People who work free for the cult for many years

by ThomasDam21 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  ThomasDam21

  New to the forum. I have a question I did not get any feed back for on another site. Hope I can get a bit of insight. I was. a JW for many decades. I left 20 years ago. But I still have family in this cult.

  One person is married and just after they were married they went to Iowa [where the need was great] and pioneered for many years, then went to Bethel and worked for many more years. they now are out of Bethel and back in Iowa. Still working for free for the cult.

  My question is what do these people do when it comes to retirement? They have little to no Social Security built up, they put nothing away for retirement. I never bought into the idea that the cult is right and I did not know need to plan for a retirement that will never come. I worked with an elder in construction years ago that would say the time is so short that he will never need to retire. He saved nothing so he lives on Social Security and has to work 3 days a week to survive.

  What to these people who gave decades working for free in Bethel when they are 60 plus years old. I have been out for many years but last I knew the cult does not give a dime for these peoples retirement. I would be interested to hear examples you may know of as to how these people live after the cult has no more use for them.
  
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  hoser

  These people are shit out of luck.

  They were victims of a con job.

  About 15 years ago I realized the con and started to prepare for retirement. About the same time the congregation started soft shunning me.

  The borganization want people to be poor and dependent on their social structure. That’s what keeps people in.

  It’s all fake. It’s a manufactured social structure to keep the individual jw in servitude. The leadership does’t give a shit and won’t help you in your old age.
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  truthlover123

  In Canada, IF they ever worked and paid into CPP they can start to get this at age 60 and if a disability can get the disability pension. At age 65 they get an old age pension - everyone.

  What has been going on in "bethel" is a sorry, we don not need you anymore (medical issues, age, cutting costs) with the volunteers (for years) who have signed a poverty clause when they volunteered, not to expect any funds when they leave, after putting thousands of hours working in a closed environment.

  In the big purge back about 12 years ago 2200 were put out to pasture, with only the job experience they had acquired while at bethel. Yes, some received courses, so they would be ok, but mostly had to go back to congregations without furniture, apartment, medical, or a job, etc. At that point, the congregations who would be struggling too, had another issue to contend with. This cleansing takes place regularly when they can get new, strong blood in
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  DesirousOfChange

  They are constantly told that Jehovah will provide for them. "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matt 6:6)

  

  In most cases they move back home and rely on family, or the local congregation members (Note: NOT the Congregation) may assist them. That could be assisting them with finding some low paying job for a wealthy brother in business or more likely, assisting them to sign up for government assistance programs. In the US that is Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), etc
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  hoser

  The old age pension in Canada is a meager existence.

  If you don’t own a place to live outright or have a pension from your employment you’re gonna need to get a job.

  Canada pension plan doesn’t pay a lot unless you have payed the maximum meaning you have worked full time at a good paying job for at least 40 years. You can collect at 60 but it is a reduced amount.

  I unfortunately see brothers who bought into “the end is just around the corner” nonsense in the 70’s in their 70’s working labour jobs.

  It’s sad to watch. They thought they had the world by the tail.
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  Ding

  What do these people who gave decades working for free in Bethel when they are 60 plus years old?"

  Warnings to "endure to the end" by continuing to do more and more for the organization so they don't get annihilated at Armageddon.
  
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  LongHairGal

  THOMAS DAM21:

  This is a sad story for anybody who worked for ‘free’ doing volunteer work instead of a REAL job where they pay into Social Security. I am sorry anybody fell for this. Those Witnesses already on the outside are better off, in my opinion, than those in bethel. Nothing sadder or worse than a bethelite who gets kicked out over 50 years of age who not only has no $$ but doesn’t know how the world works.

  HOSER:

  I know what you mean about them thinking they ‘had the world by the tail’!

  I remember this arrogant attitude by some people there.. They pioneered and were ‘admired’ and invited to special dinners and gatherings that I was not invited to because I would not quit my full-time job.. Some of them actually came up to me and scoffed and told me ‘I was missing out’ . That was decades ago..

  We have all reached our senior years. These people expected they’d be in ‘the New World’ by now., At least I rid myself of this delusion many years ago and kept that job until it was time to retire!

  Instead, these JWs have to keep trying to make a living in a VERY bad economy and getting older with health problems.
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  ThomasMore

  I have seen many Bethelites who were just shy of 60 years old. They received nothing and got little support from individuals. Most had almost no marketable skills. I felt it was heartless on Bethel's part, but the blame needs to be shared. Being gullible will get you deep in a hole, in any religion. Nevertheless, JWs need to wise up. They are being taken advantage of and it will only end when they stop drinking the WTC koolaid.

  As for the question, "How do they survive when they can't work any longer? Most are pitiful and broken, relying on gov't handouts. It is just too sad to bear.
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  Rivergang

  According to Raymond Franz in his work Crisis of Conscience, Nathan Knorr once even volunteered that the JWs “Don’t look after the welfare of the individual members”. He went on to acknowledge that the churches do a better job of that.

  Furthermore, the charitable institutions operated by many of the “Churches of Christendom” extend their help to persons who are not even church members. I myself have seen JW elders direct needy congregation members to such church-run charities. (A popular one being Presbyterian Social Services). This was in a small community, where word soon gets around - and in this case it very quickly did (in the form of “ Can’t you JWs look after yourselves”).

  How ironic if those former Bethelites have to now turn to the much-despised “Churches of Christendom” for their very survival . (After having for decades collectively excoriated such entities as being “works of The Devil).
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  KerryKing

  Matthew 6:16 "They have received their reward in full."

  But if anyone considers themself a true Christian, they will stil try to help these elderly people, and might even lead them to the true understanding of the two main commandments, to love the Lord out God, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.