Calling all BETHELITES

YoursChelbie

IF you have previously served at Bethel, can you post word for word the "Vow of Poverty" that you are asked to take? Is this a written document that you keep? Has the wording of it changed a lot or always the same?

Thanks,

YC

daniel-p

Dammit I looked everywhere for that... I thought I still had it. Yes, it is something you sign, just a page if i rememeber correctly.

YoursChelbie

Thanks for trying.

I was just wondering about this and also if there was any information given before or after such vow, specifically telling the Bethelites that they were responsible for paying self-employment tax on their "living allowance."

YC

What-A-Coincidence

I might have something by tomorrow. Stay tuned!

What a coincidence - I was thinking about this yesterday!

WAC

sass_my_frass

WHAT the...? Do you also change your will and hand over your belongings for inspection? Poor bethelites.

darth frosty

I remember the brotha that gave us the meaning of the vow explaining how it is a simple vow of poverty. He said that the difference between the witnesses and catholic's vow, was since ours was a simple vow of poverty if we were to win the lottery we could keep the winnings but would have to leave bethel. while the catholic version requiered you to turn over all winnings and earnings to the church.

daniel-p

Actually, in the vow of poverty document I specifically remembered it mentioning how if you made any money working then you were to hand it over to the "Religious Order of Jehovah's Witnesses." Of course, if you to a G-job to make a few extra bucks, no one gives their money away... they rationalize this by usually taking a vacation day - that way they can say that while on 'vacation' they were relieved of their vow of poverty - although I do not believe this is written down anywhere.
As far as paying tax on your allowance, that does not happen. The vow of poverty is to specifically releive you of paying any sort of income tax. I didnt pay a red cent of taxes the entire time I was there.
THe overall view of the vow of poverty at Bethel is somewhat of a farce. Everyone just plays along with it and treats it like a game.

garybuss

You wrote: "Everyone just plays along with it and treats it like a game."
Sort of like the "unrelated" donation for literature purchased huh?

daniel-p

"You wrote: "Everyone just plays along with it and treats it like a game."

Sort of like the "unrelated" donation for literature purchased huh? "

gary: Yes, "paying Caesar's things to Caesar" is more of a game that is played with the superior authirities. In other words, they do not follow Christ's commandment seriously.

garybuss

Ha! The only thing different now is they CAN'T keep anything a secret anymore. Those days are past. Me wonders if they can operate in the light of day. Time will tell.
Some Witness people are not fools but they have been *fooled* because of the double life lived by the Watch Tower Society. There's the Society that projects and protects the clean, honest facade, AND there's the Watch Tower Society that double deals with members and politics, with honesty sermons and tax dodging schemes, with star chamber secret meetings and love bombing, with two opposite blood medical treatment doctrines at the same time.

Calling all BETHELITES

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