not viewed as a vote but rather as an opportunity to go along with Jehovah's Holy Spirit.
twain30, I have seen the elders split down the middle on a decision and made it known to the congregation by their actions that holy spirit was not guiding the elders. I even heard one elder tell people not to donate if they did not agree with the decision.
That only cleared up when the dissenting elders on one side moved away. Meanwhile the donations had plummetted.
People tend to vote 2 ways at the KH, with their money or with their feet.
What you say has at times been very true, however usually when things go according to format, congregation votes as to these matters take place in the way mentioned in my previous post. This amounts not to a fair vote but to something quite coersive.
I agree with you on all points, twain30. I hope you don't think I was disagreeing with you. Yes, there is no fair vote. When you vote publicly it can never be fair. That is why there is so much effort to keep the vote in the US political scene anonymous and private even from one's spouse.
I have known of elders who wanted to spend the congregation's money without even giving them the congregation the semblance of voting. Unfortunately, the WTS still requires an audit of the money. Elders that will steal from the R&F will steal from the WTS might be their thinking.
If you can't have a say in how the money is spent, don't give it. It seems many who stay but want to leave are doing just that, voting with their pocketbook.
