If I join theJWs what is my financial commitment?

by Qcmbr 34 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  undercover

  COs and DOs are given small allowances if I remember correctly. I'm sure someone here knows all the ins and outs of it. In addition, their car insurance and health insurance is covered by the WTS.

  As the COs and DOs travel to each congregation, the congregation usually votes to pay for all expenses incurred by the traveling brother. In addition to that, some ass-kissing elders will give them money, clothes, tires, whatever. So while they don't really make a lot of money to report to the IRS or anything, they ain't exactly hurting.
• 

  iiz2cool

  Also, if you go to a convention some of the items on the stage, like plants and flowers, can be purchased for a "suggested donation". They also make it clear that they will not give you a receipt for this "donation".

  Walter
• 

  Elsewhere

  No, they are not "paid". They have a small monthly "allowance" from the Watchtower Society. The WTS also allows them usage of a car and a very nice travel trailer.

  HOWEVER....

  When they travel to a given congregation they make the "suggestion" that the congregation pay all of their expenses incurred while in the area, which the congregation always does with a 100% vote. (I have NEVER seen a dissenting vote in my life).

  The local elders also tend to get special favors and power granted to them if they make a "special gift" to the CO or DO... such as the nice new suit or country club membership.

  If it wasn?t for how crooked it is, I would have to say that the whole ?profit while looking charitable? system that they have in place is quite ingenious.
• 

  Qcmbr

  Could you buy the memorial bread and wine ...j/k
• 

  heathen

  The congregation pays for the wine and bread but after telling everybody not to indulge I hear the fat ass elders take it home with them to chow down . What a friggen crock they are .
• 

  iiz2cool

  I took the bread home from the memorial? once, and didn't even have to make a donation.

  It was pretty good with a garlic dip.

  Walter
• 

  jeanniebeanz

  The JWs do not place an amount or percentage on their followers.

  Actually, we had a talk one time in Willits where the Brother "G" broke up the amount of the hall payment, the utilities and expences that we were expected to pay for the CO, and the 'value' of the literature being consumed, and decided that if each person in attendance contributed exactly $15.00 per month, everything would be covered. The sheparding calls soon began when people were not covering their attendance number by said 15 buckaroos. Big families were pissed.

  Thing is, the old hall was fine and much more in line with what the area could afford. For one, it was paid for and just needed some cosmetic work (it had actually been a saw mill originally, lol). The new hall there was the wetdream of Brother "G" who was irritated because the Mormon's had just built a really nice assembly hall on the south side of town, and he was trying to keep up with the Joneses. Few people in the area at the time made more than 20K a year, and the idea was fought tooth and nail.

  He finally won and got the Society to bank roll the new hall. Right after that, the area was so depressed with work, and so many people were fed up with the Willits elder body beating them over the head, that several families either moved out of the area to find work, or began attending either the Redwood Valley Congregation or the Ukiah Congregation to get away from them.

  Those of us who stayed ended up with a huge burden in paying for the new hall, landscaping and parking lot. Talk about not living within your means. I remember Brother "G" saying in a TM meeting that we were all going to pay up, and that he was not going to allow us to be the first congregation in Ca to default on our hall payment...

  Idiots...

  Nice little socialistic gvt. he was trying to set up!

  J
• 

  M.J.

  Yeah they really take pride in their way of collecting money, and condemn and ridicule every other institution's way of operating. Because of the propaganda surrounding this, this subtle scheme is affirmed by the R&F as another proof that this is the one organization headed by God. Yet my wife feels far more pressure to give money to the WTS than I ever have in the Christian churches I've been a part of over the years (there are churches, however that are pretty shameless in thier over-emphasis on giving IMO but I try to avoid those). When the CO was in town last year she tried to sneak him a check for $50 without me noticing. She's always purchasing books, tapes, etc. Like someone said before, it's like joining a book club where the first several books are free, but after that you're contractually bound to keep buying books for life.
• 

  undercover

  Actually, we had a talk one time in Willits where the Brother "G" broke up the amount of the hall payment, the utilities and expences that we were expected to pay for the CO, and the 'value' of the literature being consumed, and decided that if each person in attendance contributed exactly $15.00 per month, everything would be covered. The sheparding calls soon began when people were not covering their attendance number by said 15 buckaroos. Big families were pissed.

  Wow. I always thought that I grew up in a conservative hall until I hear horror stories like these then I realize my congregation was actually liberal compared to a lot of others.

  I always donated in cash. I didn't much like the idea of them knowing how much I donated if I used a check or that a pimply faced MS had my checking account information. I never was good at donating. I never gave more than $10 or so every 3 or 4 months. I felt guilty while I was still in, but after fading I was happy that I had not wasted too much money on them.
• 

  Doubtfully Yours

  If you join, you'll have to contribute to three different funds on a monthly basis.

  Nobody will keep track, but you'll be indoctrinated to give, give, give.

  DY