Our server costs ~$56 per month to run. Please consider donating or becoming a Patron to help keep the site running. Help us gain new members by following us on Twitter and liking our page on Facebook!
Current time: March 28, 2024, 4:41 pm

Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Could I sue my religion over this?
#1
Could I sue my religion over this?
So, take this story with a grain of salt, trusting that my details, in general, are accurate. I understand that a lawsuit would bear out the weaknesses of my argument. TL;DR is basically the last paragraph.


I'm a JW. I'm sure you know about the "disfellowshipping" arrangement. Well, I recently had a "spiritual baptism" experience that motivated me to get back with my old religion, Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm not going to preach about my spiritual experience, but if anyone is interested, please DM me. Anyway, I smoke weed, and have on a regular basis, for about a year now. It helps me with anxiety, and other than a strange spiritual experience, I haven't had any delusions or hallucinations that reject reality. I have felt calmer, and I am just happier in general. So that is why I have the peace of mind to keep my weed use and my spirituality to myself, because I know that bothering other people is the first step to losing control over your self.

I am married and things were good between us. She was ok with the weed use until I started attending meetings at my congregation again. She was also pregnant, which I understand the "idea" of weed being used in the same home is bad, but I used it in a ventilated area and never once has it caused me anger or a dangerous loss of self-functioning ability. Either way, as far as I know, she didn't divulge my secret. She did work with me but every fight started because of me using weed. I'm not even denying that I might have a problem, but as long as I was able to function in my day to day life, I figured it was safe. And I was. I managed my business and didn't cause any strife in my life.

Long story short, me and my wife have continued marital problems that are all centered around her not wanting me to use weed. To the point where she leaves and we agree to get divorced and work things out amicably. In the meantime, the "elders" in my congregation have decided to hold whats called a Judicial Meeting. Where they decide whether or not to disfellowship me. They did not once come to me face to face to try and "correct" me. They never once reached out to me in any way other than this judicial meeting.

So here is my argument... Can a large organization just kick a member out without any accountability? Especially when their judgment over me is entirely based off of a natural use, of a natural plant, SPECIALLY created by Jehovah? (because they don't believe in evolution) And that judgment has been the main reason why me and my wife could not figure out our marital problems. Instead of even ONE counseling session with me, they approve of my wife leaving me and they approve of me being shunned from the congregation. This is a religion that claims moral authority over other religions, because of their close adherence to the scriptures. When I asked why they are not applying Jesus principle in Matthew 18, about going to your brother FIRST face to face, they said that it didn't apply to them. They literally, like the pharisees, pulled out the literature written by the organization.

So what I think merits a case is this.

1. They aren't even holding up their own principles
2. They never once offered any kind of rehabilitation. Spiritual, or any other version.
3. The only irreconcilable difference in my marriage was weed use, and my wife in her own words said, "I'm going to side with Jehovah"
4. Not one person in the religion has come to me, whether to my face, over the phone, or at the congregation to see if they could help me out with my marital or weed problem.

Am I wrong, or is this not a super injustice? If I'm crazy, just tell me. But I have genuinely become a better all around person. If I would have had some help getting off the weed, I would try it. But my wife only caused me more anxiety, due to her anxiety that she would be killed at armageddon, by Jehovah. This religion, or at least the elder body, has ruined my marriage and didn't even try to help me once, or my wife, to reconcile. Even though we have a 2 week old daughter now. They teach that God hates a divorce and adultery is the only grounds for divorce.

So would this be the legal question... Jehovah's Witnesses have fought hard to protect their rights as a religion. They have won almost every supreme court case and almost every European high court case that they have fought in. They also claim to have the right to judge a man or woman as not even worthy to be spoken to by any member of the church. Even family. And they uphold this by threatening expulsion if you break the rule. Should they be held accountable if their "god given" system is liable for severely damaging a man's life and separating his family? Especially when they promise to have the ultimate tools of healing at their disposal? If they feel that I'm drug addicted, why did they not even offer a drug rehabilitation program?
Reply
#2
RE: Could I sue my religion over this?
anyone's recourse against a given religion is to announce a revelation and start a religion of their own
 The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it. 




Reply
#3
RE: Could I sue my religion over this?
How can you sue a religion?
(August 21, 2017 at 11:31 pm)KevinM1 Wrote: "I'm not a troll"
Religious Views: He gay

0/10

Hammy Wrote:and we also have a sheep on our bed underneath as well
Reply
#4
RE: Could I sue my religion over this?
Honestly I'd be pretty pissed off too if I was pregnant and my husband was getting high all the time. The last thing I'd want is to raise a new child with a pot head dad.

