Donations instead of charges for WT & Awake. Is it worldwide?

by digderidoo 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  digderidoo

  When i left the WTBTS the change occured where no longer the magazines were being charged for, i think it was about 30p for the pair, but instead it was left for a 'voluntary' contribution.

  I have heard from an x jw, who was the congregation accountant at the time that this change wasn't worldwide. It was only changed because contributions weren't taxable in certain countries. At the time we were told it changed because we didn't want to be classed as 'book selllers'.

  Is this the case? Are there still countries where there is a standard charge for the magazines?

  Paul
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  LouBelle

  South Africa - I left just on three years ago - the change to voluntary contributions had been in place for about a year or so then - man they had so many parts on the platform with their little brown envelope saying "would you like to make a contribution to the world wide witnessing work"

  I mean how difficult did they think it was.
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  blondie

  Donations for the WT pubs has been worldwide since 2000.

  *** yb01 pp. 18-19 Highlights of the Past Year ***Another factor in reaching more people with the good news has been the simplified literature distribution arrangement. Jehovah has blessed the faith shown by his servants in this matter. The voluntary donation arrangement is explained to people, but no charge is made for the literature. As of January 2000, that arrangement was extended to all lands where it was not already in operation. The Central African Republic branch wrote: "This means that anyone, no matter what his or her financial situation may be, can have the necessary printed material to become a disciple of Christ. This arrangement has been greatly appreciated by both the publishers and the public." Indonesia said: "Accordingly, the brothers looked for those interested in reading our publications more than those who could afford the printing cost." The South Africa branch reports: "Magazine production has more than doubled, with some languages increasing more than fourfold! . . . All of this indicates that more ‘seeds’ of truth are being sown now than ever before.—Matt. 13:3-8."
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  LouBelle

  The South Africa branch reports: "Magazine production has more than doubled, with some languages increasing more than fourfold! . . . All of this indicates that more ‘seeds’ of truth are being sown now than ever before.

  We were still paying for our personal literature that we received at the hall - hmmm interesting though. The reason it increased fourfold - people were literally giving the magazines away, whether people were interested or not that interested.
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  Robert7

  We were still paying for our personal literature that we received at the hall

  Do you mean that you were given a specific amount that you had to pay to receive the literature? In our hall (and I presume all of the US) all literature is 'free' and we just give whatever anonymously as a donation to the world wide work. I haven't donated donated in years :)
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  Metamorphosis

  I believe it is worldwide now...but it didn't start that way. That was one of the issues I had. When they announced the change way back when here in the United States they stated it was Jehovah's direction and a simplifying arrangement and like someone said we didn't want to be "peddlers" - but we were never told that the arrangment wasn't going into affect in the vast majority of the world at that time and that the announcement happened to coincide with the Jimmy Swaggert ministries court cases. I've looked back and though how they will attribute everything to "Jehovah's spirit". If it was his spirit it would have been worldwide from day one. Swaggert was the spirit behind this change in the US.
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  WTWizard

  I remember when it first went into effect in the US, the tax law was cited. That is why it went into effect in certain areas and not in others: they didn't want to deal with sales tax. Besides, I think they think they can get people to double donate worldwide nowadays (I don't know where they think people are going to come up with the money in the third world, though).