Rank & file are seeing the money-grubbing

by Zoos 26 Replies latest jw experiences

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  millie210

  James Jack
  WOW
  I had to think on this and there is a trend toward less giving in our Hall(I'm the Account Servant).
  Our Accounts went from $6000 a year ago and now around the $1000 mark. One Elder(he is the biggest contributor) asked me any trends I have noticed. I told him" Everyone pays by check and yet only 2 Elders out of 7, and 2 MS's out of 6 and 1 Pioneer out of 14 give on a regular basis. Most of them I have never seen a check from them in 3 years! He paused and said:" The example of those taking the lead shows by the results, and I don't know how to fix it".

  He sounds like an elder with thinking ability and a business sense. Too bad he is locked in to an administrative situation in the Org where his hands are tied to use any autonomous common sense or business acumen.

  A drop from 6 to 1 is pretty significant.
• 

  ToesUp

  James Jack and joe134cd

  Thanks for keeping us up to date on what is going on. We have been out for 3+ years and keep silently hoping that the masses have quit donating. We feel this is the only way those who are held captive by this bunch of self serving hypocrites can silently speak back. The mind set may be, "so you want us to simplify, give more, do more and you keep beating us with your words." So many have given up so much for the organization....education, family, children, marriage, a comfortable retirement, the list goes on and on. What has this organization done to help the average publisher? NOT A DAMN THING! "GIVE MORE OF YOUR VALUABLE THINGS!" I think a lot of people are feeling that they have given just about enough.

  LURKERS; IF YOU FEEL THIS WAY...VOTE WITH YOUR WALLETS! IT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU MAY HAVE A VOICE. HIT EM WHERE IT HURTS!
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  Wayward

  When I was in, it was 'Do more! Do more!" Now it's "Give more! Give more!" But how can ordinary JWs give more? The local congregation is aging. A lot of elderly, many approaching or in middle age, a few families with kids, a few young adults. The elderly are on fixed incomes and CANNOT give more or they won't have anything to live. The families can't give a lot or their kids won't eat. The local economy is not good and those lucky enough to still have jobs live in fear of losing them any day now. Working JWs are hampered by lack of education and skills, stuck in mostly low-paying or even part-time jobs. (With a few exceptions.) Even those who are financially better off can't give a lot because they have uncertain futures to prepare for as best they can. I doubt the situation is unusual.
  
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  LostGeneration

  The KH loan "forgiveness" was a hidden tithe. I'm not sure why they are waiting on a similar resolution except under the worldwide work umbrella. They will just say literature and production costs for the videos and online content require a lot of money, and set up a per publisher recommendation for each hall. Multiply pubs times halls times months of the year and you got yourself some real tax free income rolling in.
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  sparky1

  ATTENTION ALL LURKERS AND FENCE SITTERS! VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET!

  
  

  
  

  When I still associated 20 years ago (because of family and friends) I faithfully donated between $1,200.00 and $2,400.00 a year (don't ask me why....residual guilt, I think). Half to the local congregation and half to the Worldwide Work. If only 10,000 disgruntled Witnesses stopped donating the minimum of what I did, it would total $12,000,000.00 a year less in their greedy hands. Maybe that is why they are begging for money constantly........the silent disillusioned majority are beginning to vote!
  

  
  
  
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  FayeDunaway

  They're like beggars on the street, hands stretched out, screaming at people to give them money, while telling people to rely on Jehovah for their own provisions.
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  Zoos

  James Jack

  
  ... there is a trend toward less giving in our Hall (I'm the Account Servant).

  Our Accounts went from $6000 a year ago and now around the $1000 mark.

  This HAS TO BE a world-wide trend.
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  steve2

  It would take a brave - or foolish? - elder to talk so candidly about his own crisis of faith with a known disfellowshipped witness. I don't doubt it - I just think it is extraordinary and shows the depth of discontentment in the elder, if not the wider organization.
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  pale.emperor

  I used to feel comfortated that Gods true organisation never asked me for money and no collections were ever taken. That all changed when, about a year or two ago, we were shown a video of a construction project here in the UK that required more donations to complete. After the talk the elder told the servants to pass each member a slip of paper with something like HOW MUCH CAN YOU GIVE? written on it. And you were supposed to hand this to your group elder once you completed it. It was suggested that everyone give about £20 each.

  Any other UK members remember this?
  

  It was the seed that grew to my awakening. I started questioning a lot of things from then on. C.T.Russell always said "We never beg, or petition for money. Yet the money finds up because it's the Lords work. If the money ever stopped, we'd take that as Gods indication that the work no longer has Gods backing".

  All's i can say to that is... "no shit."
  
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  notsurewheretogo

  I would say the OP post is quite common...I see loads of dubs going through the mill...doing their little bit...a meeting here and there...a bit of ministry...but lots of living life with holidays etc...by far the majority of congregations have like a 25% elite core that are 100% in and do everything whilst the rest just mill along.

  The GB will need to do something in terms of doctrine change to spice things up otherwise they will lose more and quicker...and changing doctrine to suit the passage of time or to keep things urgent is the near definition of a cult...

  My still in wife is at the very beginning of waking up and its dawning on her what the GB and the WTS really are...a printing firm...