Rookie exJW Question
by Phoebe 49 Replies latest jw friends
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darkspilver
Phoebe: I was in the U.K. so we asked for donations.
Really? I didn't think you where allowed too, not unless the householder asked first.....
BoE Letter January 12, 2016 - Re: March Issue of the Life and Ministry—Meeting Workbook
From time to time, it may be necessary for us to write to each congregation giving guidance on specific parts in the Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook. For example, during the week of March 21-27, under the section "Apply Yourself to the Field Ministry," the "Initial Call" assignment directs the student to mention the donation arrangement. As a reminder, in Britain and Ireland, we do not ordinarily raise the matter of donations unless the householder asks. Therefore, in this scenario the householder should enquire about the funding of our work and the student can then provide details regarding the donation arrangement.
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Listener
Another video is this one, uploaded a couple of days ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pehwx1gAnw&t=5s
I've heard it said that the organization were interested in the outcome of the case and filed as 'friends of the court' not to support Jimmy Swaggart but simply to legally express their interest in the outcome of the case. In the video above Jason Zelda shows a seven or eight page submission that the Watchtower lodged in this Swaggart court case. It would be interesting to see that report because from what Zelda is saying it does sound like the Watchtower were supporting Swaggart in believing that their should be no requirement to pay taxes.
If nothing else, the fact that they filed their interest in this case seems to demonstrate that they believed neither Swaggart or themselves should be taxed. On that basis, it could be said that they supported Swaggart's claims and therefore, by extension, his ministry in the fact that Swaggart shouldn't be paying taxes and neither should they because they acknowledged that their activities were similar. -
eyeuse2badub
This is a tid bit that I once heard from an old brother who was a witness throughout the Rutherford era. Maybe others have heard this as well.
In the 30's J B Rutherfraud, Franic Freddy, and company subtly allowed jw's to officially be recognized as a "religion". Remember that he used to rant and rave how that "Religion is a snare and a racket". For many years the wtbts was chartered as a 'bible educational Society', not wanting to be recognized as a "religion" because religion was "bad" in god's eyes. But in the 30's the U.S.tax laws changed regarding many tax exempt organizations. "Religious organizations" however, maintained their tax free status. Thus jw's became a "religious organization".
Sounds like money makes policy in dub-land!
just saying!
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Phoebe
@darkspilver
well, we generally didn't outright ask...well yes, some people did. Householders might say how much and we'd ask for a donation but I could never bring myself to say anything, I felt embarrassed. But yes, I went on the ministry with some people who would outright ask for a donation. 'We're offering these magazines freely, but if you'd like to make a donation' that sort of thing.
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OrphanCrow
Listener: It would be interesting to see that report
The Amicus Curiae (Friend of the Court Legal Brief) filed by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah's Witnesses) in June 1989 re: a Supreme Court case between Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and the State of California:
https://archive.org/details/WatchtowerAmicusCuriaeJimmySwaggart
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Phoebe
@Listener
Yes, that's the video I watched.
All I'm saying is...if we even so much as went to a jumble sale (boot sale) in a church hall we were for the high jump and yet they can seemingly support a member of Christendom??
The sad thing is if I told my friends JWs this...they wouldn't believe it. They don't believe anything you tell them.
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Phoebe
@Hecce
Thank you, I've screenshot that...really appreciate you putting that up.
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WHATSGOINGON
Hi Phoebe
I am from the U.K too (but in Canada now) I remember when the donation arrangement came into effect my father who was the congregation secretary at the time announced from the platform
"how wonderful the org is because by not asking for money we are separating ourselves from the commercialisation of Babylon The Great.
The Society knows we are so so close to the end.
We want to be fully out of Babylon The Great, fulfilling the scripture "Get out of her my people etc."
Apparently he thought that the last tie to Christendom was asking for money and that by changing to a donation arrangement we would be totally clean. (we know otherwise now)
We all thought it was great, less pressure when out on the ministry by not having to ask for money which I hated and it seemed that we were the true religion, lol.
Its amazing like you I cant share this with family they have already kind of cut me off as i was sending them info on the ARC.
Its so fascinating how every week I seem to find out something new about the religion I was born in and was in for 38 years.
Crazy, and disgusting.
WGO.
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Wake Me Up Before You Jo-Ho
Pheebs, I made a mistake. It WAS the Jason Zelda video on child custody that I heard about Jimmy Swaggart - not the one I uploaded. I watch so many of these eye-opening videos each day that I got confused - sorry! Thanks for refreshing my memory : ).