JWs & Personal Finance

Valis

Perhaps this is not a widespread phenomenon, but have any of you considered the ramifications in regards to many JW families never saving for retirement or college funds, becues they thought the end was near, or college was a non-issue for so many of us? Just recently my parents never saved any money, becuase the promise of the end coming soon, but as old age creeps closer, I think some of the policy is revealing itself to be really bad advice. I also wonder how long JWs have to keep working after retirement age than the rest of the 'worldlies". I realize that there are lots of social and economic issues that will naturally affect this topic, and would by no means dismiss them. Just curious about other's thoughts.

Sincerely,
District Overbeer

JerryTX

Well, Valis, your J-Dub parents can get on their knocking Watchtower knees and thank God they have a fine son they can move in with that will support them and take care of them. LOL!!!!

--------------------------------------

"The truth will set you free--but first it will make you damn mad."

M. Scott Peck - "The Different Drum"

Valis

As long as mom stays out of my stash and dad doesn't hit on the strippers I'm all for it.

bigboi

As long as mom stays out of my stash and dad doesn't hit on the strippers I'm all for it.

Now that's my idea of an extended family.

Luckily, none of my family are/were dubs. However, there are financial ramifications like the ones you brought out. For me it was mostly missed opportunities that are available when your young that I passed on in order to "serve Jehovah". If I had not been involved witht jdubs, then my life could have been very, very, different. I guess everybody's would, eh?

ONE....

bigboi

"it's like the one thing we all have in common is that we
got played by a cult and a bunch of old men and no matter what it will
always be a part of us no matter how much we distance ourselves from it"~ Ghostquote

badwillie

Valis is right. Here's a quote from a recent CO's talk:

"Everything that we do, we should do it with Armageddon in mind.
We should factor that in with every decision we make, whether it's buying something or doing something."

ok,, so what that SHOULD mean is: no pensions or IRA's, no college fund for your kids, no college (if you're now in High School), no job promotions, the list goes on.
Meantime, they contradict these statements made from the platform with their written articles on topics like life insuarnce, pensions, and education. It's like they have to "officially" say through their printed pages that witnesses need to figure on being around for a while in this old system.
They say this is the "course of wisdom", that it does not show a lack of faith. The reality though, when you actually start to plan wisely for you and your family's future, is that you will be counseled for it. They will start to highlight all the spiritual dangers and treat you as though you are "weak".

Case in point: A personal friend of mine received a full scholarship from a local college to study to become a veternarian. She is now a freshman there. Her congregation was just the host congregation so had the CO & DO visit together. The DO heard that this girl was in College full time. He came up to her after the meeting, and said very smugly.."oh, you're in College huh, let's just hope you find the time to pioneer". and then he just walked off.
I rest my case.

Mum

Most of the dubs I know are pretty well off, including the ones in my own family. I'm out of touch with the others. But I would be in very dire straits now if I had remained a JW.

Seize the day, and put the least possible trust in tomorrow. - Horace

I have learned to live each day as it comes and not to borrow trouble by dreading tomorrow. - Dorothy Dix

Bodhisattva

Perhaps this is not a widespread phenomenon...

Oh yes it is. Thast's okay, they've already blamed the rank-and-file with articles saying, "Look, the Society plans ahead" (the obvious implication that using the Society as your exempler demeans Jesus is lost on them) or 'Look at sister so-and-so who says "Live your spiritual life like Armageddon was coming tomorrow but your financial life like its not coming in your lifetime"' (the fact that elsewhere in the same magazine there is probably encouragement NOT to have a life separate from The Truth (TM) and the little detail about people shunning sister so-and-so for years because she worked outside the home when, with only six kids to feed and a window-washer husband, she presumably could have pioneered, are also lost).

Of course Jehovah's Witnesses don't have to worry about that. Why look, many Kingdom Halls are adding apartments for retired District and Circuit Overseers (who have served for a certain length of time, of course). What's that? What about the rest? They can go f*ck themselves.

Bodhisattva

JerryTX

The elders in Abilene, Texas, gave me hell for going to court reporting school. Geez, even a trade school was forsaking Jehovah in their eyes. I'm glad I went anyway, as my other option was janitorial like the rest of the brothers in the hall. Still, the leading arsehole elder strode up to me one day after the meeting, while I was in the middle of a group talking, and said, "HATE TO SEE YOU THROW YOUR LIFE AWAY LIKE YOU ARE, BROTHER." Then he walked off.
Today he is a senile blubbering fool who doesn't know his own name.

--------------------------------------

"The truth will set you free--but first it will make you damn mad."

M. Scott Peck - "The Different Drum"

drahcir yarrum

Over the years I have known a number of JW men over the age of 60 who had to continue working at manual labor in order to survive. One man I knew in the Midwest was painting houses well into his 60's. He fell from a ladder one day, broke his hip and died not long afterwards. One of my fathers greatest fears before his death was that he would not leave enough money for my mother to live on. I can remember as if it were yesterday, his admonitions about not worrying about saving money because after 1975 it would be worthless.

Another JW family we knew in Oregon, sold the family business, their home and possesions in the early 1970's and moved to Columbia, S.A. to serve where the need was greater. While there, their daughter contracted polio, they ran out of money and had to move back to the U.S. The daughter remains in a wheelchair to this day and the man has had to build cabinets and do other carpentry work. He is now probably in his late 60's or early 70's. The WTS has left quite alot of human misery in it's wake.

"Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son." Dean Vernon Wormer, Faber College

LDH

Valis,

Don't think it won't come back to bite em in the ass.

YEARS of hearing how you should just try to eke out an existence--don't try to succeed in this system! Don't try to keep up with the Joneses!

Just enough to get by! The paradise is coming! There Jehovah will satisfy the desire of every living thing! Make use of this world, but not to the full!

Social Security was never meant to be a retirement plan, only to supplement personal savings and investments. Now, hundreds of JW will be forced to retire on it. As you know, you only get a percentage of what you put in.

When all you've put in for years is part-time janitorial work, you are not going to be getting back much!

I wonder how many JWs are one paycheck from bankruptcy?

Lisa

JWs & Personal Finance

Share this