Why are some of you guys calling this new arrangement tithing?

by neverendingjourney 48 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  TTATTelder

  The WBTS has always said the tithing arrangement died with the Mosaic law of the Jews.

  Jesus came and taught priciples instead of rules.

  The "widow's mite" story illustrates this. The lady gave all she had from the heart, which was supposed to be "more" than the others who gave from their surplus even though the amount was less.

  The principle was of genuine generosity as opposed to giving out of obligation, formality, or show.

  The WBTS has always condemned churches for all of their obligitory donation systems regardless of the name.

  Calling it "tithing" on this forum is a mocking of the WBTS more than it is an attempt at precise terminology.

  -TE
• 

  Oubliette

  NEJ: It seems like this is more akin to passing around a collection plate.

  I'm not trying to be difficult, but according to your own logic we can't call it that because no literal plate is involved.

  I think you just proved my point. We often use language in less than literal or precise means to communicate ideas. Your metaphorical use of the "collection plate" being a perfect example.

  That being said, I completely agree with you when you say, "They're taking steps to have members establish a set amount of money on a periodic basis."

  Whatever we call it--tithing, extortion, shake-down--it is what it is and it's wrong. It is also completely contrary to what the WTBTS has published for over a century regarding soliciting money from its own membership.

  It is this last point that has gotten so many of us "up in arms" about the whole things.
• 

  Frazzled UBM

  Decimation literally means to reduce by one tenth but is not used that way in common parlance. I think you can still call it 'a tithing arrangement' if conceptually it is based on the same principle even if it is not the exact same percentage. I can see your point about how the pedantic WBTS may seek to distinguish this arrangement from tithing based on the percentage amount.
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  Oubliette

  NEJ: The problem with this definition is that it's so broad that any monetary contribution is a tithe. If that's the case, the Witnesses are now and have always been tithing.

  No. The difference is that now the WTBTS is asking for regular contributions of a consistent dollar amount. That is a change.

  TTATTelder: Calling it "tithing" on this forum is a mocking of the WBTS more than it is an attempt at precise terminology.

  Nailed it!

  - Let's Review: It's a cult! -
• 

  Vidiot

  a watcher - "They're trying to justify their own disobedience to Jehovah..."

  I don't try to justify it.

  I just disobey.
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  neverendingjourney

  I can see your point about how the pedantic WBTS may seek to distinguish this arrangement from tithing based on the percentage amount.

  It's not the WTBTS or your ardent Witnesses I really have in mind. You can't reason with them anyhow.

  I've been away from this religion for so many years now that I don't come on here very often anymore. When I have, I've seen repeated remarks about tithing and I thought I'd point out that from an outsider's perspective this new arrangement of theirs doesn't match up with what the common understanding of that word is.
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  Oubliette

  NEJ: I thought I'd point out that from an outsider's perspective this new arrangement of theirs doesn't match up with what the common understanding of that word is.

  And that is a good point which we should keep in mind.

  However, the majority of participants and lurkers on this forum are either ex-JWs, faders or active members with serious doubts.

  We may not be able to get people like a watcher to wake up to TTATT, but we have been successful in helping many others to realize that they're not alone in recognizing that not all is right in the Watchtower.
• 

  Masterji

  "So the tithe represents the portion of what is ours that we bring to Jehovah,

  or use in Jehovah's service, as a token of our love for him and of our recognition

  of the fat that we belong to him.

  The modern-day tithe does not haveto be just a tenth.

  In some cases it will be less. In others it will be more.

  Each individual brings what his heart impels him to bring

  and what his circumstances permit."

  WATCHTOWER 92 12/1 p. 15 par. 14

  Masterji
• 

  Vidiot

  neverendingjourney - "Why are some of you guys calling this new arrangement tithing?"

  Well, if it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it sure as hell ain't a chicken (despite what some say).
• 

  JWdaughter

  I think the WT has done "pledges" before and they have made monthly obligations before (KH Loans). I think that this pledging of a monthly OBLIGATION offends a lot of us simply because they want our promise and our obligation with not only nothing in return, no assurances or what have you of how its spent, but they have acquired from so many of us a DEEP DEEP distrust of their motivations, that it is an easy thing to jump on and (of course) loathe. They want families and congregations to PLEDGE each month a totally charitable donation-which becomes a bill, rather than a gift. A loan for ones own kingdom hall (as objectionable and revolting as that was) was at least tangilble. Congregations around the world have been learning that very specific buildings that they have donated for have been found to be unneeded, while the money was simply kept. No one trusts the Borg and they earned it.