Voluntary Donations - Not Really Mentioned Anymore?

by baldeagle 13 Replies latest jw friends

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  baldeagle

  My active JW wife has gone to all meetings, assemblies, memorials, and service groups by herself after I faded off the radar about 5 years ago. I asked her this past Saturday as she prepared to join another sister from the KH for the service group regarding, “voluntary donations.” I inquired if publishers still mention this to the householder when placing literature. Her answer was that anyone she works with including the pioneers has stopped mentioning this arrangement at all. She said that this has been happening for a very long time now.

  She added that all the demonstrations at the Service Meeting regarding placing literature rarely/never include a reminder with the individual tying in the “voluntary donation arrangement.” Apparently these demos have been presented this way for quite some time now. Has there been an official change, or have the publishers just dropped this request for money all on their own? We were always told that our literature had tremendous “value” and a real cost was involved in producing it. We didn’t want the householder to think that this information was insignificant or trivial. We used to receive regular reminders about this in the WTS literature and service groups.

  KM January 2006 p. 5 - Ways to Mention the Donation Arrangement

  “If you would like to make a small donation today toward our worldwide work, I will gladly accept it.”

  “Although our literature is offered without charge, we do accept modest donations for our worldwide work.”

  “You may wonder how we can afford to do this work. It is because our worldwide work is supported by voluntary donations. If you wish to make a small donation today, I will be pleased to accept it.”

  I’m wondering what the situation or trend is like in your area?
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  Zoos

  I never once mentioned the word donation at to a householder. Occasionally I would hear someone mention it during a demo on stage but never, not once did I hear anyone use it at the door. I was always reluctant to bring up money, especially when I knew most people taking the magazines were just being polite and had no real interest in them. They just wanted me off the front stoop so they could go back to Oprah.

  They would have been better off writing me a big fat check for them because now they are a RETUUUUUURN VIIIIIISIIIIIIT!
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  designs

  Asking for money always offends the public. At the market yesterday morning a fellow had his stand set up outside for some medical/mission work in Mexico, he had few takers. I was recently asked to do some campaign work for a political group, part of the petition asked people to write down their credit card info, I was shocked and said- no way.

  I was still in when the US States wanted sales tax on the W&A which prompted this whole 'donation' blab, it never sounded right, they just couldn't pull it off.
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  Splash

  There were Service Meeting items some time ago saying that we should no longer mention the donation arrangement at all.

  Splash
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  WTWizard

  I wouldn't donate for the littera-trash myself, either. Before long, they are going to start hounding people to do that, and donate more than the trash cost them to print. Do not do this, or you are paying for your own damnation and that of the return visit.
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  OnTheWayOut

  They probably are still supposed to include the voluntary donations in the presentations, but so much emphasis is placed on the members contributions at the meetings that they might feel that the literature is really supported by that. Plus, members have such a hard time "placing" literature that they don't want to sour the closing with a mention of money.
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  OneEyedJoe

  The last CO visit we had, he encouraged us to ask for money, even if at a door that had a no soliciting sign. On his last visit he went on a long rant about how some time in the states congregations don't donate enough to cover literature costs, whereas in 3rd world countries they sometimes donate more than enough, and "how bad would we feel to know that brothers in poorer countries are subsidizing or literature?"

  That said, I don't think I've heard anyone all for money in years.
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  Magnum

  I did mention it some, but I hated doing it. It felt so cheap and sneaky. We were told to get the lit in their hands and then inform them of their opportunity to donate. It never felt right, and I quit doing it completely. We were always told that we should want to leave a good impression on householders and to be careful about the way we dressed, conducted ourselves, etc. Well, to me, mentioning the donation arrangement could have ruined any good impressions; it gave the impression that we were like other religious groups who were always asking for money. I think money should not have been mentioned. The instiltution of the donation arrangement made me think the org was overly concerned with it.

  I don't remember anybody mentioning the donation arrangement the last few years. I don't know whether it was mentioned during service meeting demos. I never listened to those; they were such lame wastes of time.

  Splash: There were Service Meeting items some time ago saying that we should no longer mention the donation arrangement at all.

  If you can find references, please provide them. I'm curious.
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  A.proclaimer

  A couple of years ago, the CO told us to being up "voluntary donations" at the door as it might encourage people to donate. he said we should do it to stay "unified" with other Witnesses that ask for it. No one really did it after he left, just went back to the old activity of not asking.
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  Julia Orwell

  That arrangement started in Australia in 2000 and I remember them telling us about asking for money (which most jws never did because it's just awkward asking strangers for a religious donation in a society in which talking religion is somewhat taboo) then later saying only mention the donation if the householder asks if the crap they take costs anything. It was still like that 1.5 years ago when I was still in.