Pudgy

There are three things that we will always have in this System ... death, taxes, and busybodies.

You dodo, you are repeating an incendiary media headline. 
We can depend upon it to be stated as inflammatory as they know how, for that is how the press operates when they get ahold of something juicy. 
Nonetheless, just for the sake of argument, let us assume that everything was exactly as stated.
Do you know how many “hanging judges” were in the American West, with their counterparts even today? Do you know how many judges are incompetent even now? Do you know how many trial verdicts are reversed upon appeal because the judge did something wrong?
Any time or any place you put humans in the mix you will get errors, even shocking ones. Maybe that is the case here. In any assemblage of several million people, you will find many examples of anything.
Pray to God for his direct handling of your issues and he will say he has underlings to handle your problem. Complain to him that the underlings are imperfect and he will observe that you are no great shakes yourself. 

Leaders of a Jehovah's Witnesses church 'made a 15-year-old girl listen to an audio tape of her own rape for four hours for her to say it was "consensual"', Utah Supreme Court hears
It would seem that JWs use the same tactics. 
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8942521/Jehovah-Witnesses-leaders-girl-15-listen-recording-rape-four-hours.html

Ever wonder from where the reports came that early Christians went in for cannibalism? 
“He that feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me, and I in union with him. ...
Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said: “This speech is shocking; who can listen to it?”  (From John 6)
Jesus faithful disciples cut him slack for that statement.. 
And that is with a perfect man. Don’t get me going with the imperfect ones, which I will not assemble for you, because you will, as usual, find them “all so funny.”

Another joke from CC but he actually hangs himself with his own rope here. God will punish me as an individual BECAUSE I have an individual conscience. God will not punish the congregation for my sins because God will not be using collective conscience.

This whole comment above is so funny that it's hard to know where to start to answer it. I presume Tom is on the wine or vodka or something. 
Of course Tom will now provide proof of God's true guidance and give names of the organisations that God used from the year 100 through to 1800. Tom will now show how God was using specific organisations when, ops, That Russell guy, he said there was no need of an Organisation, and he had plenty of people agreeing with him it seems. 
Tom also deliberately tries to hide the FACT that I am NOT Anti- organisation. Even governments are organised to a degree. Families are organised. Businesses are organied. So too, religion will be organised. 
Let's quote Tom here " If God is worth his salt, he will provide adequate human leadership."
Yes Tom, God will provide a True Anointed remnant to replace ALL false religions in good time, before the Judgement comes. 
Quote "Jehovah’s people will cut their shepherds some slack, just as was necessary in the first century,"
Yes well. the blind leading the blind. Catholics will probably cut the Pope and the priests some slack too. 
But please give me 5 examples of this 'first century' slackness, where the 'followers' cut their leaders some slack. 
Quote "But they also recognize that these ones will be relentlessly attacked simply for the Christian shepherding work that they do."
No, JWs are so blind that they believe the things they are told. Most JWs do not do research into things such as CSA. They do not research scripture from an outside viewpoint. They believe that their leaders are the ones to follow without question. And most JWs easily give up their conscience to follow orders. 
Sorry to be so blunt, but when you talk rubbish then you have to be open to a reply. 

I'd say it was more of a mental condition, referring to the metaphorical difference between heart and mind. I am just admitting that the elders likely made a mistake, probably because they assumed that neither of these were truly anointed, because of traditional conditioning around previous teachings. (Assumptions about the "Replacement doctrine," "seniority," worthiness, etc.)
 

I like this. You made excellent quote. WTJWorg publications only contain the claim that there were always people who worshiped YHVH between the 1st century and the appearance of Russell.
Not once did they name any "organization." So we have no indication, no evidence from WTJWrg, that God used any organized system (organization) and people who would be part of that system as believers / members.

None of this is true at all

I am not aware of "many accounts" but if we're honest, I'd bet that most of us here know of at least one case in any average sized congregation. I just wrote up a related experience of a sister who I think no one would consider mentally imbalanced, but who was told to hold off a few years partaking in public because awareness of her "calling" was causing distress for another sister who was then only one in that congregation who partook. I just removed the long-winded version of the experience because it's too easy to figure out who these ones were.

