"Brothers and sisters, open your hearts and your wallets." - Assembly day

by truthseeker 43 Replies latest jw friends

  • truthseeker
    truthseeker

    I received this from someone who recently attended the "Keep Your Eye Simple" Special Assembly Day.

    ----------------------------

    The title of this post was spoken by James Pellechia, a Bethel heavy. After the mid afternoon song, Bro Pellechia reads the accounts report.

    The circuit assembly account had a surplus of $3,000, the account balance was $47,000. Receipts were $9,000. And the cost of using the hall? $12,000!

    After all the funds had been transferred to the Watchtower he said, "we have a deficit brothers of $3,500. Open your hearts and your wallets brothers and sisters. I know you will do the right thing."

    Shortly afterwards, I noticed brothers carrying two large contribution boxes in front of the exits doors, which would face those leaving after the session.

    This blatant sneakiness of moving contribution boxes in place and Bro. Pellechia's scam is nauseating.

    Anyway, here is the assembly program...

    KEEP YOUR EYE SIMPLE

    Morning Session

    Prior to music, an announcement was stated: "Brothers and sisters, we will be playing delightful music that you will find enjoyable. This has been provided by the faithful and discreet slave." - Yes, this was really said. Talk about 1984.

    9:40 Music

    9:50 Song No. 26 and Prayer

    10:00 Why Keep Your Eye Simple? Usuallspiel about TV, Internet, Higher Education taking the time of brothers and sisters who need that time for personal study and family study.

    10:15 Reap Blessings For Keeping A Simple Eye - interview with an elder, his wife and two chidren who moved to a smaller house to be near their job, so they could pioneer. Throughout the course of the day, interviewees were never ordinary rank and file; no they were Bethelites, Circuit Overseers and regular pioneers.

    10:40 Be Sound In Mind - The End Draws Near - the speaker they had was dynamic, but I couldn't help thinking how many times I had heard this before.

    Speaker presented SIX lines of POWERFUL EVIDENCE:

    1) We are in the last days as spoken of by Paul's letter to Timothy.

    2) The composite sign Jesus spoke about is happening now, since 1914.

    3) The number of genuine anointed is dwindling. There will still be anointed ones on earth during the tribulation.

    4) We are in the feet of the image mentioned in Daniel - "no brothers," the speaker says, "we are in the toes of the image."

    5) We are in the time period of the 8th King - speaker mentions all previous kings and says the United Nations is the eight king - there are no more kings.

    side note: If the UN is a King, who are its subjects?

    6) I can't remember a sixth, but these powerful lines of evidence have been published in a Watchtower study article a few years ago.

    10:55 Song No. 9 and Announcements - "We would like to thank you for the co-operation regarding the matter of chewing gum..."

    11:05 Keeping a Simple Eye in a Wicked World - interviews with families and pioneers.

    11:35 Dedication and Baptism: Yes, the old devil himself is tempting all you new ones

    12:05 Song No. 152

    Afternoon Session

    1:20 Music

    1:30 Song No. 164

    1:35 Experiences

    1:45 Watchtower Summary - interesting, one of the paragraphs says that disgruntles ones whos expectations have not been fulfilled, start making use of the world to its full, careers, university education and hobbies.

    2:15 Parents Who Aim Their Arrows Aright - Interview with family and their six kids - all are regular pioneers, servants etc. It's a shame that they ignore the average Joe publishers who can only do 4 hours a month while working full time to support his family.

    2:30 Youths Who Reach Out For Spiritual Goals - you can guess this one, more of the same pioneer, Bethel, Gilead service.

    2:45 Song No. 157 and Announcements

    2:55 Focus on Moving Ahead with Jehovah's Organization

    Interesting this item, speaker actually said, that we may have questions or doubts which go unanswered for a long time, that is privately held views ans such. IF we allow these to fester, we could experience a crisis of faith and go apostate!!! Of course, the remedy is do research, but only in the Bible based publications.

    3:55 Song No.222 and Prayer

    The whole theme of the Special assembly Day was "Keep Your Eye Simple."

    I would suggest the Watchtower apply these words when printing their voluminous literature

    "A few things or just one is necessary." - The Bible

  • david_10
    david_10

    Very interesting. Thanks, truthseeker. It seems like the assembly day for this area is coming up pretty quick. Today, maybe. I'll find out from my reliable source and compare what he says to your notes. I'm betting it'll be pretty close.

    David

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    That speech, "Six Lines of Powerful Evidence" is recycled. Goodness, if I hang around with the JW's long enough, I'll be like Blondie. I remember these things! I took that article apart on a thread back in February 2003. *Six Convincing Lines of Evidence WT January 15, 2000 p. 12, 13 para 13-18

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/47398/1.ashx

  • Mary
    Mary

    After all the funds had been transferred to the Watchtower he said, "we have a deficit brothers of $3,500.
    Just a sec.....if you had over $50,000 in the account, and the cost of the ASSemby was $12,000, that means there should have been about $32,000 left. Why the HELL would they be stupid enough to send money they don't even have to headquarters??? DUUUUHH!!
    Open your hearts and your wallets brothers and sisters. I know you will do the right thing."
    Holy crap, did he really say this??!! This is the exact reason why my grandmother left her "mainstream" religion in the 1930s and started studying with the Witnesses. The minister said that they hadn't contributed enough and he was going to pass the plate around again. "...Now brothers and sister, dig down deep and get those greenbacks out! Remember, God loves a cheerful giver!" I don't think the Borg begged for your money back then the way they do today and they always slammed other religions for doing this..........oh well, I guess the chickens have come home to roost!

  • Scully
    Scully
    After all the funds had been transferred to the Watchtower he said, "we have a deficit brothers of $3,500. Open your hearts and your wallets brothers and sisters. I know you will do the right thing."

    Disgusting. I'm quite certain they used to criticize other churches (televangelists in particular) for doing precisely this sort of thing.

  • Scully
    Scully
    This is the exact reason why my grandmother left her "mainstream" religion

    Yes, and my grandparents did too. They were smart enough never to join a church again.

    And to think I used to feel very proud of the fact that JWs didn't beg for money from their followers. It all seemed to change in the 80s and 90s.

  • TopHat
    TopHat

    I say "Let the Watchtower pick up of the difference" IF there is one at all.

  • Elsewhere
    Elsewhere
    Just a sec.....if you had over $50,000 in the account, and the cost of the ASSemby was $12,000, that means there should have been about $32,000 left. Why the HELL would they be stupid enough to send money they don't even have to headquarters??? DUUUUHH!!

    All assemblies start with a deficit because a certain amount of money is always sent to the WTS. The contributions must then be enough to cover the money going to the WTS and the cost of the assembly itself.

    Assemblies are first and formost fund raisers for the WTS.

  • AuldSoul
    AuldSoul

    $3,000 + $9,000 = $12,000

    Cost of using the Hall = $12,000

    The supposed $3,500 deficit was fabricated by an undeclared earmarked contribution (modern day Corban) that was tacked on to produce an artificial shortfall. That way everyone contributes a little more.

    2,000 in attendance.

    $10.00 per attendee (we all know the average is higher)

    $20,000.00

    Where does it go? You can ask but you will never be told the truth. Theocratic Warfare (Governing Body codename for deceit) even extends to finance.

    AuldSoul

  • Ozner
    Ozner

    A few years ago, at our assembly day, our CO told us the next line in his assignment (like Pellechia): "we have a parking-lot outside with some gates. If there is no money enough at the end of this day, we will not unlock the gates. So you have got a problem then! So, be wise".

    No applause for the CO!

    Ozner

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