i think the jws who could afford it would gladly do it if it could replace turning in a fs report every month.
Would you still be a JW, if you had to Tithe?
by moshe 46 Replies latest jw friends
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White Dove
No. I rarely had enough money my whole life to make the bills I already had. Why would I concede to another bill?
The tithe would make me really look at what I believed and if it was worth it, financially and otherwise.
I was brought up on the belief that Jesus gathered the poor and uneducated to himself mostly and that they were the ones that would squeeze through that eye of a needle (camel going through it).
The rich had no hope of living forever is the idea that was put into my mind.
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yknot
Okay I will take the plunge......
I won't pay....
I would drag up every quote the WTS ever stated if brought to task!
If I caved...... all they would get from me is $1.50 paid with 30 pieces of 'silver'
And I would drop them in the box one at a time loudly for all to discern!!!!!
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That said................
When funds run short they don't talk to us girls about the matter.........especially us whose husbands don't attend.
No this will and always has fallen on the BROTHERS.....
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I think the WTS would probably up the per publisher suggested donation........
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blondie
I can say that many "active" jws did not donate...based on my husband's experiences as the accounts servant. Russell made a statement that they would not require members to pay but that it would be voluntary, or else it meant God was no longer backing them. Only by making a df'ing offense could the WTS get jws to pay 10% of the gross income to the WTS which is what the Mormons do. Mormons (LDS) are required to turn over their tax reports for verification.
***Proclaimers book (1993) jv chap. 21 p. 340 How Is It All Financed? ***As early as the second issue of the WatchTower,in August 1879, Brother Russell stated: “‘Zion’s Watch Tower’ has, we believe, JEHOVAH for its backer, and while this is the case it will never beg nor petition men for support. When He who says: ‘All the gold and silver of the mountains are mine,’ fails to provide necessary funds, we will understand it to be time to suspend the publication.”
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White Dove
Good point, Yknot. I forgot about the inside package doctrine that leaves out most of the JW's, since most of them have inside packages.
Not having an outside package to speak for me, I would be left out of the decision making about tithing so wouldn't pay it, even if I had it.
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moshe
Jehovahsheep, that was my next comment! The carrot and stick routine. The GB/WT could tell everyone that , "The Preaching work has been accomplished!- thanks to the WT.org website, the message has been preached to all the world. Now the organzation is on the threshold of the new order and the JW's will provide a tithe in the new order, so they are just getting organized for the new order, now. The WT always alerts the brothers when changes are needed, don't they? The brothers will be so happy to give up the field service, that they won't publicly complain about the tithe. Of course, it will start out small and just like boiling a frog, you put him in a pot of water first and then you turn up the fire.
But how many faders would risk cutting their family ties by refusing to tithe?
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moshe
but there are too many old timers who remember what was said with regards to donations in the past for that to take hold.
Those old timers should remember , "stay alive until 1975", too. But everyone I ever talked to seemed to have amnesia about 1975. They will say nothing, maybe grumble about the tithe privately, but they will go along with any new teaching- the meat in due season from the F&DS that nobody has ever seen in person.
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blondie
Our experience was that very few paid anything, and some basically carried the congregation financially. If you itemized, it made sense to donate to the WTS and put it on your tax report so we saw some financially thinking jws do that. But otherwise, even if it was clear the congregation was 3 months or more behind in the utilities and 2 months behind in the mortgage, people weren't moved to pay. Those who carried the congregation would ante up more money by going without. I understand how people were truly stretched to the max, but then we would see them rent DVDs every month and eat out every week, and not donate $5.
It is one thing to push the "blood" issue, but most jws know that it is very unlikely that they personally will have to face it. But having to pay 10% of your gross income, have to be outwardly accountable for it, and do it every week or every month....Like I said they would have to be threatened with df'ing. It would be hard to change 131 years of voluntary donations. It was much easier when the changed it the other way with jws having to pay for the publications.
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moshe
Blondie, I was in charge of finances at our small KH, too. (for one year). It was rough trying to get enough money every month. When we took pledges for the new KH, the $$ promises looked real good, but then it never materialized. Several of the big promissory donors never paid a dime,as they moved to a new territory before the hall was finished- not our problem anymore they told me. It was the retired JWs on small SS checks and pensions who kept the bills paid.
When it comes to money, I believe that most JW's who are faders will probably NOT pay any money to the tithe police, if they came calling. Sorry Mummy and Daddy, I love you , but not enough to pay 10% or be cut off from the KH. Now, the active JW's will try and go along with the program, that is what they do best, bend over.
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blondie
I don't believe any "active" jws will pay at 10% tithe except the ones that pay already. The reason the WTS has not used tithing is not that they have faith that God will provide, but that doing so will dry up the donations they get now. Perhaps the WTS could sell "privileges" as elders or MS or to handle the microphone, and expect a yearly payment.