@ irondork: Here are some answers to the questions you raised in your post.
Quendi, you have shared your experience with us on the forum and some in private email with me. I'm curious, you said you were well versed and ten steps ahead of the elders on a number of topics. Their final statement on the matter was that you had to accept WTS literature as the final authority on the matter. We all know that the governing body and the literature are held in higher regard, greater authority than the bible, but did they at least TRY to respond to the scriptural points you were making?
The short answer is they made feeble attempts in the beginning but ultimately gave up. We had several points of contention and one of them was an interpretation of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 which they used to show the Bible disapproves of homosexuality and that homosexuals could certainly change their orientation through the power of the holy spirit. My answer to that was to point out that drunkards were also listed in the passage. Did this mean that you could place a goblet of wine in front of anybody who had problems with alcohol but had become a Christian and they could drink with no ill effects? The answer obviously was no, so clearly Paul had something else in mind when he penned those words.
I also told them that the WTS literature on homosexuality was full of downright falsehoods and fairy-tales that had no basis in reality. The "experiences" of gay men who had found both a "cure" for their homosexuality and lasting happiness in straight marriage were the worst to read. Marriage has no effect on a person's sexual orientation, I told the committee. I've known a few married gay men, I added; and when I saw them dispute this I asked if any of them had ever had gay sex and so could prove me wrong. When they said nothnig in answer I replied, "That's what I thought. None of you knows what he is talking about, and the Society doesn't either!"
Often we argued over the entire judicial committee setup. I pointed to the parables of the fine shepherd, the woman who had lost a drachma coin, and most emphatically the Prodigal Son as the way Jehovah and Jesus felt about those who were "lost" and needed to be found. The judicial committee procedures were the exact reverse of what Christ himself taught. That got me red faces, angry silence and accusations that I was changing the subject.
Did they at least pretend they were interested in what the bible really teaches or try to present themselves as taking a personal interest in you, your thoughts, your "plague"? Or was it mostly mechanical, cut and dry, swallow it or else?
It was clearly take it or leave it. I told them they always mentioned the Bible and WTS publications in the same breath so clearly they were equating the two. But doing so flew right in the face of Christ's teachings. I said the role of the 'faithful slave' was to feed and not lead since the leadership position among Christians was Christ's alone and not some man or group of men. When we first began the hearings, the elders acted like they were personally interested in me, but as time went on they dropped that pretense and only expressed personal animosity. Their interest in my "plague" often bordered on the prurient and occasionally even crossed that line.
As for the relevancy of WTS literature, I asked was it possible for a person to have had only one contact with Witnesses, accept the literature and then because of geographical isolation still worship Jehovah in an acceptable manner. They answered yes. Then why should anyone be required to possess and read up-to-date literature if that is the case? They said I had made a good point they could not answer but since 'the slave' said its publications were absolutely essential for a Christian to read, that was the final word on the matter.
The pattern of our discussions was they would cite WTS literature or isolated scriptural texts. I countered with real life experience and scriptures read in their proper context. That impressed one of the elders who muttered, "It's obvious that you haven't lost your thinking ability to use the Bible to make your points. You've given us a few things to think about." But in the end it made no difference. Seeing that I could always find flaws in their arguments, they finally told me the only way I would be reinstated was to accept the WTS as 'God's exclusive channel.' I didn't argue with them when they said that. I merely thanked them for their time and left. I have never been back to a kingdom hall since.
Quendi
