Has anyone ever tried to get refunded for any contributions they gave?

swirlgirl

Odd question I know, but I just wondered. I remember all the specially marked donations I gave "for kingdom halls in impoverished countries", sure would like to have that all back, ha! Has anyone ever written to the society or at least thought about it regarding this?

Funchback

I've wondered this very thing, swirlgirl.

The whole thing is a sham. Once, in my former congregation, we had terrible floods. One family lost almost everything (house, clothes, shoes). They were a husband, wife, and four young children. Guess how they were "assisted"? Not from the surplus that sat in the account month after month (as read from the platform). Instead, they had a couple of the elders collect money from anyone who wished to help out. Screw that! I took that family to DSW (a discount shoe store) and bought the entire family new shoes.

Sadly, this put me over my credit limit, thus, I had to pay fees.

candidlynuts

after giving for over 35 yrs, found myself living without heat in winter, elders came by to ask about my morality(which was fine btw) but did nothing to even OFFER to help me.. I"D like a refund!

zagor

I think there was a similar question yesterday, or was it about charity. Anyway, one thing that used to piss me off was when every few years we had an additional box to finance missionaries coming home for a holiday (a top of two existing boxes). I mean I'm always for it to help someone in need. But WTS sent them there to do their job and now refuse to pay for their airfares. Helloooo, am I missing something?

Quotes

As Judge Wopner would say on the TV Program "The People's Court" Did you get a receipt?

If you have receipts, or cancelled cheques/bank statements, why not total them up and send a formal request to WTS asking for a refund due to fraud or "failure to satisfy contractual obligations".

Of course, they will ignore you.

So.....

Assuming the amount is less than, say, $5000, (or assuming you are willing to settle for that) TAKE THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT. It won't cost you much to file, and even if you lose, you win, because they will have to send their lawyer to defend the case (I'm assuming they won't send Ted Jaracz or some useless Bethel Boy). That will cost them time, and TIME = MONEY.

Imagine if hundreds of XJWs did this. It would bury them.

Just make sure you have evidence of a reasonable case (proof of money donated, and reason to get it back) so they can't counter-sue for "deliberately bringing an unmeritorious suit".