I'm confused, Blondie. What are you saying?
ALL JWs Are To Be Evangelizers---Per The New Watchtower
by minimus 24 Replies latest jw friends
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blondie
The German government collects taxes assessed against members of churches and turns them over to the church organization. When Germans become JWs, they have to officially opt out as a member to avoid paying this tax. I'm a little hazy on the details. Other governments have state churches (Finland?) who have done the same thing. Could topanga be referring to this? Anyway the WTS would not participate openly in anything like this.
Blondie
http://www.germany-info.org/relaunch/culture/life/religion.html
Religion
The ?Grundgesetz? (the German Basic Laws, which has the importance of a Constitution) guarantees freedom of faith and freedom of religion and declares that no one may be discriminated due to their faith or religious opinions. There is no state church in Germany and no control of the churches by the state. The churches and several other religious communities have the status of independant public-law corporations. The relationship between church and state is that of a partnership, regulated by concordats and agreements. Germans who are members of a church support it through their taxes, not directly as in the U.S. When taxpayers list their religious affiliation on their employment record a part of their income tax is collected by the tax authorities and given to the church to which the taxpayer belongs.
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mustang
topanga:
In order to get grant money or funding from the government for the 'work of the ministry'
watchtower has to make sure each person in active in the field regardless of experience with the bible.minimus:
WHERE DOES WATCHTOWER GET GOV'T GRANTS AND FUNDING FOR THE MINISTRY??? I don't think so.Agreed!!! Getting such a grant would violate the "Establishment Clause" of the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution. The US Government has always avoided the "State Religion" like the plague!!! This would be headline material, if you could show an instance of such a grant. I would like to see this...
blondie:
In Germany and some other European countries, there is a religious tax collected and paid to the church???? But people can opt out of that if they want to and I can't see the WTS using it.Ah, yes: State support of a Church or religion. That is in direct contrast with the "Establishment Clause" of the 1st Amendment of the US Constitution.
Good example!!!Even this "even handed" approach of trying to SUPPORT ALL CHURCHES EQUALLY has been seen (and held by the USSC) to violate the US Constitution. Instances of this at the State level have been struck down by the USSC.
Constitution of the United States of America- Amendment I - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.Establishment ClauseFree Exercise Clause
USSC = United States Supreme Court -
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minimus
Here's something interesting.....My mother told me that the PO gave a talk saying that IF the "authorities" questioned the elders as to whether or not a JW is "really" a "witness, a minister, a preacher", and they're never out in the service, what could the elders tell the authorities in defense of their being Witnesses, being neutral, etc....Im my opinion, this was just another example of trying to control and intimidate the "flock".