Before your next Judicial meeting...

Hey this may help you establish some things before you enter your next Judicial meeting...



Our Letter to the Elders


Dear Brothers,


The purpose of this letter is to clarify certain matters and to secure and protect what we, Xxxxx and Xxxxxxxx, consider basic human rights in dealing with agents of the multinational Watchtower corporations.


Since you have asked us to respond to charges in what could escalate into a judicial committee, there are a few things that we must ask for and which we feel must be clarified before we consider meeting with the elders, judicially or otherwise:


1. We shall be notified in writing of any accusations against us, the names of persons making such accusations and the substance of all evidence against us.


2. We shall be notified in writing of the exact purpose of the meetings.


3. We shall be notified in writing of the time, place and purpose of any meetings with the elders, judicially or otherwise.


4. We shall be notified in writing exactly on whose behalf the judicial committee was convened and is acting: the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses or its legal corporation, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses or its legal corporations, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, the International Bible Students Association or any other agency not here named.


5. If any agency other than the one for whom the judicial committee has informed us they are acting for is consulted, reported to, or allowed to have any bearing on the outcome of the judicial process, we will consider the judicial committee as acting in the their behalf.


6. We shall be notified in writing as to our status as a member of any and all of the organizations for which the committee is acting or to which the committee will report.


7. We insist that the judicial committee immediately cease, and in the future desist from any actions toward or against us in behalf of any corporation or organization of which we are not members.


8. We shall be notified in writing of any and all of our rights and responsibilities involved in the judicial process.


9. We shall be given sufficient time between notification of any meetings with a judicial committee and the time of the actual meeting to prepare a response to any accusations.


10. We shall be allowed to have at least one person of our choice present during all meetings between the judicial committee and us as an observer. Since there is good reason to believe that the judicial committee may consult with one or more lawyers, specifically those employed by the Legal Department of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Incorporated, the person of our choice may also be a lawyer.


11. During the meetings with the judicial committee we and our observer will be allowed to document anything we feel is necessary.


Additionally, if the judicial committee takes any judicial action against us:


12. We will not recognize any action taken by the judicial committee as valid unless it is communicated to us in writing, stating the exact nature and reason for the action.


13. In this written communication the judicial committee must state exactly on whose behalf they have taken the action, specifically the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses or its legal corporation, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses or its legal corporations, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, the International Bible Students Association or any other agency not here named.


14. If the judicial committee has stated that it is acting only for the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, it is enjoined from notifying any agency outside the congregation of their action. If the judicial committee or anyone acting in their behalf notifies or reports to anyone outside the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, we may take any appropriate legal action.


15. We may appeal any action taken by the judicial committee.


16. Before we will meet with an appeal committee, that committee must notify us in writing of the names of all of the members of the appeal committee and who each one represents: the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses or its legal corporation, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses or it’s legal corporations, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, the International Bible Students Association or any other agency not here named


17. There shall be no contact between the judicial committee and the appeal committee other than to inform them of the time and place of our meetings with them. If we determine that there is any contact, communication or attempt on the part of any of the members of the original judicial committee or anyone acting on their behalf to, in any way prejudice or sway the appeal committee, we will insist that a new appeal committee be formed.


18. We shall be notified in writing of any and all of our rights and responsibilities involved in the appeal process.


19. We shall be allowed to have at least one person of our choice present during all meetings between us and the appeal committee. Since there is good reason to believe that the appeal committee may consult with one or more lawyers, specifically those employed by the Legal Department of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Incorporated, the person of our choice may also be a lawyer.


20. During the meetings with the appeal committee us and our observer will be allowed to document whatever we feel is necessary.


21. We will not recognize any action taken by the appeal committee as valid unless it is communicated to us in writing, stating the exact nature and reason for the action.


22. In this written communication the appeal committee must state exactly on whose behalf they are taking the action, specifically the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses or its legal corporation, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses or its legal corporations, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, the International Bible Students Association or any other agency not here named.


23. If the appeal committee has stated that it is acting only for the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, it is enjoined from notifying any agency outside the congregation of their action. If the appeal committee or anyone acting in their behalf notifies or reports to anyone outside the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, we may take any appropriate legal action.


24. We understand that if we are disfellowshipped by the judicial committee and the disfellowshipping is upheld by the appeal committee that we are, at that point, no longer considered to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. We also understand that you may make a brief announcement that we have been disfellowshipped. From then on, we will consider any attempt to convince by speeches, talks or teaching; to coerce by implied or actual threat of similar judicial action; or to encourage by private counsel or suggestion any of Jehovah’s Witnesses to treat us differently from any other persons that are not Jehovah’s Witnesses to be a serious violation of our civil rights. We may then initiate any legal action, civil or criminal, that we deem appropriate. This includes any attempt to convince by speeches, talks or teaching; to coerce by implied or actual threat of similar judicial action; or to encourage by private counsel or suggestion any present Jehovah’s Witnesses to shun or avoid us, cease or otherwise modify their doing business with us, or terminate or otherwise abrogate any lease, rental, mortgage, or any other legal agreement that we may presently have with them. We may consider such to be an infringement of free trade and may initiate appropriate legal action.


25. We consider any communication between the members of the judicial committee and ourselves and the appeal committee and ourselves to be ecclesiastically privileged. Any attempt to reveal the substance or tone of those communications to any other person or group will be considered by us to be a breach of that privilege and may result in legal action. This includes any announcements beyond the fact of our disfellowshipping, speeches, talks, or any other communication, written or oral, public or private.


Additionally, we have decided that we will not formally disassociate ourselves from the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses or from Jehovah’s Witnesses in general. We came to this decision for several reasons. First, there is nothing in the Bible that calls for a formal letter of disassociation in our situation, or any other. It seems to us that the provision of formal disassociation is a matter of convenience for the legal department of the Watchtower Society rather than serving any real religious purpose. Also, we have no problem with the Xxxx xxxxxxx Congregation or its members. Our disagreements are with certain actions, policies, teachings and writings contained in publications that are produced, and in oral teachings promulgated either individually or collectively by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses and its legal corporations, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc., the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the International Bible Students Association.


We respectfully await your written response,


Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxx