by wednesday 30 Replies latest jw friends
This kind of thing upset me greatly!!!!
I can't believe that parents would be so stupid....
The org surely doesn't need it...and unless their kids are millionaires and don't nees the money this is a disgrace...
Maybe they think they can buy their way into heavan....new system....whatever!!!
Dear Wednesday,
I'm so sorry about the jw greed, ... .not surprised, though.
Darn Brainwashed Cult!!
Scully, good comment re: korban: a gift dedicated to God, the biblical case of children abandoning thier parents. Action that was condemned by Jesus. This action or practice by jw hierarchy does tell me that the jws are more interested in money than people. I say action reveals motive. Scully, I appreciate your comments and posts.
Wednesday, I sincerely hope your hubby will begin to see the cracks in the surface of that darn cult. It is so awful, my heart goes out to you.
It has certainly given him quite a pause, he is furious about this, but does not believe they are being choherced, he just feels his parents are being vindictaive.
Awhile back someone posted a newspaper article form here in texas, dallas area, where a dying man, left everything to WTS and they greedly took it. The non jw kids fought and sown.
For me, this is an all time low , even for the WTS. My husband told me that he fels much the same way i do about the org, but he still finds elements of truth to the message. also, he thinks the holidays, esp xmas , are pagan. I'm trying to be patient, i want him to see what liars they are,but with the current world situation, he's afraid the Big A may come soon.
My abusive father would disherit his adult children whenever we displeased him. I figure it's his money anyway and don't expect a dime. My lack of response makes him so mad. He can donate it to the KKK for all we care. It is just another way to try and hurt us. His financial obligation ended when we turned 18. We are so happy that he is out of our life. No amount of money will make us let him have power over us again.
Blondie
Thats a good way to be Blondie....I just would like to see my kids benefit...they won`t my mother will `will` aways everything to THEM.....I will try to make sure my kids have something at least! Its a very sad indication of how people can lose their self determination and free will....
This is truly sad , I feel so sorry for what your hubby must be feeling. Are there any grandkids?
I don't care how much I once loved the WT I would have not left them a damn penny, over my children, or grandkids, I guess I am just so damn resentful over the rich that just get richer, and they have always had plenty.
I was 18 when my mom died and I was utter screwed out of 190,000.00 of my inheritence, by the hands of my own dad. I can't remember how he did it exactly, but I was in such shock over my mom's tragic death and I remember going to a lawyer but I thought I was protecting my inheritence from the man she married only a few months before she died. I had total trust in my dad and didnt even know how much I stood to get until years later when he did the same thing to my sister when she turned 18. My dad didnt actually have that kind of cash in the bank but he was to pay this to my mother as part of the divorce. My dad also took all the money he got off her life insurance for his own needs and even said if it wasnt for that he would have beeen in trouble with taxes. This has led many to question if he had a hand in my mom's suicide. He was a master of mind control and I was still under his mind control when I was 18. I later found out I could sue my dad for what they say, is "undue parental influence" even if you are over 18 . But the years went by and dad lost almost everything and the IRS got most of his material possession. He is still living well, and is a good pioneer, who has no love for me , his grandkids and I am certain he would give his last penny to the WT instead of to me,,,,,,,,,,,,, he already proved he didnt want me to have anything.
I sure hope you and hubby can find a way to convince his parents not to do this, but itis hard to fight the way the wt works on people.
Are they still begging for money at the end of each year in the watchtower mags,,,, even describing how to leave your inheritence or wills to them? They were always so timely.......gag, puke.
I just had a look at the WT CD-ROM regarding the term "korban" or "corban". Here's what they say about it:
*** Rbi8 Mark 7:9-15 *** 9 Further, he went on to say to them: Adroitly YOU set aside the commandment of God in order to retain YOUR tradition. 10 For example, Moses said, Honor your father and your mother, and, Let him that reviles father or mother end up in death. 11 But YOU men say, If a man says to his father or his mother: Whatever I have by which you may get benefit from me is corban, (that is, a gift dedicated to God,) 12 YOU men no longer let him do a single thing for his father or his mother, 13 and thus YOU make the word of God invalid by YOUR tradition which YOU handed down. And many things similar to this YOU do. 14 So, calling the crowd to him again, he proceeded to say to them: Listen to me, all of YOU , and get the meaning. 15 There is nothing from outside a man that passes into him that can defile him; but the things that issue forth out of a man are the things that defile a man.
and:
*** it-1 506-7 Corban ***
CORBAN(cor'ban).
As explained at Mark 7:11, corban is a gift dedicated to God. The Greek word there rendered corban is korban', the equivalent of the Hebrew word qorban', meaning an offering. Qorban' is used in Leviticus and Numbers and applies both to offerings containing blood and to those that are bloodless. (Le 1:2, 3; 2:1; Nu 5:15; 6:14, 21) This Hebrew word is also employed at Ezekiel 20:28 and 40:43. Akin to the Greek word korban' is korbanas', appearing at Matthew 27:6, where the chief priests are reported to have said that it would not be lawful to take the betrayal money Judas had thrown into the temple and drop these silver pieces into the sacred treasury [a form of korbanas'], because they were the price of blood.
By the time of Jesus Christs ministry on earth, a condemnable practice had developed in connection with gifts dedicated to God. In regard to this, Jesus denounced the Pharisees as hypocrites because they put their own tradition ahead of Gods law. Professing to safeguard for God what had been declared corban, they set aside the divine requirement to honor ones parents. (Mt 15:3-6) A person might simply say, Be it corban, or, It is corban, regarding his property or some part of it. Pharisees at that time taught that once a person declared his possessions to be corban, or a gift dedicated to God, he could not use these to satisfy the needs of his parents, however needy they might be, though he could make use of such possessions himself until his own death if he chose to do so. Thus, although these Pharisees professed to honor God, their hearts were not in accord with his righteous requirements.Mr 7:9-13.
The historian Josephus associated corban with persons, stating: Those who describe themselves as Corban to Godmeaning what Greeks would call a giftwhen desirous to be relieved of this obligation must pay down to the priests a fixed sum. (Jewish Antiquities, IV, 73 [iv, 4]) However, the term corban was more generally used for property dedicated as a gift to God.
This situation where JW parents are disinheriting their children who have left the JWs or who are not active JWs is an interesting twist on the "corban" principle that the WTS appears to so vehemently condemn the Pharisees for permitting in the first century. Yet when the money is going into the WTS's treasury, rather than to rightful heirs, it's encouraged and recommended!!
Every single year, for as long as I can remember as a JW, there were articles like this near the end of the calendar year:
*** w99 11/1 20-3 When Generosity Abounds ***
When Generosity AboundsIF YOU had the opportunity to present a gift to a king, what would you give him? What if he were the wealthiest and wisest ruler in the world? Could you think of any gift that would please him? Some three thousand years ago, the queen of Sheba had to ponder those questions while preparing to visit just such a rulerKing Solomon of Israel.
Her gift, the Bible tells us, included 120 talents of gold and a very great deal of balsam oil and precious stones. At todays prices, the gold alone was worth about $40,000,000. Balsam oil, an aromatic and medicinal oil, was ranked with gold as a precious commodity. While the Bible does not say how much oil the queen gave Solomon, it does tell us that her gift remained unequaled.1 Kings 10:10.
The queen of Sheba was obviously a wealthy and generous woman. What is more, her generosity was returned to her. King Solomon, the Bible says, gave the queen of Sheba all her delight for which she had asked, besides the value of what she brought to the king. (2 Chronicles 9:12) True, it may have been the custom for royalty to exchange gifts; yet, the Bible specifically mentions Solomons openhandedness. (1 Kings 10:13) Solomon himself wrote: The generous soul will itself be made fat, and the one freely watering others will himself also be freely watered.Proverbs 11:25.
Of course, the queen of Sheba also made a big sacrifice in time and effort to visit Solomon. Apparently Sheba was in the area of the present-day Republic of Yemen; so the queen and her camel train traveled well over 1,000 miles [1,600 km] to Jerusalem. As Jesus said, she came from the ends of the earth. Why did the queen of Sheba go to so much trouble? She came primarily to hear the wisdom of Solomon.Luke 11:31.
First Kings 10:1, 2 says that the queen of Sheba came to test [Solomon] with perplexing questions. . . . [She] began to speak to him all that happened to be close to her heart. How did Solomon respond? Solomon, in turn, went on to tell her all her matters. There proved to be no matter hidden from the king that he did not tell her.1 Kings 10:3.
Astounded at what she heard and saw, the queen humbly replied: Happy are these servants of yours who are standing before you constantly, listening to your wisdom! (1 Kings 10:4-8) She did not pronounce Solomons servants happy because they were surrounded by opulencealthough they were. Rather, Solomons servants were blessed because they could constantly listen to Solomons God-given wisdom. What a fine example the queen of Sheba is for Jehovahs people today, who bask in the wisdom of the Creator himself and that of his Son, Jesus Christ!
