Dis-fellowshipping.
A) What are the real 'offenses' for having this put upon someone?

-I assume you are asking what type of offenses warrant a disfellowshiping? The simple answer is anything really. The majority are usually due to Adultry, Fornication, homosexuality, or questioning the teachings of the governing body in NYC or the watchtower organization itself. Other reasons may be for smoking, drug use, worldy association including dating or marrying outside the religion, etc. The ACTUAL reason a disfellowship is warranted is if the elders at your disciplinary hearing feel that you are unrepentive.

B) Is it voluntary or a judgment handed down that must be obeyed?

-It is a judgement.

C) What does it entail? Must all JWs then shun the dis-fellowshipped person? How is this person viewed and treated?

-You are stripped of priviledges and shunned. You can not give any public talks, bible studies, door to door ministry, or participate in answer/question portions of study. All JW's will act like you are invisible, literally. That person is viewed as diseased. You will not be spoken to because if a JW associates with a disfellowshipped one, they too can be DF'd for that alone.

What are the roles of women in JW society?

-They can not give public talks, public bible study, or any ministerial servant duties like manning the publication library, or microphone usher during Q&A parts. The role is basically to be subservient to the husband, as the husband is the head of the household. Men hold ALL the positions of power in the orginization. This didnt even occur to me until a decade later after getting out. Covering of the wifes head is something i've never heard of or seen.

"Door Knocking"

Its not nessesarily "Mandatory". But if you never do it you could be "Marked" by an elder which pretty much means look out for this guy, he's a bad influence. So if u want to stay in good standing then yeah, u gotta go door to door. Hour keeping is important to someone somewhere up the chain I assume, but the hours per month determined your Publisher level. I can't recall the exact hours but everyone wanted everyone to "Pioneer", which was something like 40+ hours a month. Some people keep more detailed notes than others. All I ever noted was addresses that asked me to never come back. Out of respect I noted and handed up so they could update the territory map and mark that address off for the next person that was given that route.

1st question:

Dis-fellowshipping.

A) What are the real 'offenses' for having this put upon someone?

Others have given specifics but virtually anything their governing body deems a disfellowshipping offense. Disagreeing with their interpretation of scripture and making your disagreement known is almost the coup de gras of disfellowshipping offenses.

B) Is it voluntary or a judgment handed down that must be obeyed?

One word; coercion. As it relates to the "offender", if you are baptized you have basically assented to abide by their rules. Any other members comply through peer pressure as well as threat of the same treatment.

C) What does it entail? Must all JWs then shun the dis-fellowshipped person? How is this person viewed and treated?

In common parlance shunning. Members will no longer speak or acknowledge you. Yes, see above with certain exceptions for immediate family living in the same home. Like they are either a a leper or dead.

2nd question:

What are the roles of women in JW society?

Be subservient to the men and support whatever the men do/say unless egregiously contradictory to what the "Governing Body" says.

Do they have any say, any input?

Sure they can have a say but for all practical purposes cannot make decisions.

Is it only men who make decisions?

Yes

Also: I have heard that a woman must cover her head when in prayer with her husband, to show obedience. Is this remotely true?

In some situations they must. They are not allowed to "preside" over a man so if for any reason they must teach in the presence of a baptized male member they are required to cover their head.

3rd question:

Door Knocking:

I have read that not only is the door knocking component ( AKA "servicing" ) is not only mandatory, but that a strict tally of hours must be kept. How true is this?

Mandatory in a sense. Again it is enforced through coercion. I have no doubt that members fudge these numbers all the time. However, it is true that they track these things.

Also: I have read that notes are kept on the results of each home :

EG:

This person is already a Witness, no need to visit

    *Most know where other members live so they wouldn't knock on their door.*

This person has responded in a somewhat friendly manner, keep trying them

    *Yes, they will write down an interested person and return in the hopes of eventually converting them*

The people at this house are hostile, avoid this house.

    *This typically wouldn't stop them unless the householder specifically requested not to be visited.  Even then some would try again after so much time has passed.*

Is this true? They are keeping tabs on the people they visit , and have a plan of attack to convert them ? I have more questions, but that's enough for now....

Keeping tabs, while true, seems to imply spying. They do track their efforts. The plan of "attack" is to try and get them to study their literature and convert them.

I had a family member convert about 10 years ago. I met with her elders and attended a couple services out respect for her. But I have to say, those people are intense! Honestly, what bothered my most was being given a Watchtower reading assignment and then having it read aloud to me again during service. Usually by people still sounding out words. I told them I'm a spiritualist and psychic medium, and they agreed to pray for me from afar. Win/win situation as far as I'm concerned.

1st question:

? Dis-fellowshipping.?

A) What are the real 'offenses' for having this put upon someone?

There are so many. Adultery, fornication, artificial insemination, apostasy, ion or masturbation with a partner, simulating sex even while clothed. Smoking, drunkenness, associating with disfellowshipped people, blood and blood transfusions, drug use, drunkenness, dishonest business practices, Working for any religious, gambling or military organization, fraud. extortion, homosexuality, loose conduct, military service, voting, spiritism, physical abuse. There are more.

B) Is it voluntary or a judgment handed down that must be obeyed?

It’s like a trial. You go in and elders determine if you are guilty which you usually are and they tell you are disfellowshipped. If other Witnesses don’t shun you that is grounds for them being disfellowshipped.

C) What does it entail? Must all JWs then shun the dis-fellowshipped person? How is this person viewed and treated?

See B. It’s pretty absolute.

Yes. My son and his family live a mile and a half from me and I haven’t spoken to him in about 20 years but just to not or say hi. I didn’t recognize him at the post office one day.

2nd question:

? What are the roles of women in JW society?

They are seen as helpmates to their husbands. They are pretty much second class citizens and if the husband is abusive the elders will tell the wife that she needs to show more love to him.

Do they have any say, any input?

They can answer questions but not teach unless the other person is not baptized and then they have to wear a head covering.

Is it only men who make decisions?

Completely in the congregation and pretty much at home.

3rd question:

? Door Knocking:

I have read that not only is the door knocking component ( AKA "servicing" ) is not only mandatory, but that a strict tally of hours must be kept. How true is this?

In order to be a Jehovah’s Witness you have to go in “service” which is as you put it door knocking or do street witnessing.

Also: I have read that notes are kept on the results of each home :

EG:

? This person is already a Witness, no need to visit

? This person has responded in a somewhat friendly manner, keep trying them

? The people at this house are hostile, avoid this house.

This wasn’t true when I was in but I’ve been out for 30 years. I keep up some and haven’t heard of it. We did keep track of interest.

I would advise you to Google Lloyd Evans or John Ceders (same guy). He has a large following of YouTube and I’ve watched a lot of his stuff and can honestly say that I have never seen him say anything not true.

OMG, you have more questions?! Just kidding, but I will break it down one question at a time.

Let's start with Question 1: Disfellowshipping.

There is a huge laundry list of things that you can get disfellowshipped for. Adultery, fornication, smoking, drunkenness, and the like. They even have a clause for BRAZEN CONDUCT, which means you can get disfellowshipped for anything that pisses the elders off.

It is a judgment made by a committee of 3 elders that confer with you and then make their decision in a closed room without you. Then they call you back in and let you know what the verdict is. You can appeal it, but few decisions end up being reversed.

All JW's will shun you as a disfellowshipped person and treat you like you do not exist, including your family. The only exception is immediate family under the same roof.

I will work on the rest later. This almost is like a term paper. Just curious, do you have any relatives that are JW or thinking about it? If they are studying with them, tell them "Run Forrest, run!"