Anyone recall a time when your congregation came to the aid of a Brother or sister in need??

by jam 67 Replies latest social entertainment

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  LongHairGal

  JAM:

  My recollection is that the Witnesses were notoriously uncaring about people in the congregation who were in need UNLESS they were part of a popular family clique or a pioneer. Anybody else was out of luck. I remember way back when a family had their home damaged by fire and there was NO announcement - meanwhile they would regularly announce when popular people were home with a sniffle. What B.S. !!!

  I also agree with the poster who was outraged because people wanted her to cook meals and help out some man in the hall - meanwhile she's trying to make a living, etc. As a single working woman, I'd tell them to go to hell too. All the stupid sisters tripping over themselves to help some guy (who's perfectly capable of helping himself) meanwhile NOBODY would give a single woman/single mother the time of day is something that made me sick!

  ALSO, another poster mentioned something very true: on the rare occasions JWs DO help it is only for somebody in so-called "good standing". This is subject to people's opinions and almost always excludes anybody not on the pioneer list or a single working woman or single mother!!
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  Aunt Fancy

  I was in for 30 years, lived in two different states and was in 9 different congregations (because they were areas of the country where there was a lot of growth but not from newley interested ones but JW's who moved into the area) and I never saw one case where the congregation helped someone in need. There was one time where someone was sick or died and they had the sisters cook a meal but that was the extent of it.

  It is really pathetic when you think about it and so unloving.
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  HowTheBibleWasCreated

  Yeah recently. Because I am still in but mentally out and elder gave me some money when my son was vborn because he knew I had to take off almost a week of work during last week. But that is his personal giving and is not what I have seen from the congregation... They are all mostly wondeing when my wife will be back at the hall... She just gave birth you morons...
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  villagegirl

  The problem is from the top down. The Governing Body has no agenda

  for social outreach to anyone for any reason except their odd interest

  in "disaster relief" which as it has been pointed out ends up using free labor

  and then collecting insurance to be sent to the "society" When you think

  about it even the term "Society" is misleading since it does not refer to

  the 'whole membership as a group', as in a society, but really means,

  the Governing Body. The concept of Christian Charity is not understood

  by Jehovah's Witnesses.

  JW's find it odd to even speak of the idea of " feeding widows and orphans"

  since the scripture where Jesus said to do that, Matthew 25:35 ,

  they turn into service to the Governing Body. Notice any pattern here?
• 

  Designer Stubble

  In the 40 years I was in, I have seen a lot of good things happen mainly on an individual basis. There were also the few who organized things somewhat larger - perhaps having a group the size of a bookstudy help someone out with something...but never at congregation level and certainly not out of congregation funds.

  I have had discussions with pioneers "complaining" they did not have time to care enough for the sick and elderly, as they would otherwise fall short on their hours. I suggested they stop pioneering and focus on what really matters - didn't go down to well.

  A lot is be warm and well fed, but there are some very sincere caring individuals.
• 

  not bitter

  About 30 or more years ago all the staff at my fathers place of work went on strike (late 70s early 80s) and my parents tell me that many times they would find food parcels left outside the front door. Also another kind family in the cong at that same time gave my dad a car.

  I do think times were different back then. I'm not sure congregations would do the same today.

  I could be wrong, I don't know as I'm no longer one of them.
• 

  objectivetruth

  Impossible
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  the girl next door

  One sister(Elders wife) recieved 20k from congregation funds for a cancer related double mastectomy. One Elder (assistant CO) who recieved no help for knee surgery a year earlier stepped down and left the organization because of the event.
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  villagegirl

  TheGirlnext D - Well it was not wrong to help the sister and what she had

  was life threatening. But having said that. There will be no more money in

  congragtion accounts to make these decisions, since all the KH can retain is

  $5,000 and the rest goes to the " Society" odd name since it really means

  Governing Body. The point is there is no organized provisions made that are

  charitable, no food, clothing, shelter, medical help, fund that is intended for

  charitable purposes, and this sister receiving $20,000 for personal medical costs

  is a fantastic and unique story, since even those in Betherl who get cancer are

  just sent home. I knew of a pioneer brother who was serving at Bethel and

  got cancer and they just showed him the door.

  Whittier California,congregation, 1980's. When I pointed out to him at the time

  how badly they had treated him, he was furious, with ME. I was diagnosed with

  cancer in 1987 and I lost everything, because witnesses I gave my belongingd to

  to take care of them for me, just kept them, when it became known I had read

  Crisis of Conscience. Witnesses are not who they pretend to be.
• 

  cha ching

  So sorry, VillageGirl.... In our area, it also was the "older sisters" that organized any help, and any money that was given to people was done by individuals.