Elders harassing me (page 4)

raven

@ Old hippie, I threw the letter into the trash can.. I can certainly dig it out and take a picture if you'd like..

gone for good

Raven -

please Google 'Shepherding the flock of god book" the JW's 'Elders Only' super secret, confidential, clandestine cult manual is all over the internet (and many thanks to those who put it there!)

On page 73 is where your situation is discussed - item 40, last bullet point reads

" is the person willing to meet with a committee, thus admitting accountability to the christian congregation?"

You have already left - do not ever again meet with these assholes as they will interpret your attendance

as your legal admission of their "ecclesiastic authority" over you, and you nor your lawyer will have grounds for your claim of freedom of religion - (which is the real legal issue they violate by harassing you)

You have a guaranteed right to be free of any religion you wish - the right is granted to the individual citizen, not the religious corporation.

Norman Hancock won a case against the Mormons on grounds similar to yours.

bafh

write them a cease and desist letter.

KateWild

Sorry to hear this Raven. You have some good advice here

DesirousOfChange

"Please meet with us for a judicial committee on August 1st" it was signed by all 3 elders". i sincerely doubt they sent a signed letter where they used that phrase. That would be a novelty. Could you copy the part of the letter where that phrase was used? ! Old Hippie

Elders are instructed to send such letters whenever they fail to make contact with a "wrongdoer". WT Legal has no issues with stating this in writing. What they are instructed NOT to do is sending written notice of the decision to DF.

Raven, the fact that they have formed a JC indicates that they believe they have 2 witnesses against you already. You only mention your mother, but they need another witness to even form the JC. It could be a person that sat outside your home and documented that your boyfriend stated the night with you.

The fact is, if you do not attend you will be DFd in absentia. IF they do indeed have "two witnesses" to your living arrangements with the boyfriend, you will likely be DFd even if you attend and try to fake repentance because you have been doing this for an extended period of time -- making it your "way of life".

IF you really, really want to avoid DFing, go and tell them you are married to the guy. Say you went to Vegas for a quick wedding because you were "in love" and refused to sleep with him before he married you, and you didn't tell your mother as she would be sooo upset.

I have no personal experience of a letter from a lawyer preventing them taking action. If they have their "two witnesses" I think they have no fear of any reprisal and will be instructed to follow through with the JC and DFing.

IF you don't give a flying f*ck what happens, ignore it and go on with life.

Good luck,

Doc

The greatest revenge is living a happy and successful life!

raven

Gone for Good - I looked up the Shepherding the Flock book... Interesting and complete garbage. pg. 73 states: " In deciding whether to form a judicial committee or not, the body of elders should consider the following:

- Does he still profess to be a Witness?

- Is he generally recognized as a Witness in the congregation or the community?

- Does his conduct continue to affect any other person, such as in some cases of adultery or child abuse?

- Does the person have a measure of contact or association with the congregation or association with the congregation so that a leavening, or corrupting, influence exists?

- Is the person willing to meet with a committee thus admitting accountability to the Christian congregation? "

As far as the bullet points, my answers are no, no, no, no, and no.. I no longer profess to be a Witness, I am not recognized as a witness in the congregation or the community ( inactivity ) I'm not affecting another person abusively. I don't have ANY measure of contact with the congregation. And I'm obviously not willing to meet with a committee admitting accountability to the whole congregation. None of their business.

For #42. Pretty sure only my mother, stepfather, brother and grandmother know, they are the only "family" in the org..

This is just ridiculous.- As for the letter stating to specifically meet with me on August 1st. When I get home I will dig it out of the garbage and take a picture.

berrygerry

Quite frankly, I would give that letter to a lawyer.

Forget all of the stuff in the Flock book.

Because your parents are aware of your situation, and they were the rats, then the elders are gunning for you. Guaranteed.

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/473hu6/text_from_mom/

Out for EIGHT YEARS !!!!

gone for good

Hello Raven-

You cease to belong to a religion on any day you chose to be gone. No need to inform anyone, give any reason or answer any questions - period.

Religion and belief are voluntary situations of individuals not required or controlled by law. Freedom of Religion is a legal right of every person and gives the individual the right to abandon any belief at any time for any reason.

Anyone who exerts their now unwelcome 'ecclesiastic authority' after you have chosen to be free of it, is violating your right to be free of that religion as the Norman Hancock case showed.

Prove you have truly abandoned the religion by emailing a trusted (non-JW) friend with the news and keep that email as a legally dated proof of your freewill action of having already abandoned a belief or organization you no longer support.

NEVER RETURN, or share, or allow yourself to be counselled or interrogated as you did when you previously accepted the ecclesiastic authority of the groups elders. The longer you remain away the stronger is your claim of Freedom of Religion.

Your right under law to be free of a religion is exactly as valid as is the right of that religion to exist. Freedom works both ways - that's why Jws never discuss human rights such as freedom of religion.

Elders harassing me

Share this