Has your trust in charity been shaken lately?

by suavojr 29 Replies latest jw friends

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  suavojr

  Excerpt from the WT article, http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2003401

  Jehovah’s Witnesses today are also quick to help when disaster strikes. During the summer of 2001, for instance, torrential storms caused major flooding in Houston, Texas, U.S.A. In all, 723 homes of Witnesses were damaged to some extent, many of them quite badly. A disaster relief committee made up of qualified Christian elders was immediately formed to assess individual needs and to allocate relief funds to help the local Witnesses to cope with the situation and repair their homes. Willing volunteers from neighboring congregations performed all the work. One Witness was so appreciative of the help that when she received payment from her insurance company to cover the repairs to her house, she immediately donated the money to the relief fund so that it could help others in need.

  When it comes to organized charity, though, we need to be cautious as we evaluate the many appeals we receive. Some charities have high administrative or fund-raising costs, leaving only a small portion of the collected money for the intended purpose. Proverbs 14:15 says: “Anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word, but the shrewd one considers his steps.” So it is the course of wisdom to examine the facts carefully.

  We all know that if you were a born in JW or a hardcore JW, donating money to any cause other than WT’s cause is a big NO, NO. But the question still remains, why should I give money to foundations when someone at the top is benefiting from my hard earned money? To me is all a scam!

  I know that Richard Dawkins has a foundation for example, why should I contribute? I am talking out of ignorance, I know! Unfortunately, I just don’t see the value.

  What do you guys think? Is it worth donating? Anyone care to share your experiences.
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  Separation of Powers

  JW's help each other...that's good.

  JW's don't typically help anyone outside of their sphere of influence.

  Charity, as a Christian, should be showed to anyone who needs it. An organization that helps only its own is not charitable, it's investing!

  From the movie, Angels and Demons, "My church feeds the hungry. My church comforts the sick and the dying. What does your church do?" That may well sum up what Christianity is all about...at least in the beginning. No true church exists today that follows that example to the same degree.
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  WingCommander

  "Some charities have high administrative or fund-raising costs, leaving only a small portion of the collected money for the intended purpose. "

  This is satire, a freakin' joke, right? The incredible gall and irony that the WatchTower writers would have to have in order to actually print this statement! Hahahahahahahaha! These mo'fo's sit in opulance in their ivory towers in Patterson, Walkill, & soon to be Warwick, with every care and need taken care of for them, all the while donations roll in, real estate is bought and sold by the million(s), congregations are stripped of their own savings account (fleecing followed by forced tithing), and THEN they have the BALLS to actually make a statement like this? An incredible glaring contrast considering they give absolutely NOTHING back to the very sheeple they fleece on a perpetual basis! No financial or job assistance, medical care, retirement homes, soup kitchens, clothing stores, Sunday Schools, self-help (AA and similar) functions at Kingdom Halls, NOTHING. They are total leeches and moochers!!!

  What a glaring contrast to the so-called "worldly" churches who offer much. It was the one of the first things I "witnessed" upon waking up, growing up, and getting out into the world, that Christendom's churches actually tended to their flocks instead of bleeding them dry for every cent. This cult becomes more bold and in-your-face with their hypocrisy as the years go by. It's an incredible sight to be hehold....like a train wreck in slow motion....you can't help but keep watching. My parents must be spinning in their graves at this farce.

  - Wing Commander
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  LongHairGal

  WingCommander:

  Good post!

  Yes, that statement sounds like satire. You know, I always hated how the JW religion would insult our intelligence when they say garbage like this. It is almost as if they are DARING somebody to speak up and say "you do the exact same thing". They are testing the waters to see how stupid their people are. And, and indeed they are - just nodding their heads in agreement at the mind-numbing stupidity uttered there.

  In contrast to other religions, the JW religion gives absolutely nothing to the community - and this fact should be publicized.... As you mention, other religions have programs to help the poor or educational and recreational programs, etc. In fact, the JW religion are takers because they turn out ignorant and dependent people that are a drain on the society they live in and have the nerve to criticize to boot. So, not only do they offer NOTHING but they are a drain. And their so-called free bible study isn't a bible study at all but an indoctrination session with their literature.

  The world needs to be made aware of how worthless and damaging the JW religion is.
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  Magnum

  WingCommander - to your entire post.

  WingCommander mentioned job assistance. I've been thinking about that lately. The org could provide some kind of real job assistance for people like me and my wife who were financially crippled by years of living on poverty wages to serve it (the org).

  I used to give to The Humane Society... until... I found out that a retired executive has a $600,000.00 a year pension. I also found out what the top execs make. And I found out they do not fund the local Humane Society shelters we see around the country (U.S.). So they wanted to milk me of my money to pay their high salaries? No way. I now use my money directly to help animals; they now get every cent of what I allocate for that - not 3 cents out of a dollar.

  So with the Humane Society, I was giving out of lowly hard-earned wages, and they were largely using my money to keep up their fancy offices and cushy lifestyles. Same with the org. I was busting my ass out in the field and donating money while they built plush offfices and compounds with swimming pools and they lived an executive lifestyle.

  I believe a lot of charities exist just for the sake of the charities themselves - not for their supposed causes.
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  Iown Mylife

  cheering you all on, YES your posts are right on.

  I've been thinking about contributing to Heifer International but they have as many negative reviews as good ones. Any opinions about them?

  heifer.org

  Marina
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  jgnat

  http://www.charitynavigator.org/

  Guess which charity doesn't voluntarily offer up their accounts to scrutiny?
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  jgnat

  http://nothingbutnets.net/

  Kiva, four star rating

  Charities with the most consistent 4-star ratings.
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  Xanthippe

  A couple of Christmases ago WWF phoned me with the charities usual Xmas appeal. Could I give more than I'm already giving to the adopt a tiger project? No I said I'm maxed out with my charities. I love that phrase, picked it up from a street collector. He said ok let me tell you what we're doing with the money you're already giving.

  He said WWF were creating a tiger reserve on the Russian Chinese border to protect tigers from poachers and of course with safeguards to protect the humans in those areas too. As David Attenborough says the problem with tigers is they sometimes kill people so this reserve is a win win situation. Brilliant! I was very impressed he really wanted to tell me where my money was going and not to pressure me any more. It made my Xmas. I don't want these beautiful amimals chopped up for useless traditional medicine.
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  suavojr

  So there is no law that forces the WT to show their books in the US? How can this get changed?