I knew actually this was the reason for the change at the time. I don't know if it was mentioned in the Kingdom Ministry or not, or if I heard about it on the news, but I knew it was related to the Swaggart situation.
The truth about the donation arrangement
by Wolfgirl 38 Replies latest jw friends
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TopHat
Don't forget that they instituted the donation arrangement after going to the defense of Jimmy Swaggert. When that failed they were only left with the alternative of the donation arrangement. When I found out about that little piece of hypocrisy, I was greatly disturbed.
I would like to send my son, who is still IN the borg and brainwashed to the hilt, a news story or Information about the witchtower defending Jimmy Swaggert....Is there a link on this web site?
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vitty
Maybe if you lived in the US you may have heard about the case but in the UK .............believe me NO ONE including me knew
There was a big song and dance about a special meeting, we were told to tell all inactive ones to attend................we all thought it was an announcement about the big "A"
There were many disappointed ppl there that night
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Gill
Yes! The literature became 'Free' but it still had to be paid for by the congregation. And where did the 'Congregation' get the money from? From the publishers of course!
That's a new kind of 'Free' when the Watchtower still demands payment from the congregation or its literature delivery will be suspended!!
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OnTheWayOut
dannyboy writes:
In the months that followed, every Circuit Overseer visit would result in him hammering us about the "decline" in money forwarded for the [now] "free" literature......even to the point that they would calculate what the total "value" of the literature was that the congregation had been shipped in say the last 6 months [i.e. magazines+books+CD's etc.] and compare that to what was remitted (it was always less of course).
That must have been company policy, because the CO did that to the congregation I was in. He based the value on what was charged right before the donation basis started, told us that we weren't even donating nearly that much, said the price would have gone up since then.
The true reason was common knowledge among the elders (as stated earlier). We even knew that it was Jimmy Swaggart that lost the case. As JW's, we felt that the WTS position was fair, why should the government get taxes from a religion? We did not know the details of how it differed greatly throughout the world.
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Abandoned
Yeah, this was something that bothered me as well. All the asking for money seemed unnecessary since the entire universe was in charge. I really can't believe how blind I was to SO MANY ISSUES. I guess when you really want to believe something, you can overlook an awful lot.
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dannyboy
Abandoned: Yeah, this was something that bothered me as well. All the asking for money seemed unnecessary since the entire universe was in charge. I really can't believe how blind I was to SO MANY ISSUES. I guess when you really want to believe something, you can overlook an awful lot.
So true, so true.
Your comments triggered this thought that's been expressed around here many times: The "Organization" considers itself the paramount thing, that its survival/reputation/financial health is the most important thing in the Witness world. So they are not at all shy about having the rank and file spend their time and money doing things that result in relatively minor benefit to the "Organization", but at relatively great cost to the "brothers".
This "donation arrangement" for the literature is but one example.
---Dan
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TopHat
I always thought the donation I put in the KH box, went to the world wide preaching work and included the Mags and books.
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Oroborus21
Tweetie/Top Hat,
i knew someone would raise it cause they always do whenever this topic is discussed.
just fyi,
an amicus brief, friend of the court, brief is not a DEFENSE of the parties or an ADVOCATE of the parties' claims, and it may not even address any of the claims or issues that the parties involved have raised in their own pleadings.
Thus it is entirely incorrect to say that the WTS came to the defense of Swaggart ministries or in any way had anything to do with Swaggart ministries.
an amicus brief is submitted to a court by any third party whenever it appears that the court will decide some bit of law that may impact that third party (or that third party's mission or constituents). the brief outlines points of law and makes an argument as to why the court should rule the way the third party thinks it should.
-Eduardo
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BluesBrother
Top hat
It depends which box you put the money into. "Contributions" stays with the local congo for local expenses. "Contributions to the WWF " goes the Bethel for the worldwide funds.
BTW, As I recall, in the UK we were not supposed to instigate a request for money. Only if the H/H raised the subject could we say that we accepted donations. We carried a suitable envelope to put it straight in. It was not used very often.