Did You Know any JWs that Owned 3 Homes, Land, Luxury Cars, a boat, and a Motor Home?

by LostGeneration 12 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  LostGeneration

  Another great paragraph from the new WT. Interesting nothing noted about selling any of the items listed. I wonder if his name is Andre?

  20 A North American brother writes:
  “When my wife and I attended an assembly
  in 2006, we had been baptized
  for 30 years. While driving home after
  the program, we discussed how we
  could apply the counsel given on simplifying
  our life. (Matt. 6:19-22)We owned
  three homes, land, luxury cars, a boat,
  and a motor home. Feeling that wemust
  have looked like foolish Christians, we
  decided to make the full-time ministry
  our goal. In 2008 we joined our daughter
  in the regular pioneer service. What
  a joy it has been to work more closely
  with the brothers!We have been able to
  serve where there is greater need. Also,
  the experience of doing more for Jehovah
  has drawn us closer to him. Especially
  rewarding is the privilege of seeing
  people’s eyes light up when they
  hear and understand the truth of God’s
  Word.”
• 

  Momma-Tossed-Me

  And now they got their experience published in the Watchtower, wonder how much that cost them?????

  MTM
• 

  xelder

  how convenient that they went all in for God just as the economy was crashing anyway
• 

  LostGeneration

  Well if you have all of that, you are probably retired already or have some sort of passive income stream coming in. No need to work anymore. I guess 70 hours a month of driving around is tolerable, and everyone in the congo probably puts them up on a pedastal now that they pioneer.
• 

  wha happened?

  it's these type of articles that drove me crazy. I had a business and I guess I was weak for pursuing a decent living
• 

  WTWizard

  I would rather have 60 homes in several different countries, a 90-meter yacht, numerous fancy cars, and have several billion ounces of gold and silver for investment, and do zero for the witlesses, than to be destitute and stagnant and put in 200 hours a month in field circus. So long as the wealth was gained through honest means, I would rather have the wealth.

  And that "honest means" could mean starting with a simple computer repair business that explodes into programming, writing a whole new platform that will make the rubbish Microsoft and Apple put out seem like rubbish, and putting a censorship-proof, Osama Obama-proof, Codex Alimentarius-proof, Agenda 21+ proof platform for communication into general use. I would rather that happen and getting zero hours a month in field circus, or even getting disfellowshipped for it, than to become a pious-sneer, a hounder, hounder-hounder, or even higher and putting the money into the Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund.

  Bonus: It is impossible to get wealthy using honest means (and without inheriting it or winning it through the lottery) without creating opportunity for others. Even the simple computer repair business requires several technicians and someone to handle the phones, orders, and the customers. If I start adding programming and creating software that goes where Microsoft and Apple refuse to go, that's when it becomes impossible for me to become stagnant in my work or hold others back into stagnation traps. Plus, it could literally employ millions in the world, enriching them while allowing me to spread a legitimate business through the world. Can anyone honestly say that about pious-sneering?
• 

  undercover

  Feeling that we must have looked like foolish Christians, we decided to make the full-time ministry our goal.

  WTF? Because you were successful at business... or through no skill of your own, inherited a lot of money/land... you're foolish?

  The underlying message in this particularly chosen group of words is this:

  "If you happen to have excess money, land, etc., you should sell it and donate those proceeds to us. Whether through giving us more time and effort or donating for the real estate schemes or donating directly to the WTS, what you have gained through your financial successes should now belong to us. To do otherwise is to be foolish."
• 

  blondie

  Yes, all elders, not a one got rid of them to regular pioneer with a grown child. Many excuses were made by the other elders, saying it was okay because they gave so much money to the congregation and the CO.
• 

  designs

  Yes, Gerry Simonis, Sec/Treas. of the Wt.. Big Bucks guy and all around financial guru for the Wt..
• 

  sir82

  And now they got their experience published in the Watchtower, wonder how much that cost them?????

  Well, it obviously cost them 3 homes, land, luxury cars, a boat and a motor home.

  Although it doesn't say anywhere that they divested themselves of everything - maybe they "only" now have 1 or 2 homes.

  This is very odd - they not so subtly infer that rich JWs are "foolish" at a time when the economy continues to tank and their reduced contributions continue to force them to make cutbacks.

  Apparently they are feeling flush with the prospect that they will soon sell their Brooklyn properties for $1 billion + and can afford to alienate wealthy JWs.

  I've known plenty of very wealthy JWs. Being a JW does not necessarily disable the [astute businessperson] sections of the brain.