NOW WE'VE GOT YOU, WE ARE GOING TO THROW YOU OUT!
I was very close friends with brother "Kind" who was a JW for over 30 years. He was a Congregation Servant in the old arrangement, and was a PO for sometime under the new Elder arrangement. He left the 7th Day Adventists to become a JW. He is well versed in history of the Adventists and JWs. He is one of the kindest and most gentle persons I have known. I have a picture of him, myself, my son-in-law, and AlanF standing together at my house.
When I first moved into the congregation in 1989, I soon started a Bible study and invited bro. Kind to join me. After a couple of studies, I was approached by the PO and told to be careful because they believe that Bro. Kind may be an apostate [or have apostate leanings]. He then said that they have maintained a file on him for the last ten years. What was in the file? Copies of his kindly written letters to the Society, their weasel-worded responses, and notes made by the Elders. Bro. Kind did not know this file existed.
One evening, Bro. Kind invited a Pioneer couple over for dinner[big mistake]. Bro. Kind was very regular in Field Service and Meetings and always generous and hospitable to the friends. He gave attention to those Pioneering to honor them and help them out. During this particular evening, he mentioned a question he had regarding a point the Society made in the Revelation Climax book, page 105 [another big mistake]. It seemed they made a historical error, and wondered if the couple had noticed it. They were relatively new in the organization and missed the point. Bro. Kind showed them early material from the Society that contradicted the Revelation Climax book, and wanted their input. They did not take a position, and later reported him to the PO.
After this Bro. Kind's wife talked with the PO and learned that there may be a Judicial Committee being formed. So, Bro. Kind wrote up his concern and delivered it to the PO [third bigger mistake]. As soon as his handed his note to the PO, then the attitude changed markedly. The PO said, "Now we've got you, we are going to throw you out!" Continuing on the PO also said to Bro. Kind, "Why don't you just get the hell out of our organization!" [I have this statement on the word of Bro. Kind and the son of the PO who witnessed it.]
Before long, a Judicial Committee was established. The PO was on the Committee, and Bro. Kind forced his recusal from the seat of judgment. But then the Committee continued and the decision to disfellowship was eventually made, based not so much on Bro. Kind's concerns with issues, but because they believed that he was spreading apostasy. They were even more concerned to get to me through him. He would not cave in on this because there was nothing to report. He and I at that point had not communicated on his concerns. Nor had I shared any of my private concerns with him or anyone else.
He appealed the decision. An Appeal Committee was established. He was invited to present his case. While there he asked that the Elders from the first Committee be excused, and the Appeal Committee agreed. But, in a quick move, the Elders from the first Committee asked to talk with the Appeal Committee before their interview with Bro. Kind.
So, Bro. Kind agreed to wait outside the meeting room. Somehow, the meeting went on for an hour. Then Bro. Kind was told that the decision to disfellowship was upheld. What!? He never got to present his case!
He then appealed to the Society. This was agreed to and the disfellowshipping was put on hold. He was told to write a letter explaining his position and hand it over to the Appeal Committee to be sent along with their letter. He did just as they requested.
When he delivered his letter, he asked for a copy of the letter the Appeal Committee was sending so he could see what their arguments were. They declined and said that the letter had yet to be written. They first wanted to see his letter, and then make their rebuttal. Kind of a one-way street. This is when he also learned for the first time about the file on him dating back ten years. They were sending along their notes to the Society. He also asked for a copy of this file, and the Elders declined to provide it to him. He asked to just read it, and they declined this too.
So, to this day, he has little idea as to what was really used in that file against him. He was not allowed to see the evidence or the conclusions drawn from it by the Elders involved. When he got word that the Society had written back, he called me because the disfellowshipping decision was upheld. Bro. Kind cried because he enjoyed being a JW and feared losing his wife and son. [I personally believe that his fear of their loss was the real concern.
He wrote a letter disassociating himself. He felt at this point that he wanted the JW friends to know that he was leaving, and he took the time to call each one and explain. His wife stayed with him and his daughter had already left the JWs years earlier. His son, while still a JW, now performs as a professional magician. His son is so-so about the organization. More events took place with this dear brother after his disassociation. I will write about it later on. But the bottom line is, the Elders just wanted him out, and he was never really allowed to present his case, or see the 'evidence' that was used against him. And true to the PO’s words, "Now we've got you, we are going to throw you out!" ... , "Why don't you just get the hell out of our organization!" Okey-Dokey! – Amazing