I find it ironic"should you be charged for religious services"

bobld

Some of their comments.

Leaders of professed christian religions charge a fee for religious services.These may include baptisms,weddings or funerals.

But does the bible support such customs of charging for religious services or even of making people feel obligated to pay.Yet,at the same time,they professed divine backing.

In the time of Micah,priests "instructed just for a price"Jehovah was not a supporter,he detested their conduct.

Today many religious leaders resort to the same greedy tactics.

However,Jehovah's Witnesses obtain needed funds through voluntary donations.They do not charge for their literature or religious

services.They don't tithe or pass a collection plate.

Tell me how this relates to their charging for C.A. or SAD now D.C.

No, they don't tithe or pass a collection plate. They only coerce people to giving (not limiting to a measly 10% on the gross). They do pass binding resolutions, however--I have had pledge forms shoved into my face for recurring donations for a Kingdumb Hell project. They use the "Jehovah is watching" crap to coerce people to keep up with their donations. And try putting "0" or refusing to hand one of those pledge forms in--Brother Hounder will force you to fill one out in front of him, then hold you to whatever you pledge no matter what. Putting "0" will result in anything from getting another form (plus a guilt trip) to put a bigger number (putting a tiny number for your pledge does the same thing), to being pulled in for "brazen conduct".

Resistance is Futile

Since the tax laws were changed in 1990 the Watchtower doesn't charge for their products in the U.S.

Is this true in all countries? If they were in fact charging for their products in other countries wouldn't that demonstrate another hypocritical aspect of the Watchtower Corporaton?

Rob Crompton

A couple getting married pay for the use of the venue, they pay their caterer, they pay their photographer, they pay for car hire, they pay their florist,,, and they pay a fee to the officiating minister. And some folk call it greedy tactics on the part of the minister?

Do Christian window cleaners not charge to clean your windows? Do special pioneers not receive a monthly allowance?

mP

@bobId

You might want to read your history including the Bible itself. Religion has always been about money and power. Look at the Levite priests in the BIble, they charge for everything. The average jew brings a dove or ram for sacrifice, and guess what the Priest takes part of each and every offering for his own table. Coincidently ever animal or offering also happens to be things they can eat or use. Naturally they only want the best, no lame or sick animals, after all we wouldnt want God ^h^h^h the priests to go hungry. Even though the sacrifice is supposed to be for God up there in the sky, its actually consume by the gods on the ground, the priests. The entire OT is not about the jews being faithful to God, but rtaher its about the priests wanting a monopoly on where and whom the jews go to worship. THey even got so greedy they wanted the jews to come from all over the countryside to Jerusalem. Given the Levites as a tribe were a tenth of the population spread throughout the land, its a wonder what those outside of Jerusalem actually did. The easy answer is of course they lived like regular jews doing what regular types did. The elites in Jerusalem were of course greedy barstards who wanted it all. At every opportunity they killed their competition. These are the rants we see in the Bible. Its no wonder that more jews travelled to Babylon than returned. The accounts tell us that more actually remained in Babylon than returned. Its not a wonder why given the cntrol freaks that made the journey back. Priests were part of the administrative function of the land. We see the same thing thorughout history even in medievil Europe. Today the same arrangement is present in places like Iran an Saudi Arabia.

Religion has always been about a learned class making empty promises to the lay, and asking for real payment unlike the imaginery promises they make.

elderelite

I laughed when i saw this, especially wt wizards "pledge form". Just went through this a few years ago localy, except i stuck to my guns and refused to turn one in. This was before i was awake, but even then it felt very wrong.

sir82

Tell me how this relates to their charging for C.A. or SAD now D.C.

I don't understand the question. How do JWs "charge" for those events?

blondie

"pledges" regarding remodels or KH builds (your own) were anonymous, just a slip stating what you could give one time or monthly. It was the honor system basically. I still haven't heard that you sign a form.

Diest

Churches are businesses. What's ironic about them charging money? The WT$ is just a poorly run business, but it is obvious that they care more about $ than the truth.

blindnomore

Resistance is Futile, We were charged for all the pulblications including Watchtower and Awake magazines in my native Country until I left. That was mid 90's. I was wondering then about the different arrangement that we, a developing Country, still get to pay for our publication while richer USA was exampted from being charged by the WTS.(I have recently learned about Jimmy Sagaw Case. My long mistery solved!)

IDK, whether they are still being charged or not. I need to find out about that. I can relate a story on this.

We had a single elderly JW who's in her 80's. She was getting discounted price for the publications since she was a regular pioneer. That was the arrangement then. She literally was living under very limited fund. My naitive Country didn't/don't have Social Security System nor much of Welfare System. You are basically own your own. This elderly JW never been married and had no children to look after her. One cold winter, she was so discouraged that she hadn't had much sucess in placing(=selling) her Watchtower and Awake magazines. She desperatly needed her money back from home owners in order to buy food and charcoal to heat her place.

To make long story short, She ended up begging in tear to householders to buy her magazines. She got trouble with elders for doing it. That didn't stopped her from begging. She needed her money back that she used up in paying for the W & A magazines.