Free literature?

Andyman

Hello everyone;

I haven't been over here for a long time, looks pretty busy.

I am in a discussion on another board about the "donation" arrangement. The JW's claim "all" literature is free, and nobody id pressured into "donating" for what they take from the hall.

Now in my old congregation that wasn't so. We were reminded all the time about "donations" and making sure we asked for donations in the field service. I was also told when I got my CD that $40.00 would be what one would pay, at least, in a store for something like this. The "donation" box was right there at the counter and the brother working the counter could see who was and who wasn't "donating".

Now was this just my old congregation that did this or is it wide spread and the JW's I am taling with simply lying in order not to look bad to the non-JW's on the board?

Thanks in advance.

Take care.

Andyman:

Fredhall

Everything cost money Andyman.

joelbear

I remember somewhere, maybe it was pagan writing or something that said,

you received free, give free

Fredhall

Joelbear,

That mean give money free from your hearts.

Seeker

Andyman,

Your experience is not only typical, it is institutionalized. With the donation arrangement in place to avoid taxes, the Society wants the JW to contribute when they pick up the literature, and then if the household gives money to send that as well. Theoretically, the Society should be getting close to twice the old amount. In practice, the contributions dried up. Realizing the friends were taking advantage of this situation to load up on freebies, the Society began charging congregations for the cost of literature, having the elders send in a regular "contribution" to help the "worldwide work."

"Free" or not, one way or another the Society is getting that money!

metatron

AND, in addition to all that, the Society avoids giving
free literature to people in institutions who can't afford it.
Like prisons , for example

Eternal life, phooey!
They want that cash flow.

metatron

Andyman

Could you tell me more about not putting out literature in prisons and other places that can't pay for it?

Take care.

Andyman:

peterstride

While I was still a JW, I often wondered why the WTS didn't help out people in countries that were really poor. I'm sure everyone remembers the experiences of faithfull brothers in Africa, sharing 1 magazine per 10 people, or one book per 10 people...oh...and also walking for 3 hours each way through crocodile infested rivers to get to meetings.

I often wondered (as my older Watchtowers and Awakes were piling up in my closet), why didn't the WTS send them extra magazines so that everyone had one?

Now I realize that the bottom line is money! Since the Africans have no money, they get nothing extra from the WTS.

When the donation arrangement came into effect, I thought it was worldwide. My eyes were opened when I went to visit relatives in a couple of European countries in the early 90s. Guess what? They had to pay for them! They had not heard of the donation arrangement.

The WTS likes to quote the bible, including Jesus words when he said "Pay Ceasar's things to Ceasar...", but in practice, they will jump at any tax loophole to avoid paying taxes.

I wouldn't have as much a problem with it if they were truly helping poorer JWs (such as the ones in Africa)....and thus (in my mind anyways while I was still a JW) completing the above mentioned scripture which continued by saying "...and God's things to God."

Also, I read something recently in the New York Times back in October. It was an article about the state of finances in the borough of Brooklyn. It was a small article towards the back of the paper.

One official was commenting that their tax base seemed to be going down every year because the Watchtower and Tract Society kept buying up buildings in Brooklyn. Those buildings would normally bring in tax revenue (whether they were factories, hotels, or office buildings), but as soon as the WTS bought them, they became tax free. And on top of that, the WTS still expected the city to provide them with services that they were not paying for through taxes, burdening the rest of the tax paying citizens and corporations, and forcing cut backs in service to everyone because of tax revenue shortfalls.

Wow...

Peter Stride
Toronto, Canada

metatron

I knew guys in prison trying to get literature. They were
truly interested and would actually study the stuff MORE
DEEPLY than the average witness. They'd send letters asking
for books and get polite no-dice replies from HQ. They
wanted 'em to get it thru local congregations so the
prisoners would come across with $ for the stuff.

metatron

willy_think

what kind of conmen would give free stuff to the mark? you take, take, take then when thay are dry you cut them loos and keep them from talking to the other marks about it.

did any one ever get from the WTB&TS inc. or any of it's other companies?

the ideas and opinions expressed in this post do not necessiarly represent those of the WTB&TS inc. or any of it's subsidiary corporations.

Free literature?

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