In my last 2 years in field service in Australia tax laws meant we could no longer offer publications for money OR directly ask for a donation. If the householder asks, we would explain our voluntry work was paid for by donations. I was suprised how many people would give you $10 or $20 dollars thinking it's going to some good cause....however, I would go and buy some lunch at Mc Donald's. Why give it to the society...one time 6 months ago my wife dropped $50 dollars into the contribution box....I almost reached in to snatch it back....they OWE ME, I'm not giving them any more cash!!
Donations for literature I would spend at Mc Donald's!!! Sorry!!!
by Witness 007 17 Replies latest watchtower bible
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NewYork44M
You give an excellent reason why the donation system does not work. Publishers don't donate like they are expected, publishers don't as for donations, and finally as you suggest if a publisher gets a donation there is no guarantee that it ends up for the world wide work.
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Witness 007
It's just too tempting...especially if your a poor Witness, to spend the money and "pay it back later" which never happens. I know many pioneers who did this.
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Wordly Andre
Well a Big Mac is worth way more than the Craptower, way to go!
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lovelylil
I'm with you! That money went to a much better use for a big mac than it would have going to the society. Lilly
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nomoreguilt
The donations crap really started getting to me when the society changed from us paying for the literature up front, then presenting it to householders for a donation to our work. Then came the worldwide work box, then the building fund, on top of the contributions to the local upkeep of the hall. After we quit paying up front for the mags, I quit asking for the money from householders. I figured if the wts didn't put a dollar figure value on them, well then neither did I.
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primitivegenius
you know how many drones still pay for all the literature they get and then HOPE they get enough donations to cover it.................. i knew a crazy fanatical sister who did just that........ she was a pioneer of course and said that if she ever went beyond what she spent for the mags she would contribute the difference.......... i dont think it happened much if ever.
the thing that stuck in my craw about the donation arraingement.................. is after doing it for years........... i find out that in other countrys they were still asking for the donations................ it was ONLY in the countrys where they had to keep that tax exempt status they were forced to go donation.
so they told me.............. if you get a surplus from the actual costs in the us............. it will cover people who cant afford to give anything........... and i took that to mean people in third world countrys............
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Vivamus
Thats just horrible.
Or funny.
Or Both.
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undercover
It's amazing how blind people choose to be...I know, I was one of 'em.
I remember when we went from charging for the literature to asking for donations.
As a JW, I was glad we went to donations. I never understood why, if we had "life's water", why we weren't giving it free. So going to donations made it seem more in line with the way I thought it should have been done.
But shortly after they announced the new procedure, I kept running the new procedure over and over in my head.
We, the publishers were still expected to give "donations" for all literature and magazines that we picked up. No big deal there. Not much different than buying them as we did before.
But now, instead of pocketing the money that we got when we "placed" a magazine or book, since we had already paid for them, we were now expected to bring any donations back to the hall. But we've already "donated" for the cost of the book...any monies collected and donated would be a double donation on the same publication.
Deep down inside, I knew something was wrong, but I ignored the facts, I ignored the gut feeling I had and trusted that the WTS knew what it was doing.
It wasn't until I learned of the tax troubles of the televangelist who was selling books and other items and the IRS wanted their cut, and how the WTS changed to the donation arrangement immediately after the courts ruled against the TV ministry that my gut feeling that I had suppressed for so long came back and I realized finally that we were pawns in a much bigger money scheme. Another nail in the coffin that was my service to the WTS.
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kifoy
But now, instead of pocketing the money that we got when we "placed" a magazine or book, since we had already paid for them, we were now expected to bring any donations back to the hall. But we've already "donated" for the cost of the book...any monies collected and donated would be a double donation on the same publication.
I was never a good donator. And I did not always donate for the literature I picked up. I felt bad about it for a short time, then forgot about it (I always forgot to bring cash to the meetings). Though, I used to donate the money I received in FS (the few coins I got). It kind of made up for the donations I did not bring myself.
I remember shortly after the new arrangement (don't sell, ask for donations) was in place, we were some people visiting a young couple. We were talking about how many donations we received and put on the money box. The husband of the house (soon-to-be MS) began to look bothered, and asked: "Ehr.... do you not put them in your pocket? I already donated and paid for the magazines, I thought I could keep the money..."
I remember now shocked I was (how could he keep the donations for himself?). And felt really sorry for him. Hehe. He was really ashamed. Priceless
kifoy