What's the Watchtower's View of Dedicating Your Time To Charity? Food-bank, Helping Poor Get Benefits, Big Brother, ect..

by RottenRiley 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  LongHairGal

  Rotten Riley:

  The religion definitely does not want you doing anything for charity, only for them. They want all your efforts/resources to go into their religion. Let's just say that if it got out that some JW $upported some secular charity, they'd be pulled aside and criticized !! Meanwhile, the religion offers nothing (and I mean nothing) to its members. If you needed assistance in that religion, you'd better be related to or friendly with a popular family. Otherwise, you are S.O.L. (you know what this abbreviation means). The irony is that many are needy in the first place because of the religion's teachings.

  In my opinion, the religion should not be considered charitable at all, because it does not give anything tangible or meaningful. Offering "free bible studies" doesn't cut it as far as I am concerned. And, in fact, they are not actually bible studies at all, but simply JW insider literature studies. At least other religions let their premises be used for things useful to the community such as Alcoholics Anonymous, soup kitchens, etc. The Witnesses? ZERO.

  To add insult to injury: the JWs are against college and careers. Unfortunately, this produces people who are very likely to be dependent on secular charities and government support and with their hands out! This describes too many people in the JW congregations nowadays.

  Finkelstein:

  It isn't only people outside the religion who are out of luck, it is very many people in, if they are not related to a popular family there.
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  RottenRiley

  LonghairedGirl, do you think it's wrong for JWs to use the Food Bank and get free food? I use to arrange for the Food Bank to pick up "Baked Goods" that were on the "expiration date" along with other items that were "expired" but good for another few months in canned good form.

  We had JWs show up and get Government Cheese, the Baked Goods and other items the Community so kindly gave via some Christian Organizations donating their time and trying to locate additional food supplies. I think it's wrong for JWs to go to a Food Bank where you have Christians and other Non-JW Religons donating time and all the Jehovah's Witnesses do is show up with a empty bag to take the food. Why is it right? It's morally wrong to condemn the efforts of True followers of Christ who feel the need to feed the Poor. JWs only are good at taking advantage of Charity, Government and Social programs in full, what a bunch of low life hypocrites!

  AA has a better track record of making better Citizens, the Congregation I am in "Creep Side Congregation" has plenty of men who are Gluttons and over-indulge in wine and hard liqour, what good are they to make the World a better place? I am slowly starting to despise myself for believing this lie for too long, I wasted too much time trying to get along with people who are not good, they don't care about other people, they use the Kingom Hall to Pontificate, do a lot of self backslaping for useless works Jesus Christ never asked them to do! They don't follow Jesus Christ's commandments, so why do they lie and claim they are Christian, they are trying to be 1st Century Jews 2.0. I agree they should lose their IRS Tax Status because they don't do any good for the Community, they are a Cult who try to avoid as much interaction with non-Witnesses unless they can scheme money off their Marks.

  Why do Jehovah's Witnesses use the services of Doctors, Medical Professionals, Legal Experts if going to College is such a unwholesome experience, why don't the JWs act like the 4th to 1 Century BCE Jews and treat them like Gentiles? The Jews hated the Gentiles and had no dealings with men and women of the Nations, JWs need to make up their crazy mind and move to Waco Texas and live unhappily ever after!
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  Band on the Run

  When I was fourteen, I was able to volunteer as a candy-striper at a local hospital. The uniform with red and white thin stripes and a matching nurses' hat was so cool. I would have paid the hospital for the opportunity to wear the uniform. I ran errands throughout the hospital. Provided fresh water. Picked up supplies from the pharmacy. I knew the Witnesses were against so many things. What could be bad about helping sick patients in a hospital. We were awarded badges to wear on our uniform as we accumulated hours. A nursing scholarship was awarded to each class of candystripers.

  I wanted to wear my uniform to the KH. When I wore it to the grocery store or public library, all sorts of nice men complimented me. No one found it evil. I had a MS part coming up. My mom explained that I could not wear the uniform. I cried so hard. The brothers had no respect from me. My father found out how much the position meant to me. I had to call the volunteer director and explain that I had to quit. How do you tell a normal person that being a candy striper was evil? I was too embarassed. She did not believe me at first. I was not going to embarass myself by having any ties to the Witnesses. It was awkward. I was too young. Most parents would be delighted to have a daughter who wanted to get a scholarship and help sick people.

