by metatron 19 Replies latest jw friends
OK, let's see. How many of you have ever observed No votes in Kingdom Halls? Especially for spending on stuff?
I've actually seen a few close votes but I is my experience unusual? If so, all these congregation pledges to the Society mean about as much as an election in North Korea.
metatron
I was watching a week ago when we voted on our monthy donation. It was an odd time to vote, half our hall was on vacation. The COBE and the secretary were also gone. Not sure how we can vote with less than half there and missing a majority of he board of directors.
Anyways, I saw 5 people not raise their hands for the affirmative. I was the sixth. But it was never asked if any were opposed. I was curious what would happen then.
I have found it is those who ask questions when invited to do so before the vote is taken. I have watched people vote no. I saw an elder make an announcement about the outcome of a vote that didi not reflect what was true and had been discussed by the BOE. One elder stood up and said he was lying about the outcome....he was removed as an elder and his family moved away. The CO had stepped in and outvoted everyone in the congregation. After seeing this elder removed, the rest of the sheeple were afraid to anything but move away.
I voted No on many occasions. Primarily when it involved raising monthly contributions for improvements or accommodations for a traveling CO..
Maat
You should specify that votes over meeting times don't count. Anyway, I don't recall ever seeing a "no" vote unless you count voting for 7:00pm over 7:30pm.
Towards the end I refused to vote at all one way or the other.
I figured that doing either could be counted as supporting an arrangement I no longer believed in.
Brother doing the count ratted me out to COBE. Let's just say he was "NOT HAPPY, SPARROW"
Apparently choosing not to vote at all could be viewed as willfull non support of congregation activities, and sets a bad example.
Sparrow now blowing "raspberry".
The modus operandi of Elders' proposals being voted on is simply to present a proposal out of the blue to the congregation - thereby not allowing anyone time to think about the subject - and then simply saying, "All those in favour?" and "Any against?".
Generally, no count is taken because it's clear that the majority voted 'For' the proposal.
Several in my KH refused to vote, with one couple walking out before the proposal was read out, because I'd warned them about the new donation arrangement, and they didn't want to be seen as going against the G.B.'s direction!
No one actually voted 'No'!
The Searcher-
I cannot tell you what is generally done in anyone else's hall. All I can comment on is in the hall I attend many resolutions have been put to the cong over last couple years re renovations. There has been no small amount of disagreement over, for eg central heating or resurfacing of the carpark. Many times the vote was split down the middle so every vote counted. It was all very contentious and political. Which is why they counted the votes.
So far, this is exactly what I thought.
All these votes to shower money on the WTS are baloney. It's just fake voting in which people are afraid.
Good luck getting those contributions.
metatron
About 20 or so years ago, our congregation had a donated property large enough to build a new Kingdom Hall on. We had scrimped and saved money for many years and accumulated a small nest egg - not enough to build a new hall, but not insignificant.
Meanwhile, the old KH was getting pretty ratty. The BOE recommended to use the money to renovate the old hall.
Hoo boy, we had some old Rutherford-era JWs up in arms over that. Plenty of "no" votes that night - but not enough to win. The renovation took place as recommeded.
Outside of that, I do not recall any other "no" vote on a financial suggestion - ever.