Also noteworthy was the queens next comment to Solomon: May Jehovah your God come to be blessed. (1 Kings 10:9) Evidently, she saw Jehovahs hand in Solomons wisdom and prosperity. This accords with what Jehovah earlier promised to Israel. Keeping my regulations, he said, is wisdom on your part and understanding on your part before the eyes of the peoples who will hear of all these regulations, and they will certainly say, This great nation is undoubtedly a wise and understanding people.Deuteronomy 4:5-7.
Coming to the Giver of Wisdom
In modern times, millions have also been drawn to Jehovahs organization because they have perceived that the Israel of God are a wise and understanding people, not by nature, but because Gods perfect laws and principles guide them. (Galatians 6:16) Baptism figures show that in recent years hundreds of thousands of new disciples each year have said, in effect, to spiritual Israel: We will go with you people, for we have heard that God is with you people. (Zechariah 8:23) How amazed these new ones are when they see the banquet of spiritual food that Jehovah has spread before his servants! They had never seen the like of it in their former religions.Isaiah 25:6.
Giving to the Greatest Giver
Having received so much, appreciative ones naturally wonder what they in return can give to the greatest King and Giver, Jehovah God. The Bible reveals that the best gift we can give to Jehovah is a sacrifice of praise. (Hebrews 13:15) Why? Because this sacrifice is directly related to the saving of life, a major concern of Jehovah in this time of the end. (Ezekiel 18:23) Additionally, giving of ones strength and time to help the sick, the depressed, and others is an acceptable sacrifice.1 Thessalonians 5:14; Hebrews 13:16; James 1:27.
Financial contributions play a key role. They make possible the production of Bibles, Bible-based literature, and the obtaining of places where Christians can congregate. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Contributions also provide relief funds to help victims of wars and natural disasters. [LIKE HELL THEY DO]
To guide us in the matter of giving, Gods Word sets out some fine principles. For example, it teaches that Christians give, not some set amount, but what they are reasonably able to give, doing so willingly, out of a cheerful heart. (2 Corinthians 9:7) Some can give much; others, like the needy widow in Jesus time, may be able to give only a little. (Luke 21:2-4) Is it not remarkable that Jehovahthe Owner of the entire universevalues every well-motivated gift and sacrifice made in his name?Hebrews 6:10.
In order that they may give cheerfully, Jehovahs people are kept informed of various needs and of effective ways in which those needs can be met. Jehovahs holy spirit, in turn, moves willing hearts to respond. In ancient Israel this procedure was followed in the building of the tabernacle and, later, the temple. (Exodus 25:2; 35:5, 21, 29; 36:5-7; 39:32; 1 Chronicles 29:1-19) In the first century C.E., that same procedure enabled Christians to have the resources they needed to take the good news of the Kingdom to the nations and to support the brothers in Israel during a famine.1 Corinthians 16:2-4; 2 Corinthians 8:4, 15; Colossians 1:23.
Likewise today, Jehovah has blessed his people, and he will continue to bless them, by giving them what they need to complete the greatest preaching and teaching campaign the world has ever seen.Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20.
What Are the Present Needs?
In recent years Jehovahs Witnesses have been registered in many countries where their work was previously restricted. As a result, many of these lands have seen a tremendous growth in the number of publishers. Understandably, Bibles and Bible-based literature is in great demand.
So are Kingdom Halls. Some 9,000 new Kingdom Halls are needed around the world right now. If one Kingdom Hall were to be built each day, it would require more than 24 years to meet present needs! Meantime, about seven new congregations are being formed daily, many of them in parts of the world where finances are limited. On the other hand, many of these places do not require expensive buildings. In some places, a Kingdom Hall that fills the need and serves as a good witness to the community can be completed for as little as $6,000.
In the first century, certain Christians were better off financially than were others, so the apostle Paul wrote: By means of an equalizing your surplus just now might offset their deficiency, in order that their surplus might also come to offset your deficiency, that an equalizing might take place. (2 Corinthians 8:14) Today, a similar equalizing is providing funds needed to supply Bibles, Bible literature, Kingdom Halls, disaster relief, and other things in many parts of the world. What a blessing such giving isboth to the giver and to the receiver!Acts 20:35.
As indicated by the letters the Society receives from generous-hearted people, many readers of this magazine wish to help out but are unsure of the various ways in which contributions can be made. No doubt the accompanying box will help to answer their questions.
During Solomons glorious reign, all the kings of the earth who heard of him came to visit him. Yet, the Bible names only one rulerthe queen of Sheba. (2 Chronicles 9:23) What a sacrifice she made! But she was richly rewardedso much so that by the end of her visit, she was left breathless and amazed.2 Chronicles 9:4, Todays English Version.
In the future, Jehovah, the greatest King and Giver, will do much more than Solomon ever could for those who make sacrifices for Him. In response, these will stand breathless and amazed, for not only will Jehovah preserve them through his fear-inspiring day of judgment but thereafter he will open his hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.Psalm 145:16.
