Wt Faces Libel Risk In Disfellowshipping Cases?

[Adalson]

thanks for alot of your input, wanted to know if you knew of what kind of legal implications the elders could face or watchtower for disfellowshipping my wife and i for all that i told you on Sunday. also were you once an elder yourself and have you spoken with any kind of networks of ex jws with regard to legal issues? please know i am not looking for legal counsel mfrom you.

[Rexley]

Dear James,

No I was not an elder. I was at one time a "Bethelite" at Brooklyn, NY. I have heard of very specific circumstances under which the organization can face legal risk when disfellowshipping; a risk they do not face when a Witness disassociates himself. I don't recall the details, I vaguely remember it has something to do with libel. However, due to the separation of church and state, and constitutional protections for churches in the US, it's very difficult to prosecute a church, as I understand it. You're right not to ask for legal counsel, as I am not qualified to offer it.

There are many networks of XJW's. Two of them are at least tangentially involved in legal recourse: Silent Lambs, which is interested in exposing sexual abuse cases so as to protect the innocent; and The Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood(AJWRB).

Best wishes,

AndrewXJW