissing a woman old enough to be his mother at a jw party.
The tendency might be to go, "Huh, what? Well, did he?" dear WS (the greatest of love and peace to you!) - LOLOLOL! But I know firsthand the utter lies and fabrications that be contrived... and resultant "fact-finding" meetings that can occur as a result. Happened to my daughter at age 16 (which was the end for her). They wouldn't even tell me what the meeting was ABOUT... for close to a week!... until we were actually IN it. In the meantime, my daughter was a nervous wreck (as was I)! My ex was out of town and I kept asking them to wait until he returned or at least tell me what it was about... and they absolutely refused; just kep saying it was "of the utmost importance and could mean life or death for [my] daughter"! OMG... what in the world. I kept questioning my daughter, trying to get a clue (I thought maybe she'd smacked one of the JW kids she routinely babysat, or something like that!).
We get there and there are three other couples present (my girl and I had NO idea they were there for us!). We all just chatted away like nothing was up! When it came time for us to go in... THEY all went in first! I was like, "Whoa... what's THIS?" So, I quickly excused myself and went to speak with the CO (who lived in the little cottage adjacent to the KH). I told him that they'd called a meeting, not told me what it was about, and wouldn't wait for my husband to return. He asked, "Your husband's not a 'brother'?" I said, "Yes, he is." He then said, "He's DF'd, then?" I said, "No, he's not!" He said, "Well, then, he's not in good standing." I said, "He most certainly is!" He then said, "Well, the 'brothers' must have SOME reason for not having him attend. I can't get involved, but I will sit in since you've 'invited' me to."
Imgaine everyone's face when I walk in with the CO! The "brother" who headed up the meeting goes, "Oh, ummm... we've been talking while we were waiting for Sister J and it seems that there's really no reason to meet after all. Apparently, Sister (Accuser) has made a mistake." The "brother" who CALLED the meeting, however, wasn't onboard with that, oh no. Nope, HE goes, "Well, I know Sister Accuser SAYS it was a mistake, but I want to hear it from Young Sister J for myself!" Hear what??!!
I almost fell on the floor when we were told: apparently, Sister Accuser had told Sister Also Present (whose husband was on the Committee)... who told "Other Sister Also Present..."... who told her MS husband (also present)... who told his best buddy, elder "I Wanna Hear It For Myself" (who had serious issues with my ex, who'd threatened to kick his...)... that my daughter had been busted having relations with her son in her house!! OMG. No... O... M... G! Imagine being a mother of a 16-year-old girl... and (1) this was the accusation, and (2) you're just now hearing it... in front of 9 people, including the CO and your daughter!!
Of course, it wasn't my daughter, at all. I've since learned that it wasn't ANYONE'S daughter, but we were told, "Sister Accuser accidentally mistook Young Sister J for someone else." Seriously?? Nevermind that Sister Accuser was related to Brother "I've Got a Problem With Your Husband and I Wanna Hear It From Your Daughter Myself"!
My girl's response was PRICELESS, though: when Brother "I'm Running This Show" said, "Well, okay, young sister, if you can oblige Brother I Wanna Hear From You"... she looked them all over with the greatest disdain... and disgust... turned her around in her chair so that her back was to the elders but facing Sister Accuser... looked her dead in the eye and said "NOoo", in the most contemptible voice I have ever heard her use. Have never heard it since. She then turned slowly, rolled her eyes at EVERY one of them... closed them... crossed her arms... and sat there with her lips curled for the rest of the meeting. Never said another word. And I didn't stop... or correct her. They deserved exactly what they got from this particular young person!
Of course, the CO was chagrined. He first gave everyone a "kind and loving" talking to about the "danger of gossiping"... which SHOULD have left them embarassed, but did for only two: Brother Running the Show and one of the Sisters Also Present. The rest were too prideful to BE embarassed. He then excused the rest of us... and after closing the door gave the elders and lone MS a severe talking to. You could hear the "disappointment" and chastisement in his voice through the door.
Imagine... if I hadn't gone to get him... and/or he had declined to attend! My daughter would have been annihilated by these idjits! Needless to say, that was her last meeting... other than to attend the Memorial to support me.
Sorry, dear ones: didn't mean to hijack, but dear WS' account compelled me to share how "bearing false witness" is NOT uncommon, at all... and how some are more fortunate than others in getting past them. I wanted to slap a couple/few "sisters" and "brothers" that day. Two of the "sisters" were supposedly my "friends." I felt like they should have come to me to begin with, EVEN if they felt they had to report something. One was totally chagrined and apologized, said she DIDN'T report it but just shared it with her husband (the MS). She was QUITE mad at him... and said she would have never come to the meeting if she had known what it was about. Apparently, no one told HER, either! To this day, the other "friend" has said nothing.
My husband and I saw Sister Accuser at a restaurant in our town (over 100 miles from theirs) a couple/few years ago. They were having some kind of family celebration. I decided to sit where she couldn't miss me, couldn't get me out of her view. Although we were there for at least two hours... and they even longer... she never looked at me. Well, not directly - when I would look at her, she would quickly look away. Heifer...
Anyway... peace... and thank you for allowing me to share that! Now, back to the regularly scheduled topic...
A slave of Christ,
SA
