WTS Cashes In On Tsunami

by ezekiel3 46 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  avishai

  Have you stopped to consider that they actually do donate to charities but dont make a Song and Dance about it?Yeah,they got a lot of Property and are primarily a Business,but i refuse to believe that the Money i donated all those Years only went on Buildings in Brooklyn etc??

  What, an organization that loans people money from their OWN DONATIONS back to them at 5% to build a kingdom hall? Are you kidding? They don't need the tax break, they are already exempt, they're looking forward to the destruction of everyone who is'nt a witness.....can you honestly say they donate to other charities? HA!!!!!
• 

  fleaman uk

  What, an organization that loans money from their OWN DONATIONS back to them at 5% to build a kingdom hall? Are you kidding? They don't need the tax break, they are already exempt, they're looking forward to the destruction of everyone who is'nt a witness.....can you honestly say they donate to other charities? HA!!!!!

  I dunno,i really dont.I want to see in Black and White where all their Money goes.Maybe its a bit of Wishful thinking on my part.

  Personally im a bit Cynical of a lot of Charity organizations .But you do always see the Red cross present at Disasters.I tend to support them .
• 

  ezekiel3

  Flea,

  Ezekiel,if your that upset by the announcement at the hall,just give to the Red Cross and stop going to Meetings.

  Actually the WTS does not upset me at all. It's the mind-numb R&F that going to stuff the cash boxes that do. Two striking points should leap out to any objective observer:

  1) The entire premise is flawed: "What is the best way to make contributions for the benefit of needy brothers in other lands?" What about non-JWs?? Are JWs that religio-centric that they only care for their own? I think not. But the article does not address that at all.

  2) Why not set up a special fund? We are talking about a 100,000 immediately dead, and more to die of disease; this already marked as the greatest natural disaster in our memory. WTs has arranged this with many special projects before. My hall had four separate contribution boxes at the same time for a while!

  I cannot believe that the WTS stuffed this piece in the KM because of the tsunami. The timing is impossible. But to capitalize on the tsumani is crass and tackless.

  There is no accountability for the cash when contributed to the "world-wide work." The faithful JW will reason that they are trusting in Jehovah to distribute the money as He sees fit. The WTS is happy to let them think just that.
• 

  little witch

  Fleaman,

  Admitting that we were duped or taken advantage of is a hard thing to do. I think because it makes us feel stupid or naive, it hurts our pride to believe such was the case. However, I think most every jw who has moved on struggled with this realization as a precursor to further growth and understanding.

  I would like you to ask yourself and really give some thought on why Ezekiels post of a JW Announcement rubbed you wrong. These are the thoughts and words of the watchtower society, not a slander or opinion from a wordly person or apostate.

  You told ezekiel that if he was upset by this announcement he should give to the red cross and stop going to meetings, as if giving to the red cross would necessitate not attending meetings (it would if one were found out as we all know). Does caring for the sick, homeless, wounded and hungry regardless of religious persuasion upset you? Please think about this today. You sound like a caring person, I feel that you are. I hope you will ponder on where this resentment is coming from. If this is what YOU really Believe to be the truth and the proper thing to do.

  I also encourage you to take a step back emotionally and just use your common sense in this matter. For example, does it make sense for the watchtower to send relief in the form of medicine, clothing, food, blankets etc to a few scattered congregations? Did the watchtower corporation ever to your knowledge send relief to a congregation you know? They publish much literature, including two magazines one meant for jw's and one for the potential converts. If they truly ever sent such relief even to their own "brothers", why have they never encouraged more giving by doing a nice cover story of this aid. Is it fair for any organization to accept well intended donations for the relief of human tragedies and suffering and refuse to show ANY accountability on where and how that money was spent? Not to even its own members?

  We are/were told over and over to trust, to accept, to be patient. Most of us did. Some for a very long time. We accepted and believed. And one day we realized that we were duped. I do hope that I have not offended you in any way Fleaman. I say these things out of a caring heart and out of concern for you.

  LW
• 

  GermanXJW

  The German km contains these two sentences in the closing part:
  

  The "Christian Humanitarian Relief Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany" has been founded in our country to be able to help in cases of catastrophes. When this organization needs any money, all congregations will be informed accordingly."

