Do the Witnesses ever help anyone (link)? (page 2)

InquiryMan

5600 houses rebuilt by 17,000 people - crumbles?

I do not try to defend JWs or the organization.... When a witness, I often disagreed with the lack of more commitment to humanitarian efforts. But I appreciated it when it was done. Before the WWFdonation arrangement came into being, I often contributed money to Bethel, earmarking it to a specifici aid purporse. And I always got a letter of appreciation for that. Parts of my country was invited to donate clothes/food etc to Eastern Europe in a special campaign. We also had a special Fund just for Eastern Europe for years. As an individual witness I personally donated loads of clothing etc to Poland and Africa. The brothers liked contributing to "my" projects, although this was not at all Watchtower sponsored. Now that I am out of it, I of course see things less black and white as I did when I was in.

Finally-Free

They do not lift a finger for anyone but their own,

Even then, they won't help all of their own. They help only the members who are popular or well connected in the cult. They also render assistance if they believe they'll get positive media attention as a result.

I've seen several JWs lose everything and end up on the street for "putting kingdom interests first" and be forced to seek help from "the world". Their "brothers" and "sisters" shunned them, not for breaking God's law, but because they were in need.

W

LongHairGal

No, they do not. They do not believe in soup kitchens or any other help for the poor in the general population. As far as the rumors that they helped people after the hurricane, I believe people had to send them the insurance check if I am not mistaken. So there are strings attached.

They even have an appalling attitude towards helping deserving ones who are IN the religion. I do have some mixed feelings about this and can't fault them entirely because some in the religion are out-and- out deadbeats looking for a free ride. But I am not referring to these persons. I am referring to hardworking people who were generous and who fell on hard times.

LHG

ldrnomo

All in all I think the majority of the witnesses are pretty selfish with their time. Because they have so little of it they use it sparingly to help others. They have to spend so much time helping the Organization they really don't have time for others. So after their month of 6-10 hours in the field circus and 5 hours of meetings and everything else they're told to do they're DONE!

aSphereisnotaCircle

InquiryMan,

Katrina has been very profitable for the society. I know a JW couple who have spent countless weekends rebuilding homes for other JW's, all for no charge.

The insurance check the homeowner receives represents materials and wages. Does the JW volunterring his/her time get the wages?

No, the society does. All those men and women are giving of themselves, but the society is the one profiting.

Finally-Free

The insurance check the homeowner receives represents materials and wages.

The insurance cheque is also to cover the contents of the home - clothing, appliances, furniture, jewellery, computers, stereos, and all sorts of personal items. I wonder how many computers, necklaces, or record collections they replaced when collecting all that money. My guess is none, and that the society made a killing on Katrina.

W

InquiryMan

Sorry if I was misinformed. Obviously, America and Scandinavia has vastly different social systems as well as attitudes.... What I wanted to state was that as indivuduals, though organized through the WTBTS, many Jws have done a tremendous effort. I think quite a few also did it for unselfish reasons....

When i Was a JW I realized that other churches did a lot of good things. When I am an ex-JW I also acknowledge that JWs and even the WTBSs at times can do good things....

Bonnie_Clyde

What I wanted to state was that as indivuduals, though organized through the WTBTS, many Jws have done a tremendous effort. I think quite a few also did it for unselfish reasons....

I've seen a few JW's who have made an effort to help others, but I feel it is not because of the Organization but in spite of the Organization with the possible exception of the disaster relief efforts. But that's just my opinion.

I mentioned my parents and how they were neglected. However, there were a couple of people in the congregation who did help out a little but not because of any encouragement from the elders. During the seven years that my father and I took care of my invalid mother, there couldn't have been more than 3 or 4 visits from an elder and there was usually an outside reason for it. I think the churches in general do a much better job of taking care of their own.

Bonnie

InquiryMan

when I was an elder, we had a visitation system (at the bookstudies) for taking care of the elderly. In time, however, it was vanished out in the sand... I guess the demands of life in general made it hard to keep with all demands both from work, family and congregation. However, I got to say that lot is dependent on individual witnesses cause there is little organized efforts with the Watchtower society with social or humanitarian programs (apart from disaster relief and reading classes in developing countries). All emphasis is put on the preaching work... to me it was amazing to see that in a mormon church they could play basketball in the church! Remember when I was young, I young was studying, humbly asked the elders to have a table tennis board in the basement of the hall. I guess they just stared at him in disbelief. I am sorry about your parents being neglected Bonnie. And also others who have suffered injustice.

Do the Witnesses ever help anyone (link)?

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