by spectromize 35 Replies latest jw friends
circare,
I was wondering what other organisations you have belonged to?Would there be some that would not fit the Orwellian Nightmare?
A football club maybe!, i've never really belonged to an Organisation as such, outside of work.Would there be Some that would not fit the Orwellian nightmare??? hmmmm....sure!.
Totalitarianism, Dogmatism and hypocracy pervades all levels of Society, even so called Democracy....Witnesses dont have a monopoly on it at all.
Circare, I can't remember the exact articles. A lot was said about the Catholic Church in the Babylon the Great book, where Christendom is pictured as the Great Harlot riding on the Beast.
This was mainly from the 50's and 60's, and I haven't kept all of the bound volumes from that time.
You are correct in saying that a lot of the money goes back into the preaching work, but a lot doesn't. I think that the actual costs for printing the literature are listed either on Simon's JWTRUTH site or on Freeminds.org. The costs for the literature are minimal (something like .004 per magazine). What is the normal "donation" these days? I don't really know, but it's WAY more than the cost.
Then when you realize the amount of money that is put into real estate (Patterson, for example), and businesses, and first-class accommodations for Governing Body members when they travel (rather than being the humble Christians we are led to believe they are, who "should" probably stay with congregation members who would be thrilled to have such association).
Again, this wouldn't bother me so much....after all, religion is a big money maker....except that the WTBTS set themselves up as being "above" such things. Probably this tactic has been toned down in recent years....now that they are admittedly a super-wealthy religious organization like all the others.
Hey Circare,
Sorry I did not specify what type of Catholics I was referring to. My only personal experience is here in the usa - among lower working class (which is what my family was growing up.) By the time the average usa Catholic grows to high school (even in the 60's), we got past thinking we were going to Hell for missing Mass on Sunday, eating meat on Friday, french kissing, etc. Then came birth control - we started making up our own minds on that one too. However, we still prayed to Mary and the Saints - never to Jesus or God. Then I became a jw, so I have not kept up.
As for 3rd World Catholics - that's a different story. They pray, and worship Mary and some saints. They have processions where they flog themselves in penance - crawl on their knees, etc. They visit the Lady of Fatima, Lady of Lourdes, etc. Truly devout.
3rd World religious persons many times view religion far differently than we do. We know from Awake articles, these people are also valiant JW's also. Giving up home, work, income, families, being raped, killed, etc. throughout the years for their faith. More so that usa jw's, imho.
However, even in 1st world countries, jw's are quite rigid in their beliefs and actions - it's a way of life. Loosing up some, but still there. Catholics, unless they're extreme, are quite different.
Always enjoy talking with you, circare.
waiting
Hi all. I haven't had much of a chance to 'drop by' over the last couple of days, so I have sort of lost the thread of what we were discussing, but ploughing on….
7 interesting comment from your friend regarding the pressure brought to bear on the CC due to decrease in funds. Not sure if this would have the same effect on the JWs tho'. The older faithful ones have been used to 'doing things on a shoestring' in the past here in Australia. I think they would probably just 'bite the bullet' and go back to doing things the hard way again. May be it might have a dampening effect on the younger ones? The few other branch offices I am familiar with would, I think, all react the same way. I can't really speak about the bros. reactions at Brooklyn or Patterson. Perhaps a significant drop in meeting attendance and field service would have more impact?
Zep glad to hear your conclusion, I thought for a minute you were telling me there were major flaws in the local footy club.
RF the only references I can find in the JW publications about the Catholic Church and their business dealings were ones speaking of dishonest business (and dealings with the 'gangster elements'), and commercial dealings that were to further political ambitions.
I am sure if we have a chance to compare notes, there would be a lot of similarities in our growing up, don't you think? I remember going thru' the BTG book at the book-study too. I enjoyed the first part with the history, but not the second part on the application and fulfilment. How about you? The references in this book to the CC have mainly to do with the doctrinal teachings. There are references to Christendom and commerce, where it discusses the scripture in Rev., regarding the merchants moaning the loss of their religious markets with the fall of BTG . The BTG book refers to the three areas of Satan's world as being religion, politics and commerce and warns about involvement with the world. However commonsense would tell us here that involvement with commerce would have to be relative involvement. We all have to make a living, we all have to purchase foodstuffs etc. and pay our taxes, because of the commercial nature of the society we live in I don't think any witnesses can survive without some involvement.
I found most of the references in the JW publications in regard to the Catholic Church are with regard to their political involvement and their history.
I am still not sure that there is hypocrisy in an organisation based in an affluent country being affluent.
Personally I see the buildings and real estate as being a part of the running and organising of the publishing and preaching work. To me any 'profits', from the cost of actual printing of the publications, would have to cover the buildings for the printing presses, the buildings for the administration, the buildings for the housing of the volunteer labour, and the day to day living costs of caring for all of the above. I personally do not begrudge any of the so-called 'profits' from the magazines or books going to cover these related costs.
Waiting I always enjoy your posts, you have such a 'wicked' sense of humour. I tend to be rather serious with my posts and some of the subjects we get into are 'heavy', so I love the way you lighten things up around here.
Kind of off the subject, but not really, I just wanted to say, have you ever seen the pics from the Assembly Hall in New Jersey where the Bethelites go for their special assemblies and such? It was an old theatre, I believe it was the Stanley theatre if memory serves me correct.
They remodeled and restored it to it's "former glory". That place would rival anything the Catholic church has to offer for ostentatiosness!
So Circare, believe me, it's not all Spartan living up there in Brooklyn. Only the underlings have to live that way. I'm sure the GB have all kinds of comforts!
RCat
