Excuse me if I'm being cynical, but I've had my own experiences with [B]organized religion, though it was non-JW. The group I was affiliated with demanded that full fledged members tithe (10% off the top of your income; pre-taxes), and a donation basket was also circulated at nearly every gathering in addition to tithing. Even kids were encouraged to participate; they would give them little envelopes to put loose change into and put in the basket. In fact, the group my parents dragged me to for years demanded not just one tithe, but three. Its been years, but I think the break down went: 1st tithe-directly to the headquarters, 2nd tithe stayed local and went to pay for the ministers, deacons, and elders salaries plus the rental of the building used for meetings, and 3rd tithe was to be kept aside in your bank account and used for gas, lodging, etc when you went to annual conventions and such.
I joined this site because my wife has gotten involved with JWs, and I'm not happy about it. The more I read here, the less happy I am. So far I haven't really made a stand or confronted her about it, except to say that I'd be damned unhappy if she started tithing to them. Her response was a blank look. Apparently she never even heard of tithing, either the JWs don't do that, or they haven't gotten around to mentioning it to her. (At this point in time, not an issue since she is not employed, I just wanted to get it clear from the outset. And they CERTAINLY won't get anything from me.)
So I'm wondering, what's the payoff for the WTS/JW organization? I'm far too cynical to believe nothing at all. And I've seen some vague references around the site here to 'publishers' being exploited to spread brochures, etc, and saying that the society uses them...but I really don't see the economic tie-in. I've also seen posts that say the WTS is actually a book company, not truly a religion...so, are they legally a non-profit, or what? The pamphlets, magazines, etc, can't be doing anything for them, as there are no ads in them.
Every religion I have any experience with has some method(s) of 'fleecing the flock' I just don't see what this one's is. Somebody fill me in, please?
