Expert: Ed Buckner - 12/13/2007

Question
Hi, THERE SEEMS TO BE NO WAY TO  GET ANYWHERE  WITH WATCHTOWER OF THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES  WHERE ESTABLISHED LAW IS IN PLACE , THEY KNOW THAT, IS THERE ANY THING THE SUPREME COURT NEEDS TO GIVE REASONS AND THERE ARE PLENTY TO MAKE NEW LAWS THAT WILL REGULATE THE AUTONOMY OF THE WATCHTOWER, LIKE EVERY JUDICIARY, CASE, OR DICIPLINARY, ACTION SHUNNING CASE MUST BE REVIEWED BY OUT SIDE ARBITRATION, DOCUMENTED, REVIEWED THE WORKS.

SOME WHO COME UNDER JUDGMENT FROM  THE  INTERNAL CONGREGATION OPERATIONS, ARE NOT ALLOWED TO APPEAL, OR THE APPEAL IS IGNORED IN A COLLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT, THE SUPREME COURT HAS MUCH TO GAIN BY REGULATING ANY ORGANIZATION THAT,  WHERE THERE DOES NOT EXIST A WHISTLBLOWER PROVISION WITHOUT REPRISAL, YOU SEE WATCHTOWER HAS MADE A DOCTRINE WHERE MEMBERS ARE HELD HOSTAGE, BY THREAT OF SANCTIONS  IF INJURY FROM A FELLOW WITNESS, (THOSE IN AUTHORITY(THE "SPIRIT APPOINTED" "ELDERS" INCLUDED) FINANCIAL, PERSONAL, MENTAL OR ANY WHISTLEBLOWER ACTION,  GO OUTSIDE OF THE ORG IS A VIOLATION AGAINST GOD AND HIS ORGANIZATION. NO MATTER WHAT THE DAMAGE IS ONE IS JUST TOLD TO "WAIT ON GOD" TO FIX IT!

SOME HAVE BEEN "DISFELLOWSHIPED" BECAUSE THE SOUGHT COURT ACTION TO HELP INJURED, OR THEMSELVES SO THAT WAS LABELED "CAUSING DIVISIONS" OR "DISTURBING THE PEACE OF THE CONGREGATION"  WITH SO CALLED SCRIPTURAL BASES THEY COULD VALIDATE ANY SANCTION????!!! IS THIS LEGAL???  

IF SO THIS GOD DIRECTED ORG, SHOULD BE HELD TO  MUCH HIGHER STANDARD, THEN EVERY LITTLE THING SHOULD BE REGULATED MONITORED, AND DOCUMENTED, THEN ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO DEVIATE WILL HAVE IMMEDIATE ACCOUNTABILITY, TO THE GOVERNMENT, AND LAW INFORCMENT, AND YOU KNOW THEERE WOULD BE SO MUCH MORE CARE AND HONESTY, AND FAR LESS ARBIRTARIY INJUSTICE DON'T CHA THINK??   

IF IT BECAME CONSTITUTIONAL TO DEMAND ABSOLUTE TRANCPARANCY, AND NO AUTONOMY, THIS WOULD BE SAFE FOR ALL, A PROTECTION FOR ALL, NOW TAKE THAT TO THE SUPREME COURT AND UNTIE THE GOVENMENTS HANDS SO THAT ALL WILL BE PROTECTED!!!

PLEASE DO NOT USE MY EMAIL OR MY NAME AS "GOD" MY NOT LIKE IT AND HAVE TO "TAKE ACTION", AND BY "GOD"  I MEAN THE WATCHTOWER AND BY"TAKE ACTION" I MEAN SUPPRESS MY FREEDOM OF SPEECH , AND PERSONAL AUTONOMY, WITH SANCTIONS.

Please forgive me for the large type was not shouting just started with CAPS on and got on a roll.

All the best,


Answer
Dear frightened Jehovah's Witness,

I'm very sorry to say that I doubt if you have any recourse other than to leave the organization and work on finding a better life and career elsewhere. I am not an attorney, much less a constitutional attorney. But if I understand the facts correctly and if those are all the facts, I don't think the courts would entertain any legal solutions, though only a qualified attorney can answer you with much certainty.

That said, you sure have my agreement and sympathy on what *should* be true here. If religious organizations had to be accountable in the same way that every other kind of nonprofit organization does, it would be much less likely that outrageously unfair actions on their part wouldn't be subject to scrutiny and correction. But, under current law and judicial preferences, I'm afraid that religious organizations can get away with way too much.

Good luck and regards,

Ed Buckner
ed@buckners.us (in case you want to e-mail me directly)