You are not aware of the many accounts, I suppose, of anointed who have approached the elders saying they are anointed, yet the elders say they aren't?   How many "mentally imbalanced" anointed are told they are not anointed and cannot partake?  Only God knows, right?
Are you saying that the GB are liars about not approving of the anointed to bond and study the Bible together?

The funny thing is I actually have no idea what CC is talking about. It's quite amusing really...

I don't know why but that reminded me of an elder, by his late 40's he had 2 deceased wives. Six months after his second wife's passing he married an 18 year old girl.

The problem is not the act of disfellowshipping. The problems are, the reasons for disfellowshipping, and that scripture say to take it before the Congregation, before disfellowshipping. BUT the Elders act in secret, behind closed doors and do not give the congregation true reasons for disfellowshipping someone. 

Musing more....
One of the things I noticed as an outside observer prior to becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses was the business of disfellowshipping and reinstatement. I saw both of these things as an atheist observing.
It struck me at the time as highly unusual. I'd read of excommunication as a Catholic, however I've never knew anyone who was ever disciplined in this way, though it's supposedly on the books.
It struck me that perhaps this was the reason I felt comfortable around these people as a group and in general. There were actual consequences for misbehavior. One could hardly imagine any consequences as a Catholic. No one even made you go to confession, never mind you never had to do anything except repeat "Hail Mary's" and "Our Fathers" to get forgiven (which had never at all been convincing to me).
No, even now it strikes me as a very important thing, this business of discipline.
I have to admit that I have a hard time w/the business of creating loyalty oaths and pledges and if someone won't burn a pinch of incense to an organization then they are persona non gratis...also engaging in thought-policing - that's also wrong.
Now chronically arguing and pushing ideas and engaging in stirring up contentions in the congregation would certainly merit some attention. Maybe not DF'ing, but certainly addressing these things, but always w/a view to reclaiming people, not forcing people to knuckle under. Ultimately, people who don't want to deal w/the discipline and mental regulating of the Bible will leave. Same reason some people who are obese don't want to hang out at the gym.

Lately, I'm mostly just a stamp licker. It's all so efficient, I can't get in enough hours to meet my goals. (Unless my printer jams. Then, I'm back on track again.*)
*I've been accused of pushing the envelope.

The Org once taught that people should serve God because GOD DESERVES TO BE SERVED, not for the gain of everlasting life. 

Life is so much better when you don't let curiosity overtake you by unblocking bad smells you previously blocked.

... I respect a man who can quote Clarke's Three Laws, Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, and the names of the Three Stooges.
( actually, 4 Stooges ...)

.... watching it now.
 

... I respect a man who can quote Clarke's Three Laws, Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, and the names of the Three Stooges.
( actually, 4 Stooges ...)

A miracle is NOT a "miracle" because it comes from God.
It is a "miracle" because it ALMOST never happens, and when it does, we do not understand the mechanism of HOW it happened.
Example: If you as an archaeologist digging in the undisturbed volcanic pumice of Pompeii, uncovered a working modern day flashlight.

Good point. Of course I can just pick the definition from the Insight Book, which says pretty much the same thing. It speaks to the individual's viewpoint and capabilities. Posting this link, because the variants are amusing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke's_three_laws

A miracle is NOT a "miracle" because it comes from God.
It is a "miracle" because it ALMOST never happens, and when it does, we do not understand the mechanism of HOW it happened.
Example: If you as an archaeologist digging in the undisturbed volcanic pumice of Pompeii, uncovered a working modern day flashlight.

I sighed at that tiny square at the top of the right-hand scrollbar, which indicated a novella below. But it was mostly pictures that required only a quick glance and a chuckle. The entire piece literally takes about 3 minutes tops. And I needed something light as I just watched the "Trial of the Chicago 7" on Netflix. I recommend both highly. Thanks xero; and thanks, Alan Sorkin.