by Joliette 38 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
very informative! I was a kid when the magazines were 50cents a set- then I was dissappointed when it went "volunteer donations"- I was too shy of a kid to ask for money & my mom used to let me keep the 50cents
I was still too shy to ask for donations when I was adult (so I never did)- and I was always broke when I picked up mags at the literature counter, and I would always forget to donate for those too
CHG
sabastious - Not so quick there. When they first went to the donation basis they struggled to get the salesmen/saleswomen to either collect a voluntary donation or pay for the lit they gave away for free. This went on for quite some time and is even an issue today. For many items that were "free" they specified a reasonable donation based on what such an item might cost in the "world". Example - when they first came out with the watchtower library they published info guiding the captives/publishers what a comparable product might cost at a computer store. They failed to mention that such product had a steep production cost because they were not produced by a workforce that made a pittance for their labor.
booby, you are correct...that is why I worded it as I did and put question marks after it...I remember the change and being told how to word it...even the suggestion of taking contributions and putting it into an envelope in front of the householder to show it is going to the worldwide work. But most I noticed were too shy to ask in the rare event someone took the lit.
I never asked. It was hard enough to get a few placements when just handing them to the householder with a begging type look on your face.
I never asked. It was hard enough to get a few placements when just handing them to the householder with a begging type look on your face.
I'd say most feel the same way Booby. I can't tell you the last time I went, "If you'd like to support this volunteer work, I'd be glad to accept whatever donation you would like to give." I'd have my envelope ready in case someone donated something so it didn't look like I was pocketing the money myself. It's been years since the donation arrangement went into effect, and its been almost as long since I ever requested inquired if a householder wished to donate something. Most brothers and sisters I've worked with in the field, don't request anything when they have success placing a magazine, brochure, or even a book. I guess the WT is all too aware of this, and had to cheapen their literature as a result, putting dang near everything in paperback. Plus the occasional article in the KM emphasizing the need to support Jehovah's chosen organization with your gold and silver.
Previous to a major policy change in 1990, Watchtower literature was distributed at what was termed a "specified contribution" price for each item. Witness canvassers (called "publishers") bought their literature supplies from the congregation and then resold these from door-to-door. All monies were then remitted to the Society's headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.
The new policy announced in 1990 detailed a complete donation basis for literature. It was now to be supplied without charge to congregations, but contribution boxes are placed by the counter for donations from the publishers, supposedly to cover the cost of printing and distribution. In the field, donations for the items are solicited, but are supposedly not necessary in order to obtain books and magazines. Such donations received from the public are then to be brought back to the Kingdom Hall and sent to the Society.
What was the motivation for these changes? The Society's answer was that less paperwork would be needed and the literature could be more easily distributed. "By adopting a method of literature distribution based completely on donation, Jehovah's people are able to greatly simplify our Bible education work and separate ourselves from those who commercialize religion." (Letter from the Watch Tower Society to all U.S. congregations dated February 21, 1990.)
The second reason given about `separating ourselves from those who commercialize religion' alluded to the real reason for the Society's change in literature distribution. Just one month before the new policy was announced, the Society watched how the Supreme Court ruled in California Board of Equalization vs. Jimmy Swaggart Ministries. California wanted to assess sales taxes on the sale of books and tapes and other items by Swaggart's ministry. The Watch Tower Society filed amicus curiae (a friend of the court legal brief) in support of Swaggart's position, that a religious organization should be exempt from such taxation. On Jan. 17, 1990, just a little over a month before the Society's change in policy, the Supreme Court ruled against Swaggart and permitted taxation. The Society's new policy avoided any liability for taxation by taking the financial transaction out of the picture (donations cannot be taxed).
The new policy was primarily a tax dodge. The side benefit to the Watchtower was that they received monies TWICE for the items, if all went as planned: Perhaps a dollar or two for a small book when you picked up the literature from the Kingdom Hall, and if you received a donation for the book from the householder, you were required to bring this back to the Hall and deposit it as well. (Hmmm..., something's fishy!)
The Society's letter outlining the new policy took great pains to emphasize that the donation policy was not a subterfuge for continued specified prices. The claim was made that "we will not suggest a specific donation." (Letter dated February 9, 1990.) Yet a subsequent letter gave instructions on how to suggest the old prices for Watchtower and Awake! subscriptions:
"It may be that the subscriber will ask how much is expected. The publisher should inform the subscriber that the making of a donation or the amount of such is entirely up to the subscriber. The publisher may inform the subscriber that some have donated $5 and others $10 or more, but the amount is left up to the subscriber. Whether or not a donation is made the subscription will be renewed ... If it turns out that a subscriber does not make a donation, as Jehovah God's fellow workers we have the opportunity to support that work, depending on our circumstances." (Letter dated February 21, 1990)
Here the WT Society is telling Witnesses to suggest $5 or $10 for subscriptions, which is the previous rate. Interestingly, the Society also suggests that if Witnesses can't collect that from the public, then the Witnesses themselves have the opportunity to donate to cover for the public.
So what happens when people currently write in to the Society asking for literature?
Apparently, literature, including magazine subscriptions, can rarely be obtained through the mail any longer. Even renewal notices for return mail are no longer sent, the householder being informed that they must obtain all materials through their local Kingdom Hall. Even at Watchtower headquarters in New York, only two or three items can be requested at a time from the Society's Furman Street literature counter. The Society's literature is free, but only in limited supply.
