I just had an opportunity to donate to a friend's Avon breast cancer walk and I was reading her reasons to get involved. It made me think that not getting involved in charities was one of the things that never sat right with me when I was in the org. But since then, I've loved donating and being active to help others. It feels great!
By and large, the Witnesses are good people who are culturally brainwashed. If they were ever set free and allowed to actually live their lives (i.e. college, meaningful careers and relationships, etc), I think charitable works would figure prominently in their lives. All that training for sacrafice and door knocking energy would need to find outlets in charity work.
Think of the gains for Habitiat for Humanity or other building groups and outreach programs. But instead they are made to feel guilty if they want to put some extra change in the bell ringers jar because their money is better spent promoting a future that only exists in their minds. Such a shame, such a waste. It makes me sad.
Matt the fireman
All that Witness potential
by mjarka911 2 Replies latest jw friends
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mjarka911
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bythesea
I agree with you. And since my fade is in progress I am finding ways to redirect my own charitable works...I now volunteer with a hospice group and when I have the opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause I do it! It feels great! I even gave $$ recently to a young kid who came into my place of work selling coupons for a local pizza establishment as a fundraiser for their youth group at church! They have a drug rehab house where they get kids off drugs and help to retrain them for holding down decent jobs...it seemed like a good deal to me!
I remember being embarressed several years ago, when I was very active as a JW, when my employer asked me about our "churches" community involvement with soup kitchens, helping out the needy or what we did along that line...I hated admitting that we, as a religious organizaation, didn't do any of those things to help in the community...that we just went door to door, bugging the crap out of people!! Yeah, its fine and good to be willing to help out a neighbor when they're sick, but how many JW's even do that??
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jonsey
It's been great for me...I do the relay for life, MS walks and http://www.atlantabridal.com/gownsale/default.asp As a local mobile DJ in Atlanta...I have been able to give back to the communities. It is truly a great feeling. I will post the pictures from these events on www.mikesmobiledj.com The Breast Cancer Gown Sale is 4/14 to 4/15 and the MS walk in Atlanta is 4/22.
Jonsey