Reading Jst2laws account of his and Joy's execrable treatment by his one-time friends, has really brought it home to me that the disfellowshippers need their knuckles rapped - and hard, too.
When someone becomes disillusioned with their religion, they are in a very vulnerable and emotional state for quite a while. For that same religion then to, not only cast them out, but insist that their friends and families should do the same, is criminal to say the least.
Yet, what accountability do these disfellowshippers have to face? I'll tell you - absolutely none! What they do acheive is a temporary closing in of ranks by the formation of a new common enemy, that new common enemy is, of course, the one who has just been disfellowshipped, who is now effectively gagged as surely as if he had a handkerchief rammed into his mouth.
Meanwhile, the disfellowshippers have caused their mayhem but who protests at their decision other than the newly disfellowshipped person? No-one! They get away with it, Scot-free!
Maybe we could take some action that would at least cause the disfellowshipped one to feel less alone and also make the JC's aware that their days of lording it over everyone are numbered. Here's what I suggest:
Supposing that as many of us here as possible were to write a letter of complaint to Jst2laws and Joys JC about the treatment that they have received. Imagine if the JC were to receive, say, just 20 or 30 letters from all over the World holding them accountable for their bad behaviour and un-Christian conduct.
The letters would, of course, have to be written in each volunteers own syle so that all the variously necessary points were made in condemnation of the JC's conduct.
Once that had been done, each volunteer writer could save the copy of the letter so that it could be sent over and over again to other JC's as they went about their disfellowshipping procedures.
This would mean that next time an established poster faces a disfellowshipping committee, said poster could then contact the letter volunteers and ask them to fire off letters to the JC expressing strong disapproval for their unchristian behaviour.
What would this achieve? Firstly, it's an almighty self-esteem boost to the newly shunned poster, knowing that these untouchable so-and-so's are getting a taste of their own medicine. Secondly, if DF'ing roughly (very roughly) averages 1 per congregation per year, then a JC will, for the first time ever, start to anticipate at least some come-uppance for their bad treatment of their one-time brethren. If at the same time, they actually come to realise the error of their ways via the deluge of mail that they receive then a lot of good could also be done here.
What I'm saying is that JC's need to experience accountability for their actions. Only then will some of them, just maybe some of them, think again before they commit another shunning outrage.
Englishman.