https://youtu.be/1sKM8riz7Qc?si=WW3EJ9oRl_91db4w
The construction of a new Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall in Cybinka, Poland, has once again shed light on the Watchtower organization’s relentless drive to expand its real estate empire on the backs of unpaid, vulnerable volunteers. Every day, around 40 Jehovah’s Witnesses show up at the construction site, some traveling long distances, not for pay or proper protection, but to fulfill a sense of “spiritual duty” instilled by the organization. But beneath the surface of this supposedly noble effort lies a harsh reality: the Watchtower organization, in its role as a heartless taskmaster, appears far more concerned with getting buildings up quickly and cheaply than with the safety or well-being of its followers.
The urgency with which these Kingdom Halls are built is staggering. In Cybinka, this particular Hall has been under construction since early September, with the goal of completing it in just a few short weeks. The work is grueling, and many of the volunteers are neither trained nor equipped for the tasks they’re assigned. Nevertheless, the Watchtower organization sees fit to push this project forward, disregarding the physical toll on those who labor long hours with little more than vague promises of “spiritual rewards.”
In a shocking turn of events just weeks into the project, a volunteer was crushed by a collapsing wall due to high winds. This incident, which halted work for a brief two weeks, raises an obvious question: why was safety not prioritized? The volunteer, who suffered injuries and was hospitalized, reportedly expressed a desire to return to the site—a sentiment born not from personal motivation, but from a culture of indoctrination and guilt. This is the Watchtower’s modus operandi: pressuring members to give more, do more, and sacrifice more, with little regard for their safety.
Jehovah’s Witness construction sites, like this one in Cybinka, have long been known for their lack of basic safety standards. Men and women of all ages work shoulder-to-shoulder, directed by a handful of “supervisors” with minimal professional oversight. This disregard for volunteer safety is nothing new; it’s a part of the Watchtower’s larger strategy to exploit the free labor of its members, prioritizing low-cost construction over human lives. For the organization, volunteers are simply tools, endlessly renewable and entirely expendable. If one is injured, they can easily be replaced by another faithful follower eager to earn favor with the organization.
The Watchtower thrives on its members’ dedication, but it also manipulates this devotion, cloaking their demands in the language of religious duty. Volunteers, like those in Cybinka, are frequently reminded to “put into practice Christian qualities,” with words like “self-sacrifice,” “loyalty,” and “faithfulness” used to coerce them into service. But there’s a sinister undercurrent here: the Watchtower knows that its members will interpret these “reminders” as orders. This ensures that, despite the grueling work and risk of injury, they will continue to volunteer, fearing that to refuse would be seen as a lack of devotion to Jehovah.
Behind this façade of spiritual dedication lies the Watchtower’s true motivation: expanding their vast property portfolio at minimal cost. The organization pushes these projects forward at breakneck speed, exploiting the loyalty of its followers to achieve its own goals without spending a cent on wages. There’s no thought for the safety, financial stability, or mental health of those who labor for them. If the Watchtower genuinely cared about its members, it would invest in professional workers or, at the very least, proper safety protocols. But as far as the organization is concerned, these volunteers are a free, disposable workforce, and their well-being is an afterthought.
Perhaps the most telling sign of the Watchtower’s lack of empathy is how it responds to accidents. The incident in Cybinka, where a woman was crushed by a falling wall, briefly halted construction, but operations resumed swiftly. To the organization, this volunteer was little more than collateral damage in their quest for quick and cheap construction. She was not offered compensation, nor were there any changes to safety protocols; the priority was to get back to work. This mentality exposes the Watchtower for what it truly is: an organization that views its followers as tools to be used and discarded as needed.
The tragedy is that many volunteers genuinely believe they are serving a higher purpose, unaware that they are merely pawns in a larger corporate agenda. The Watchtower’s representatives like to emphasize the “joy” of working on these sites, but the reality is that these volunteers are driven by a mixture of fear and obligation. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses know that refusing to volunteer could result in social ostracism, or worse, a mark against their standing in the congregation. They serve not out of personal desire but because they feel they have no choice, a testament to the Watchtower’s calculated psychological grip over its followers.
In the end, the Watchtower’s building projects are little more than a cold, calculated way to expand their wealth and influence without regard for the people who make it possible. Volunteers sacrifice time, health, and sometimes safety, only to be treated as a means to an end by an organization that regards them as entirely replaceable. The Watchtower’s “building spree” continues, and as more Kingdom Halls rise, so too does the tally of exploited, injured, and undervalued members left in its wake.