Are YOU a JW parasite?

by The Fall Guy 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Giordano

  Or am I genuinely missing something?

  Exactly who/what paid for your room & board and gave you your $14 dollars per month? Donations, charity. You were living off others for your accommodation and meals. That's the truth.
  

  Bethelites did take a vow of poverty. Pioneers and Elder's did not and do not take a vow of Poverty.

  Since you didn't read my post I was not at Bethel so I got nothing. If you understood Bethel life they worked 5 1/2 days a week for that 14$ a month. I don't know what its up to now ?

  Your spinning some Ann Rand bullshit. Your just reusing some crappy political conservative idea that people should not contribute to the religion of their choice or the country of their choice. Or any charity they feel strongly about.

  People take their money and decide how and what they will spend it on.

  No JW I ever worked with asked for a couple of bucks from a householder or begged for anything.

  In the JW world believers shared a little of their money to further the work.

  I and thousands of pioneers earned our daily bread...... there were no handouts to pioneers by people who could barely pay their bills. There were no handouts to Bethelites. Those people worked for basically nothing in pay. Free food and board? It was available at homeless shelters around the corner from Bethel.

  The reality is that the Society...... the shit heads they were...... was self funded by contributions by followers that believed in the religion. And funds from their publishing company.

  The shit heads AT the top of the food change got the perks.

  The hardest working apostle (Paul) never expected anyone to support him when he was witnessing. He worked to pay his own way in life.

  That's bullshit. When Jesus started his ministry did he ever work a day again as a carpenter? Probably not.

  Paul may have set up his tent work when he was running out of money..... but he was too busy writing letters to the faithful and visiting countries by boat which were on the Roman trade routes. How did he manage to pay for that?

  Like Jesus...... people who liked his message probably put some coin in his hand.
• 

  Pete Zahut

  We have a family member (lovely married couple) who are long time Bethelites who have been there since they were in their 20's. He is now turned 50 and she's in her late 40's They've managed to be able to travel a lot over the years but I wouldn't exactly refer to them as "parasites".

  Their Jobs are physically demanding and they are very dedicated. He sometimes uses his vacation time (and she shares her vacation time with him) so he can do home repair jobs on the outside to earn extra money. I think it's mostly JW's who hire him. I'm not sure how that works out in terms of their "vow of poverty" but I think it is viewed as OK since it's their own time and they are free to use it as they see fit.

  The trouble is they are getting older and have no Social Security and the new system seems to be delaying. I know that because of this concern, they are thinking of leaving so they can work part time on the outside and part time at Bethel as "commuters". They are so sincere and I feel badly for them but they seem to be confident that Jehovah will provide. They escaped the "lay-offs" a while back but we figured if they were to be laid off, as long as they stayed in the JW network they would be ok because Bethelites seem to be taken care of. JW's typically view Bethelites as hard working rather than as parasites and it makes them feel good to help them out financally since they believe Bethelites are making personal sacrifices to do work that they themselves aren't in a position to do.
• 

  under the radar

  I have no problem with certain members of a religious group being supported by the voluntary contributions of other members. You wanna spend your life chasing an invisible sky-daddy and doing (what others say is) his will, go ahead! You wanna give your hard earned money to support self-appointed representatives of said sky-daddy, go ahead!

  I have a BIG problem with groups that claim to be a charity (to get government benefits and handouts) but don't actually do any charity.

  And I have a BIG problem with individuals who manipulate their situation to suck off the public teet so they can spend time in religious activities instead of actually working. In many cases, this is outright fraud. If it ever came to my attention that someone was on welfare or food stamps so they could "afford" to pioneer when they could be working for a living, I would report them in an instant. I'd consider it a public service. Perpetrating a fraud on the public so you can spend your time "volunteering" instead of working is blatant hypocrisy.

  You wanna chase rainbows and indulge your superstitions, go ahead! Just do it on your own time and on your own dime.
• 

  LongHairGal

  UNDER THE RADAR:

  I totally agree with everything you said. Sadly, some JWs fall into the category you mention. They are leeches and parasites IMO - and very entitled ones at that. I think the JW religion turns some people into very accomplished Users, even if they didn’t start out that way.

  Not everybody on the forum understands this or has seen it. I know I saw this in the ‘80s & ‘90s. The shellacking I got for holding onto my full time job is one for the books and I will never forget this!..I was panned..But, I had the strength of character to resist the frenzy and judgmentalism in the hall. I am now Retired.

  I am ‘faded’ many years and understand the JWs might be reaching out to ‘Inactives’. If they knock on my door I am going to tell them off..I cannot tolerate this hypocritical religion coming around after what I experienced.
• 

  smiddy3

  I personally knew of pioneers who received dole money from the govt because they were out of work , they never looked for work ,they were pioneers slaving for the Watchtower society.

  They applied for jobs they knew they could never get and were not qualified for just to meet the govt.s requirements for being eligible to get the dole money.

  Their reasoning ? It`s Satan`s system of things so we are justified in taking advantage of it .

  Of course they were parasites of the community they lived in. Sponging off of the government.

  I even believed that back then ,when I was a firm believer in the nonsense .
• 

  krismalone

  The Watchtower produces a culture within their cult apart from the rank and file that actually works for a living.

  These ones called full time service have been told that they are special and better than the regular publishers. Pioneer parasites is what I like to call them. The vast majority of full time servants have developed a feeling of entitlement and feel that the regular publishers should help them out with gas, food and even rent.

  This is especially true with those in "special full time service". These include bethelites, special pioneers, circuit overseers and missionaries. Although regular pioneers are not included in full time service as they need to support themselves, nevertheless most, not all, have also developed the feeling of entitlement. Special full time servants have signed a vow of poverty and obedience and do not work.

  Special full time servants receive housing, food, healthcare, monthly stipend, personal saving act (called pea for personal expense account). All this is provided for by the regular hard working publishers that are berated at conventions and meetings for working full time.

  Being a pioneer parasite living off others and the government while feeling superior to them is a sad and depressing life.
• 

  LongHairGal

  KRISMALONE:

  Thank you, thank you. I want to shake your hand. That was my observation in the religion and I despise these pioneers.

  These idiots and anybody else there can keep telling themselves how ‘superior’ they are over somebody in the workforce.

  I refused to give them so much as a dime since I was criticized for full time work and viewed like an outcast...I have NO pity for anybody’s predicament who refused to provide for themselves as a responsible person in the workforce.

  Now that I’m Retired these JWs better not EVER come near me looking for anything for anybody!
• 

  krismalone

  A couple more thoughts......

  I remember Daniel Sydlik telling the Bethel family in morning worship that we (bethelites) should never feel embarrassed for receiving gifts or hospitality from the publishers because we were working for the brothers (promoting false prophecies is considered work apparently).

  Vacations, food, clothes, healthcare, tax free green handshakes, hospitality and even living rent free in the basement of hardworking, tax paying normal responsible people is actually expected in the minds of the Watchtower full time parasites.

  Does anyone remember the Watchtower movie or drama where an elder/pioneer and his wife lived in the basement of a hardworking JW family? Or where a contractor fixed the roof for free on a Pioneers home? This idea of entitlement is actually promoted by the Watchtower cult leaders.

  The vast majority of regular pioneers that I ever knew were leaching off the welfare system here in the U.S.A.

  To all parasite pioneers......get a life and a real job!
• 

  LongHairGal

  KRISMALONE:

  I believe I remember hearing things along these lines. Thanks also for admitting that too many of these Witnesses are leeching off the system as well here in the US..This is just adding insult to injury in addition to leeching off people in the hall.

  There are people on the forum who don’t want to admit this. They feel sorry for these Witnesses because they were once part of bethel culture as well..Well, let THEM give money to these ‘needy’ or starving JWs who never wanted to work!
• 

  fulano

  @The Fall guy.

  Your statement is quiet offensive but as an ignorant publisher, which you must be, viewpoint I understand it. We had an average allowance as missionaries of let’s say a 100-120 each, plus food, housing and electricity and gas etc.

  Would you really call a couple who left there home-country, miss their pension, family, worldly career, and instead of this preach 140+ hours a month in 34 degrees with a 90 humid, and as only elder in a 120 publishers congregations....parasites???

  How much have you contributed to the org? That much? If I were you I would change the tone. You don’t know what you are talking about. Be a shame of yourself.