[Box on page 22]
Ways in Which Some Choose to Give
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLDWIDE WORK
MANY set aside, or budget, an amount that they place in the contribution boxes labeled Contributions for the Societys Worldwide WorkMatthew 24:14. Each month congregations forward these amounts either to the world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, or to the local branch office.
Voluntary donations of money may also be sent directly to the Treasurers Office, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, New York 11201-2483, or to the Societys office that serves your country. Jewelry or other valuables may be donated as well. A brief letter stating that such is an outright gift should accompany these contributions. [Do we get to see a picture of Ted Jaracz wearing the diamond studded tennis bracelet that was donated by Sister Kisacz?]
CONDITIONAL-DONATION ARRANGEMENT
Money may be given to the Watch Tower Society under a special arrangement in which, should the donor have a personal need, the donation will be returned to him. For more information, please contact the Treasurers Office at the address noted above.
[Beware the Conditional-Donation Arrangement: People who have fallen for this "loving arrangement" have been told by the WTS something to the effect of 'Well you haven't needed the money in all this time, why would you need it now? Isn't it doing much more good with us? Can't we just keep it?' and of course, they feel like dog poop for even asking "God" for their interest free loan back from "his people".]
CHARITABLE PLANNING
In addition to outright gifts of money and conditional donations of money, there are other methods of giving to benefit Kingdom service worldwide. These include:
Insurance: The Watch Tower Society may be named as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or in a retirement/pension plan.
Bank Accounts: Bank accounts, certificates of deposit, or individual retirement accounts may be placed in trust for or made payable on death to the Watch Tower Society, in accord with local bank requirements.
Stocks and Bonds: Stocks and bonds may be donated to the Watch Tower Society either as an outright gift or under an arrangement whereby income continues to be paid to the donor.
Real Estate: Salable real estate may be donated to the Watch Tower Society either by making an outright gift or by reserving a life estate to the donor, who can continue to live therein during his or her lifetime. [Isn't that what they said "corban" was??] One should contact the Society before deeding any real estate to the Society.
Wills and Trusts: Property or money may be bequeathed to the Watch Tower Society by means of a legally executed will, or the Society may be named as a beneficiary of a trust agreement. A trust benefiting a religious organization may provide certain tax advantages.
As the term charitable planning implies, these types of donations typically require some planning on the part of the donor. To assist individuals desiring to benefit the Society through some form of charitable planning, the Society has prepared an English-language brochure entitled Planned Giving to Benefit Kingdom Service Worldwide. The brochure was written in response to the many inquiries the Society has received regarding gifts, wills, and trusts. It also contains additional useful information on estate, financial, and tax planning. And it is designed to help individuals in the United States who are planning to make a special gift to the Society now or to leave a bequest at death to select the most advantageous and efficient method in the light of their family and personal circumstances. This brochure may be obtained by requesting a copy directly from the Charitable Planning Office. [Anyone want to try to get a copy to scan?? ]
After reading the brochure and conferring with the Charitable Planning Office, many have been able to assist the Society and at the same time, maximize the tax benefits of doing so. The Charitable Planning Office should be informed of and receive a copy of any relevant document pertaining to any of these arrangements. [Yes, they really need to know if your children are going to contest your will and how many lawyers they are going to need to intimidate them into dropping the matter.] If you are interested in any of these charitable planning arrangements, you should contact the Charitable Planning Office, either in writing or by telephone, at the address listed below or at the Societys office that serves your country.
CHARITABLE PLANNING OFFICE
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
100 Watchtower Drive, Patterson, New York 12563-9204
Telephone: (914) 306-1000
[Pictures on page 23]
The activities of Jehovahs Witnesses are supported by voluntary donations
Love, Scully
DeDE, what an awful story. These people are so corrupt, and all the while holding a bible. I looked for the begging messages on back of the WT i currently have and did not see them..But i have before.
yes, there are 6 grandchildren in total. U would think there would be some laws involved here.
((((((((((((Wed)))))))))))))
I am sorry to hear about your situation. I am glad it is opening hubby's eyes though. Keep us updated.
Jesika
This situation where JW parents are disinheriting their children who have left the JWs or who are not active JWs is an interesting twist on the "corban" principle that the WTS appears to so vehemently condemn the Pharisees for permitting in the first century. Yet when the money is going into the WTS's treasury, rather than to rightful heirs, it's encouraged and recommended
yes it is an interesting twist. I expect to see more of it, as the wts actively encourges jws not to have anything ot do with da/df or inactive relatives.They fight really dirty.
