by Kristofer 37 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Not ever having been a JW, I was curious to know something...
Are witnesses ever encouraged to do good works for the less fortunate? (giving to the poor, working in a soup kitchen, helping the elderly, other volunteer work, etc..)
I know Scripture states you will know believers by their "fruit". I was wonder what the fruits of the WTBTS are?
Only for other people in th orginization, not outside
so is that an official policy?
Any references or literature on that?
Their way of thinking is that the worlds going to be destroyed any day now so why waste time and money trying to support it. The best way to help people is to help them change their lives for the better through a closer understanding of Jehovah and his loving arrangements.
Just a moment while I puke
In practice this means you don't give a homeless hungry person money or food, you leave him the magazines instead!
Matt
I'm sure there's nothing in writing, but the fact that they are not allowed to associate with worldly people would keep them from doing anything with or for them. Some one else in here with more knowledge than me might be able to help you better? anyone?
I was actually forbidden to take canned goods to a canned food drive for the hungry. Not because it was surrounding a holiday but get this: Because time and resources could be better spent in teaching the downtrodden about jehovah's kingdom
I am now a pretty rabid giver and on a charitable volunteer board that helps women and children in the community.
When we were downtrodden (poor because my mother had abandoned college and became a good JW) after my father left us, do you know who helped us out? Her old Church of Christ Congregation. They just handed her a check that they'd all collected, no strings attached, knowing that she'd denounced them and now held them in contempt--out of pure christian love) It has stayed with me to this day. I went back recently to the small town where they were to repay them with interest and thank them and they were no longer there. That spoke to me at the time of true unconditional christian love more than anything I'd ever heard from the platform.
So, in short, not only do they not have any avenues for charitable giving--they actually discourage their members from doing so (at least when I was growing up in it).
~Brigid
I remember hearing in a talk or reading something that went like......While the work of helping the poor and afflicted is good, our main concern and the best way to help people,is the preaching work!
Kristofer:
JWs follow the Scriptural command at Galatians 6:10, which states: "Let us do good unto ALL men, ESPECIALLY unto them who are of the household of faith." So, whilst doing good to fellow Christians is the PRIORITY according to Paul in this verse, believers are not to RESTRICT their good works to fellow believers.
When I was a JW we would often 'do good' to non-believers as we went about our preaching work ( which we regarded as the ultimate way of doing good to our neighbours ), We used to ask the householders if they needed any practical help such as shopping or the collection of a prescription, etc. As they knew JWs to be honest people they were quite happy to let us help them. I remember being presented with a long shopping list by one old lady, which I took to the shops and bought the things on her list. Many experiences like this can recounted by JWs.
The Watchtower is a business masquerading as a benevolent religious organisation.
Need I say more?
Honesty: I feel that you DO need to say more. Your portrayal of JWs staggers me. I have no desire to ever go back to being any kind of religious believer, but I have to say that my long years of experience with JWs is COMPLETELY at odds with your representation of them. Throughout my time as a JW I was SURROUNDED with countless lovely Christian people. They genuinely loved God, Christ and their fellowman ( as I did too ).