More recently, attempts to obtain the Watchtower's new CD-ROM computer disk (containing all of their publications on electronic media, some back to 1950) have yielded interesting results. Because the May 1994 Our Kingdom Ministry (p. 7) "suggests" a price of $25 or $50, though not in so many words, publishers are often requiring a minimum payment, sometimes up front, before they will order the CD-ROM disk. In one case, the JW is demanding $40 before he will place the order! It seems that Witnesses are taught to be more and more deceptive as time passes, which is merely a reflection of their mother (the organization).
Apparently, their recent significant drop in income, coupled with the failure of rank-and-file Witnesses to donate funds sufficient to their liking for materials received "free" has caused the Watchtower to make the following statement in the November 1996 issue (p.3) of their in-house bulletin entitled Our Kingdom Ministry:
Share With Others According to Their Needs
Jehovah makes provision to fill our spiritual needs through the faithful "slave". (Matt 24:45-47) Many of these provisions are in the form of books, Bibles, bound volumes, videos, audiocassette recordings, and computer disks for Bible research. What Jehovah supplies is always sufficient without being wasteful. He expects us to share with one another, making sure that all benefit equally. All such provisions are produced at tremendous financial cost. These expenses are cared for by the worldwide brotherhood. This is especially true since the organization instituted the arrangement to distribute literature without charge, depending entirely on voluntary donations to cover the expense. Additionally, many branches obtain these provisions from the Society at a cost that enables the brothers to have what they need for meetings and field activity even though they have very limited material resources.
How we can help. We can respond to Paul's admonition to share with others "according to their needs." (Rom 12:13) When we make financial contributions toward the worldwide work, we are directly sharing what we have with our brothers around the world. With this in mind, some have decided to set aside an amount to contribute to the worldwide work each month, just as they do for Kingdom Hall expenses. They recognize that these funds are used not only for literature production but for all facets of the work as well. Imagine the great benefit our worldwide brotherhood would experience if more would share in this way on a regular basis.
Further, we can share with them by always being conservative when requesting items that are readily available to us. Ordering only what we actually need allows our brothers elsewhere to receive the spiritual provisions that they also need to keep strong and to advance the preaching of the good news in their part of the world.-Heb.13:16.
We should especially bear this in mind when we request items that are produced at considerable expense to the Society. These include videos, CD-ROMs, large reference books, bound volumes and audiocassette subscriptions. Rather than requesting one item for each member of the household, could the entire family get along with just one? If we limit what we take for ourselves, it will allow others to obtain the same good things that we enjoy. -Phil. 2:4. The cost of literature that we place in the field may be offset in part by donations to the Society's worldwide work offered by us at the Kingdom Hall and by interested ones who accept it. However, when it comes to literature items we request for our personal use, including songbooks, Yearbooks, deluxe Bibles, and so forth, we cannot expect outsiders to care for our needs. Jehovah's dedicated servants are the primary source of this financial support. With that in mind, many publishers estimate what these items might cost if commercially produced and then they contribute accordingly. For example, a deluxe gold-edged Bible can easily cost $20 or more, a reference book may be $40 and up, a full-color wall calendar may sell for at least $5, an encyclopedia on CD-ROM costs from $50 to $100 or higher, music compact discs commonly cost close to $20 and some videos are often sold for much more. A failure to contribute enough to cover costs will ultimately restrict what the organization may otherwise be able to accomplish in furthering the worldwide work.
Jesus declared that his true disciple would be clearly identified by their love for one another. (John 13:34, 35) Our generosity in giving materially and our unselfishness in sharing with other according to their needs are surely fine ways to prove ourselves to be genuine Christians.
additional notes:
It is interesting how they have even "raised the price" of a number of items! They appear be suggesting a donation of $50-100 for the CD-ROM instead of $25 to $50, and $40 for reference works such as Insight on the Scriptures. Since their costs of producing CD-ROMs could not exceed two dollars each (probably closer to $1), one wonders who they are trying to deceive.
One investigator sent in a donation to the Watchtower "equivalent to that once specified" for some literature, just to see what would happen. A letter, and an additional card was sent back. The letter was a "thank you" letter acknowleding a donation, but containing no hint as to any literature involved. But the card sent with it stated, "We are pleased to inform you that your request for Bible literature has been honored and will be mailed seperately." Using this technique, the WT feels they are going to avoid legal complications. Time will tell as to whether the State of California decides to reopen the case with regards to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.
reprint from the Jun/Aug 1995Free Minds Journal with additional notes made on 12/8/96
Here are some letters that might be of interest to some. I like the third scan with a question "are we not donating twice.."
OMG! This is the first I've heard of this. I recall the literature becoming free(with a voluntary contribution, of course!) but I never knew why.
The light is brighter still. I wan't to print this out and mail it to my mom!
I think you will find very JW's who know the real reason for the change in the pricing arrangement for the magazines and literature.
It was always emphasised as SIMPLIFICATION. I was shocked when I found this out on this very site but most people I have told do not really believe it!
George
I like the line in the letter that says; They do this because it serves as a convenient reminder of their privilege and responsibility to support. Can I tell you that it is your responsibility to do something and at the same time say it is voluntary ? All this voluntary giving not really voluntary if it is expected.
