My sister is being harassed by the elders

by opusdei1972 43 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  opusdei1972

  Sometime ago I wrote here in this forum about the case of my sister, who decided to stop attending the meetings because she realised that the Watchtower Society is an evil organization. This happened more than one year ago. I am not living in the same country of my sister, so I learn about her case when she calls me or when she write me through WhatsApp.
  

  Some months ago, the elders went to my sister's house in order to invite her to a Judicial Committee Meeting for apostasy. When she told me that, I told her that she should ask the elders to write a letter to her specifying who is accusing her, and what are the charges against her. I told her that any legal judicial meeting in the world has to do that before. Of course, when she asked them for that letter, they refused to do so, and they said to her that Jehovah's Organization doesn't proceed in that way, because they only have to communicate the charges orally. So, my sister told them that she wouldn't go unless they send to her a letter specifying the charges against her. So, the elders now are frequently knocking her door and approaching her in the street to insist that she must attend the judicial meeting.

  I see that this is an abnormal situation, because the elders wait for her when she leaves her house to go to work so as to approach her insisting that she must be present in the judicial meeting. For instance, two days ago, the elders knocked her door at night and she refused to open it. Then, they went back in the morning when she left the house to go to work, then the elders shouted her to tell her that she has only one week to appear in the judicial meeting for apostasy. My sister was very angry because they shouted her before her neighbors, who were surprised by the threat against her.

  I think the attitudes of the elders are getting extreme, so I advised my sister to go to the police office so as to denounce the elders for molestation. I don't know if the correct English word for that is "molestation". In fact, my sister lives in a latin country, so she must to do the denunciation in Spanish.
  

  Do you think that the right way is to denounce it to the police???
  
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  opusdei1972

  I wonder if the new inner policies of the Watchtower are to intimidate "apostates".
  
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  DesirousOfChange

  If she doesn't care about being disfellowshipped, she can ignore them. Or press charges with the police for "harassment" or "stalking" (that's what we'd cal it in the US).

  The rules are that once they "invite" (demand she attend) a Judicial Committee at least twice and she refuses to attend it, they can conduct the JC without her present and will likely make the decision to DF her. Usually they will not call it a JC unless they already feel that they have 2 witnesses against her. If only 1 witness, they would "investigate" with only 2 elders.

  Best wishes to her,

  Doc
  
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  Bonsai

  She should go to the police claiming these elders are stalking her. Her neighbors can serve as " two witnesses" to the fact. Then she should inform these Pharisees that they must attend a Judicial committee to deal with their crime. Let them get a taste of their own poison.
  
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  lurkernomore

  Yes go to the police, this is harassment! End of. Hope she gets sorted soon
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  opusdei1972

  DesirousOfChange

  ...thank you for your advise, in fact, the abnormal situation is that they are "inviting" her more than five times. The last one they shouted her before the resident neighbors. I think she should go to the police to inform that.
  

  It seems that these elders are not following the Watchtower instructions. Doesn't it?
  
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  truthseeker100

  I don't know if the correct English word for that is "molestation".

  Maybe the correct English word you are looking for is harassment?

  I'm not sure how to advise you on how things work legally in Latin Countries. It seems to me though, that if she is being chased down and intimidated by a bunch of men she may have a card to play.
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  opusdei1972

  Yes, I think that the best words are harassment and stalking. My two nephews, who are more than 18 years old, know the situation, and I think they must go to the police as witnesses of this case.
  
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  AFRIKANMAN

  Any chance she could get them "filmed" appearing at the door etc?

  Definitely make a statement with the Police - then its on record.

  Record all the conversations [phone and in person]

  Threaten to take the matter to a Talk Radio Station.

  Threaten to put their calls and the video on the WWW / YouTube.

  Take advice from a lawyer. If he starts writing letters to them they will have to respond via lawyers which costs money.

  Read this post:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/124488/judicial-committee-preparation?page=1
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  oppostate

  They can only invite her because they consider her part of their congregation.

  Have her write a letter to the body of elders saying she withdraws her membership in that congregation because of the un-Christian attitude and harassment (abuso mental y emocional molestandole la vida) of the elders and some publishers.

  She is totally disgusted by their screaming at her in public and in hearing distance of her neighbors. Also have her write she never wants them to contact her ever again.

  Make it clear in the letter she is not disassociating and reserves her right to look for another congregation she will feel more comfortable and can provide her with spiritual help.

  Since she does not "belong" to them as a congregant she is not under their care. She should mention she is willing to take them to court for harassment if they contact her again or talk about her to others and very importantly she will then inform the JW World Headquarters, the CO and the local Branch about their repeated harassment.