Slander from a Church

[humorousgoddess]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Colorado

Can you sue a Church for slander if they ex-communicate you, effectively causing your friends and family to all shun you, even at family functions?

 

[rmet4nzkx]

What church did this occur in, what denomination.

 

[humorousgoddess]

Reply re: shunning

It occurred in the Jehovah's Wittness Organization.

 

[cbg]

I responded to this exact same question a couple of months ago but the thread seems to have been deleted. The answer remains the same now as it was then.

No. You cannot. Neither excommunication nor shunning meets the legal definition of slander.

 

[rmet4nzkx]

I asked what denomination because most have some sort of "canon law" or mediation available to resolve disputes among members. If you broke their rules, or if they just don't like you, it is their loss, brush the dust from your feet and move on, you will be surprised how many opportunities for worship and fellowship you will find without the restrictions narrow minted people.

 

[zippysgoddess]

And if your family is shunning you because of what some stupid idiots in their church think, then they are not worth being around anyway.

 

[humorousgoddess]

Reply #2

I didn't know legally since a formal letter was read publicly denouncing me, in effect slandering my name. Also, I have several other relatives and friends who had this happen to them. They all took the mandatory church steps to "get back in" publicly, then threatened to sue for slander if ever ex-communnicated again. It worked for them. I refuse to go back. Also, it's easy to say forget about family members, but they are honestly doing what they believe is the right thing. Right or wrong. It's not so easy to just go from having a very large extended family to only a few members when you grew up with all of them and love them. It's easy to say, but not so easy to feel that way.

 

[cbg]

Threatening to sue for slander is not the same thing as actually having a case for slander. Nothing you have describes gives you a case for slander under the law.