I know that was super harsh and judgy on my part, but it makes me mad when men don't step up to the plate to be good fathers and the women have to raise a kid AND deal with BS from their child's father. I mean, the most basic thing a man can do as a dad is to stop abusing drugs.

As for suing your religion, I don't see how that's possible. If it's not doing anything positive for yourself or your life, and if you don't believe in it, I'd just leave.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly." 

-walsh
Reply
#5
RE: Could I sue my religion over this?
the other members could sue if the church did not enforce a particular stricture on you but did against others
 The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it. 




Reply
#6
RE: Could I sue my religion over this?
Could you sue someone because they gave you a winning lottery ticket? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
God thinks it's fun to confuse primates. Larsen's God!






Reply
#7
RE: Could I sue my religion over this?
(October 7, 2017 at 11:24 am)Won2blv Wrote: So here is my argument... Can a large organization just kick a member out without any accountability?

Yes.

The church isn't your employment, and you're not part of a protected class. They have not abused you in any way, thus they are not liable for damages (or anything else).

Also, treat this as Exhibit A as to why adhering so closely to religious institutions and the rules they implement is bullshit. Your problems with your wife, from what you say, come largely from external pressure placed upon you by the church. To reasonable people, that's bullshit.
Reply
#8
RE: Could I sue my religion over this?
(October 7, 2017 at 11:24 am)Won2blv Wrote: So here is my argument... Can a large organization just kick a member out without any accountability?
Yep, it's their club.

Quote:Should they be held accountable if their "god given" system is liable for severely damaging a man's life and separating his family?
Compliance /w dis-fellowship initiatives is voluntary.  The people who love you most in this life are about to disown you.  I suppose the time to realize that you were dealing with fundamentally shitty people was before you became complicit as a witness.....but things are rarely that ideal.  I suggest joining a support group.  You're going to need new friends.  A cursory search on google will locate one, and give you an idea of how your life is about to change, for better and for worse.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Reply
#9
RE: Could I sue my religion over this?
This is why all churches should be invited to fuck off.
Reply
#10
RE: Could I sue my religion over this?
(October 7, 2017 at 11:54 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: Honestly I'd be pretty pissed off too if I was pregnant and my husband was getting high all the time. The last thing I'd want is to raise a new child with a pot head dad.

I know that was super harsh and judgy on my part, but it makes me mad when men don't step up to the plate to be good fathers and the women have to raise a kid AND deal with BS from their child's father. I mean, the most basic thing a man can do as a dad is to stop abusing drugs.

As for suing your religion, I don't see how that's possible. If it's not doing anything positive for yourself or your life, and if you don't believe in it, I'd just leave.

I would just say that you should think before you judge who I am and how pot affects me. If I took lithium or some kind of antidepressant, I'm sure you wouldn't judge me the same way. How come you can label me as this or that, when you don't even know how it really affects me?
Reply



Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  If you could rid the world... FredTheLobster 33 3216 June 29, 2021 at 11:02 am
Last Post: onlinebiker
  Could God's creation be like His omniscience? Whateverist 19 5909 May 18, 2017 at 2:45 pm
Last Post: Neo-Scholastic
  Another "how could any intelligent woman be a Christian?" thread drfuzzy 17 2807 September 14, 2016 at 10:19 pm
Last Post: Cecelia
  Why i choose science reason and atheism over religion dyresand 28 7217 December 29, 2015 at 5:43 pm
Last Post: dyresand
  How Could Anyone Believe the Gospels Are Eywitness Accounts? Jenny A 15 4104 March 1, 2015 at 3:19 pm
Last Post: abaris
  This Could Have Gone in Damned Republicunts, too, but Minimalist 20 3072 February 27, 2015 at 10:18 am
Last Post: Losty
  Why does God use an army to fight, when He Could Do it alone? Christian 46 6389 October 29, 2014 at 12:00 am
Last Post: dyresand
  Christians. Could you be wrong? Rob_W75 888 123477 September 24, 2014 at 4:12 pm
Last Post: C4RM5
  Human monster suggests Ebola could be a solution to the atheism "problem." Esquilax 35 6172 August 25, 2014 at 2:58 pm
Last Post: Minimalist
  After I know this how could I leave the church? sophonian 39 6147 August 15, 2014 at 4:07 am
Last Post: Undeceived



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)