Heres the scenario, as a JW you would have...

NotaNess

handled this issue in what way? Im typing from my phone so it all runs together, sorry. Youre a JW and a business owner. Do you accept jobs from customers that are Churches, and businesses like Palm/Tarot Readers? Would you do one, but not the other? Would you take on church jobs, but not tarot readers? What was your thinking as a JW and what does the FDS teach?

Honesty

An elder got removed in one of my old congregations for working on a church.

He put one of his signs on the front lawn as he was doing the work and a 'theocratic' sister drove by, snapped a digital picture and mailed it to Brooklyn Bethell.

AWAKE&WATCHING

Biotch!

Gopher

I'm sure palm readers, astrologists and the like were off-limits to JW businessmen. I can't remember the rule on churches. The WTS has so many rules and regulations!

According to the Bible, it would seem okay. Naaman was the Syrian guy who got healed by Naaman according to 2 Kings chapter 5. In that chapter he asked Elisha if it was okay to help his master actually worship the non-Israelite god named Rimmon.

So it's okay to help someone worship a God whose name isn't Jehovah, but a JW can't maintain or clean a church for a living? Hmmm.....

frozen one

I remember a couple of incidents regarding this issue.

The first one was a brother, just a publisher, who was a really good carpenter and was a contractor. He was asked by his banker if he would consider doing a remodeling project at the banker's church. Not wanting to perform work at the church while also not wanting to offend his banker, he bid on the job but jacked the prices up so high he thought he wouldn't be considered. Well, he ended up being awarded the contract (in any other circumstance, jw's would have been crowing "truley a blessing from jehovah!") and found himself in a bind. Should he do the work or not? In the end he honored the contract and got in trouble with the powers that be. He wasn't disfellowshipped but there were rumors about private reproof. JW's do not perform work for false religions!

The second example involved a prominent witness electrician who was also a contractor. He rewired a church that had been struck by lightning. In his case the work was okay as the work was paid for by the insurance company, not the church.

So I guess working on a church is approved as long as the check doesn't come from the church coffers. Pharisees all.

yknot

I am an optimist: I would take the job, do outstanding work, and call it a silent witness and comp the time for FS!

darth frosty

I remember someone posting a QFR that ask about a contractor working on churches. The response was they could not because this would be promoting christainity, never mind the fact that ever old KH is sold to a church. Go figure.

eclipse

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WTWizard

I think one of the reasons they have so many rules is to confuse the people. They can get reproved in one set of circumstances but in nearly identical circumstances it's OK. This reminds me of the dogs that got food on seeing a circle but a shock when there was an oval. As they made the oval closer to round, the dogs would break down when it became indistinguishable. This is what's happening in the Watchtower Society with so many rules.

Result: People are afraid to do anything except go out in field circus. They can't do a job without risk of getting in trouble with the Witlesses, so they won't even bother. So they stick with window washing and cleaning, and of course pioneering. I think they should just go ahead and do the church and the tarot card project anyway--and tell the hounders that if they get a hard time, they are going to actually join that church or go in for a tarot card reading.

Heres the scenario, as a JW you would have...

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