  Let me be candid. The KH crowd had no skills or education. Many were collecting disability and pioneering. Criminal fraud! It was so exciting for me to work with college grads. Meanwhile, I was checking out nursing schools. My criterion was which hospital had the most fashion friendly uniforms. The hat had to have presence. I don't know how any nurse could work in those uniforms. My mom said anything that was not field service was forbidden. She was right. I sobbed and sobbed. I may have been young but I knew bs when I heard it. It shocked me that my mom endorsed the Witnesses. I kept my uniform until a few years ago. There is probably some age restriction to it.

  Imagine a world after Armageddon. Do you realize there would be no one able to provide logistical supplies? All the scientists and public health officials able to provide clean water or maintain sewers will be gone. There will be no Red Cross to bury the dead. On 9/11, New York City opened emergency shelters within half an hour of the first plane hitting the WTC. How many blocks were affected? Far from the whole world. Some police stayed in my neighborhood in case terrorists more than one target. Water was running. There was no panic. The panic alone would kill everyone. Witnesses don't have necessary skills. My cousin is a former Marine. He knows how to set up communication networks. Can you imagine the all star rock lineup for benefit concerts after Armageddon.
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  designs

  Part of my getting Black Listed in the 1990s was because of a letter I wrote to Bethel about supporting these charities or starting our own JW charities- Food Banks, Homeless shelters, Drug and Alcohol Rehab.

  I not only got back a resounding No, but they alerted all the local congregations BOEs to be on the watch for me, I was now rebellious.
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  Band on the Run

  Cult.
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  Part of my getting Black Listed in the 1990s was because of a letter I wrote to Bethel about supporting these charities or starting our own JW charities- Food Banks, Homeless shelters, Drug and Alcohol Rehab.

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  designs---you truly are a selfish person! I can see why you were blacklisted. Let me guess: you also pray for your enemies and for those persecuting you? How do you live with yourself ? lol.

  - don't you realize that if WT gives $$ to charity they'll have to build a smaller swimming pool and gym at the new Tuxedo Country Club?
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  SecretHeart11

  Me! A few years ago I was planning & volunteering (through work) several charity events per year, unpaid. Lots of my witness friends attended. It never even occurred to me it was 'wrong'. I volunteered with AIDS charities, childrens disabilities charity and a program to educate youth on business / financial planning for college and your future among other things. I never knew anyone who did anything remotely similar but I never caught flack for it either. I look forward to having time for that again in the future.
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  LongHairGal

  Rotten Riley:

  Even though I have no problem with people who are truly hungry and needy taking from the Food Bank, I particularly despise the Jehovah's Witnesses because they have put themselves deliberately in the position of being poor, and they imagine the rest of the world who works for a living owes them something. This is why I am glad I am not in the congregations now, because I would be running from these people.

  I also have no use for them because they insanely still knock college education - but yet they use the services of professionals who got that college education. If there were no college educated people there would be no professionals whatsoever - No architects, no doctors, no nothing!

  It is bad enough when poverty happens to people because of circumstances beyond their control, but the Witnesses actually pursue it. Whether it is because they really want to supposedly "put the kingdom first" (which still doesn't justify them being owed anything) OR because they just don't want to be part of the workforce, the result is the same: people who have put themselves in the position of being needy and looking for handouts.

  I'll tell you this: it is only in western countries with a "welfare" system that JWs can get away with this. If they were in a third-world country, they would be forced to work or else they would starve to death.
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  hamsterbait

  i remember in the days of the Book Study, the doorbel went, and there was a charity worker collecting for Ethiopian Famine Relief.

  The brother opened the doo and said:" As jehovahs Witlesses we do not contribut money to charity. Now excuse me we are in the middle of a Bible Study."

  Bet that caller never took the Witchtower again!!!!

  HB
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  kurtbethel

  Despite constant nattering on about being the "true religion", the Watchtower practices the exact opposite of it.

  James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

  James 2: 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.