LC: 41. PROCEDURES FOR EXCOMMUNICATING FAMILY MEMBERS

A. Charter Members can only be excommunicated by the continental office, and only if the member commits one of the Offenses Warranting Excommunication.

1. Charter Members can be fully excommunicated from receiving Family literature and from Family fellowship.

2. Alternatively, if the continental office determines it to be appropriate and proportionate discipline for the offense, Charter Members can be partially excommunicated. Partial Excommunication must be for a period of not less than three or more than six months.

While partially excommunicated, the member:

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a) If partially excommunicated for a sex related Charter offense, must refrain from sexual contact, except with their mate if they have one.

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(1) If the member was partially excommunicated for sexual activity with a non-Charter member, they must refrain from any sexual activity with another person until they are cleared of having contracted the HIV virus by taking an AIDS test immediately, followed by a second AIDS test no sooner than six months after the first. They must also take a test for sexually transmitted diseases and refrain from any sexual activity until they have tested free from any sexually transmitted diseases, other than herpes.

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(2) If the member was partially excommunicated for only deep kissing a non-Charter member and no other sexual activity, they must refrain from any sexual activity with another person, until they are cleared of having contracted the HIV virus by taking an AIDS test immediately, followed by a second AIDS test no sooner than three months after the first.

(i) Members partially excommunicated for the above offenses, who are mated, may have sexual relations with their mate, if their mate agrees, providing they use a condom each time. The partially excommunicated member's mate must also agree not to share sexually with others until their mate has been cleared after his or her second AIDS test.

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(3) If a Charter Member has sexual activity with anyone who has had sexual activity with an outsider, they must immediately refrain from any sexual activity (except with their mate if their mate is in agreement, who also must then refrain from any sexual activity with others), until the person they had sexual activity with (the partially excommunicated member) is cleared by their second AIDS test after six months, or they themselves take a second AIDS test after six months.

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b) Must read from the Reading List for Fellow Members Changing to CM or those on Partial Excommunication, during their period of excommunication.

c) Is not a voting member of the Home.

d) Loses his Right of Mobility.

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(1) A partially excommunicated member loses his or her Right of Mobility. However, the teamwork of his or her Home can give its approval for the member to move to another Home. And if the receiving Home is aware that the member is partially excommunicated and votes the prospective member into the Home according to Charter guidelines, the continental office of the area in which the member on partial excommunication resides may give approval for the member to move to the receiving Home. The receiving Home, if in a different continental area, must also receive approval from their continental office to receive the member.

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(2) If the partially excommunicated member's Home disbands while he or she is still partially excommunicated, he or she has the right to move to another Home. The new Home must be informed that this member is partially excommunicated.

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(3) If a minor is placed on Partial Excommunication, their parent(s) still retain(s) the right to move their child to another location during this period.

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e) Must forego all alcoholic beverages.

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f) Must forego all movies, both in the Home and at movie theaters, and watching television, except for news or educational documentaries and videos that are part of their schooling curriculum.

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g) Must forego surfing the Internet, as well as the playing of computer games.
         Members may access the Internet for business or school purposes only and with the approval and oversight of the Home's officers.

h) Might be required to live outside of the Home for a period of time specified by the continental office.

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(1) If living outside a Charter Home during the period of partial excommunication, the member must test negative for the HIV virus before moving into a Charter Home, and again test negative after having lived within the Charter Home for a six-month period. They must have no sexual activity during this first six-month period of again living in a Charter Home. They must also take a test for sexually transmitted diseases and refrain from any sexual activity until they have tested free from any sexually transmitted diseases, other than herpes.

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(i) If mated, the partially excommunicated member may have sexual relations with their mate upon returning to the Charter Home, if their mate is agreeable to it. However this may only be done provided this couple use a condom each time, and the excommunicated member's mate agrees not to share sexually with others until their mate has been cleared after his or her second AIDS test, six months after their initial test. They must also take a test for sexually transmitted diseases and refrain from any sexual activity until they have tested free from any sexually transmitted diseases, other than herpes.

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(2) If debts are incurred while living outside a Charter Home during the period of partial excommunication, they must be paid off before the member moves back into a Charter Home.

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         As you will note, there is a difference between full and partial excommunication. With full excommunication, besides being cut off from all but GP/DFO Family literature, the excommunicated member may also be cut off from all Family fellowship for an indefinite period of time (This is a small but significant change that allows for those who have been fully excommunicated to have contact with Family members, unless expressly forbidden by the CRO, which would be announced to the Homes.) Unless otherwise specified by the CRO, it is up to the Home itself to determine whether or not they will have contact with a fully excommunicated member, and to what degree. A Home cannot, however, allow an excommunicated member to join their Home as a member without approval from the CRO (see Procedures for Accepting New Disciples into a Charter Home, A. 1.).

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         With partial excommunication, it is up to the discretion of the continental office to determine whether the member can serve their sentence in the Home or not. The continental office may decide to separate the partially excommunicated member from the Charter Home for a given period of time, or to allow him to remain in the Home during his entire period of partial excommunication. As well, the continental office determines the duration of partial excommunication, but it must be at least three months and not more than six months.

3. In the case of a Charter Member having had sexual activity with a non-Charter member, the continental office has the option of allowing the Charter Member to become a Fellow Member rather than being excommunicated. If the member agrees, the Procedures for Moving a Charter Member to Fellow Member Status will be waived and the change of status will take effect immediately upon receipt of notice from the continental office.
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         Because Fellow Members are allowed to have sexual relations with non-Family members, in some cases, if a Charter Member feels that they would rather become a Fellow Member in order to be able to pursue a relationship with a non-Family member, the continental office may give them the option of doing so rather than being partially excommunicated and continuing on as a Charter Member.

B. Only the Home's officers or the area or continental office can initiate recommendations for full or partial excommunication. To recommend excommunication, the following procedures must be adhered to:

1. The Home officers must inform the area and continental offices of the member's excommunicable offense, giving full details of the matter.

2. Regardless of who initiates the excommunication, the area office must fully investigate the matter, speaking personally with the Home officers, the member in question, and anyone else involved.

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a) A Home member who has acknowledged that he committed an excommunicable offense has the option, if he or she so desires, of waiving the right to have an area officer visit and investigate the offense, thereby fully accepting the sentence of the continental office.

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(1) The continental office reserves the right to not accept the Home member's waiver of a personal visit by an area officer.

3. The area office must inform the continental office of its findings, and its assessment of whether the member has committed the excommunicable offense, and if so, recommend to the continental office full or partial excommunication.

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C. Upon receipt of the area office report and recommendation, the continental officers, by a two-thirds majority, will decide whether full or partial excommunication is warranted, and the length and other conditions thereof.

1. If full excommunication is warranted, the continental office will inform the member and his Home, in writing, that the member's Family membership is withdrawn.

2. If partial excommunication is warranted, the continental office will notify the member and his Home that the member has been partially excommunicated, specifying all conditions, including the duration of his or her partial excommunication.


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