  The "Christian Humanitarian Relief Organization of Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany" was founded in 2002 after the flooding in Germany. The foundation could also be connected to their court case to be registered as a public body in Germany.
• 

  Sirona

  This explains why, when I mentioned the fundraising to my JW mother she responded "Well we should give to the Society's World Wide Work - because they're always there to help"

  I responded that whilst I know JWs have helped with disasters on occasion, how many JWs does she think live in placed like Thailand? How many of those (who survived) are going to be giving up their time *full time* to help? A hundred?

  I said that the other organisations MUST recieve money because the "Worldwide work" of JWs just isn't enough! There are only 6 million JWs worldwide! They don't even fly people in from other countries to help out, do they?

  She kept saying, "no we should give to the worldwide work"

  I told her that any surplus of that would simply go toward blooklyn upkeep, or the Circuit overseers cars etc.

  It makes me SO ANGRY that they're discouraging giving to the other charities.

  So Angry

  Sirona
• 

  ballistic

  Basically, they don't think the rank and file are capable of deciding what they want their own money spent on. They also want accurate information on where the money is coming from - they don't want million dollar cheques turning up in the wrong country.

  So they're trying to take control of your money before it's even left your hand - not only do they want your money but they have the audacity to tell you how and where to give it!
• 

  Gill

  I as a child always found it disgraceful that JWs did not support real charitable needs and certainly were not in humanitarian relief of non- JWs. It was my little act of rebellion that I had a direct debit to Oxfam for years and gave virtually nothing to the cont. box for the crappy magazines (I rarely or any of my children) ever read.

  Do not contribute anything to the JWs.

  Do not fill out your tax form that gives the congregation the right to claim back tax on your contributions and therefore know exactly what you gave them.

  We never did.

  When your relatives tell you that the JWs were the first on the scene after the Tsunami, inform them that they're talking out of their backsides. Then ask them to prove it.
• 

  fleaman uk

  I would like you to ask yourself and really give some thought on why Ezekiels post of a JW Announcement rubbed you wrong. These are the thoughts and words of the watchtower society, not a slander or opinion from a wordly person or apostate.

  It hasnt rubbed me up the wrong way at all.I just think some People are so blinded by hate for the WTS they will never ,ever see any good they may do.

  You told ezekiel that if he was upset by this announcement he should give to the red cross and stop going to meetings, as if giving to the red cross would necessitate not attending meetings (it would if one were found out as we all know).

  I think i just get fed up of the Hypocrisy of someone going to Meetings,probably answering up,doing Talks etc,etc and then rushing here to slag off the very Org he is claiming (to his Religious Peers anyway)to be part of.It probably pisses me off because i would hate it if my Parents (devout Jw,s but very good,genuine People )were duped by People such as Ezekiel.

  I also encourage you to take a step back emotionally and just use your common sense in this matter. For example, does it make sense for the watchtower to send relief in the form of medicine, clothing, food, blankets etc to a few scattered congregations? Did the watchtower corporation ever to your knowledge send relief to a congregation you know? They publish much literature, including two magazines one meant for jw's and one for the potential converts. If they truly ever sent such relief even to their own "brothers", why have they never encouraged more giving by doing a nice cover story of this aid. Is it fair for any organization to accept well intended donations for the relief of human tragedies and suffering and refuse to show ANY accountability on where and how that money was spent? Not to even its own members?

  I have said i would like to see for myself proper Audited Accounts of potential/already sent Aid from the WBTS to Witnesses and others.

  We are/were told over and over to trust, to accept, to be patient. Most of us did. Some for a very long time. We accepted and believed. And one day we realized that we were duped. I do hope that I have not offended you in any way Fleaman. I say these things out of a caring heart and out of concern for you.

  LW

  Lw you certainly havent offended me!I think you are mistaking me for a believer!I most certainly am not..thankfully.I do feel duped over many things,but i cant deny i did see a lot of good done by Witnesses.I just cannot equate my Parents lifestyle and beliefs with a corrupt,wicked Corporation in New York.especially when there is no evidence to suggest how much they do or dont give to Charities.Yeah,im probably naieve and a very black and White Person too.

  Also why cant i get my original sized font back!?

  Regards to you LW.
• 

  Brummie

  I think all religious bias is put aside in events like these, it becomes a "human" crisis and a "human" reaction rather than a religious one. Though I have only been able to donate a little compared to others I dont care if that little helps a JW a muslim or a catholic. I just hope it helps someone who is caught in that dire mess.

  Brummie