Question about the JW Hurricane Katrina "Relief"

by Brymichmom 13 Replies latest jw friends

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  Brymichmom

  It was relayed to me by a friend that in order for JW's to get "help" from other JW's, that they needed to fill out a form (to make sure that they were JW's) and answer questions concerning how active they are and meeting attendance. If the meeting attendance was low or if they were "inactive", then they weren't going to be taken in or helped. In the situation that was relayed to me, a JW woman with a couple of teenaged girls was asking for help. After filling out the form, the JW doing the "relief effort" noted that since the family was inconsistent or low in their meeting attendance that in order to be helped they must now start attending all of the meetings and submit to a lot of other requirements. The teenaged girls were NOT happy about having to submit to all of that.

  It ended up that this JW woman and her 2 teenaged daughters were helped by another church organization (no strings attached) who took them in. The JW was quite surprised about being helped by this "church" even though she was a JW.

  Does this sound right? Is this the "norm" among JW's when they are helping "their own"? Do they only help other JW's who are "active" and have high meeting attendance, and forget about those who have low meeting attendance and don't go out in "field service"?

  CH
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  Elsewhere

  Yes
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  Brymichmom

  If you have any evidence in written form, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

  CH
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  blondie

  Now why do you think the WTS would put it in writing. These were verbal directions to the elders. I can't remember if it was on JWD recently or another DB that mentioned this same procedure. Since so many KHs are destroyed or currently usable and JWs are scattered, it is hard to find an elder to verify they are a JW. So they must fill out forms. I'm sure inactive JWs will be put on the bottom of the list if they are on it at all. I'm not surprised that the WTS is cruel about this. Good job that other organizations are not so cruel. The WTS always reminded me of the priest and Levite who walked by the Jewish man set upon by thieves and that a looked-down-upon Samaritan man took care of him.

  Does anyone remember where we had a verbal report about this form procedure?

  Blondie
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  DevonMcBride

  While I can't confirm this, it wouldn't surprise me one bit. It's the active ones that will physically and financial rebuild the Kingdom Halls and continue to donate their time and money to the Watchtower. The Society is helping those members that will in turn help the Society.
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  jschwehm

  I remember when I was in the process of leaving the JWs when a nearby town was destroyed by a tornado. Just about every church that could open up a shelter for people made homeless due to the tornado was opened. They took anybody and everybody in with no questions asked. The silence was deafening when it came to the local Kingdom Halls. None of them were opened up to the public to be used for shelters. I often wondered why this was the case.

  Jeff S.
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  blondie

  Now they don't open up the KHs because of a letter the WTS sent recently (in the last year or so) telling them no to; perhaps for insurance reasons.

  During Hurricane Andrew, they did open up the KHs for use by JWs only. Maybe the letter grew out of the bad experiences doing that.

  Before that even, there is a vast difference of how churches are designed and used and KHs.

  Most KHs do not have kitchens or eating areas whereas churches routinely have wedding receptions and other church functions where food is servied, e.g., church socials. Also, churches have many multi-purpose rooms that can accommodate beds, etc., without having to be rearranged for a church service.

  Churches are designed to serve the community in many ways while KHs are designed just for people to come, sit, hear boring lectures.

  I remember one year they were hurting and had to use a KH for the pioneer school, serving food which had to be cooked elsewhere and trucked in. They worried so much about the carpet being ruined. They tried to have the meetings there in the evening but it was a hassle to have to pack up the food arrangements and field service could not be held during the day.

  whine, whine, whine

  Blondie
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  talesin

  whine, whine, whine

  lol, Blondie.

  The KH here would be perfect for caring for casualties in a disaster. From the sidewalk, it is only two or three wide steps up into the large foyer (triage), and the main floor has wide stairs (+/- 4m or ~4 yds., and only 5 or 6 steps) that would be fine for carrying litters, or a ramp could easily be rigged with thick plywood or whatever is around in the debris. There is an apt. for cooking, and all the chairs are stackable in the main hall, so it could be quickly set up for casualties. The command centre would be on the platform at the far end of the hall. What a waste of good resources in an emergency, if their KHs are similar ...

  lol, tal the 'organizer' has stepped in ...
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  JAVA

  Churches in the United States, and I'm sure many other countries, do not pay taxes. However, many of them offer services to the community in various ways e.g., homeless shelters, feeding programs for the poor, etc. I saw a report a few days ago (I don't remember where now) that as a whole religious organizations give more to communities than the money lost by the tax breaks.
  I think it's fair to say that's not true with the Watchtower or the local Kingdom Halls. They take from the community, and offer nothing in return.
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  mcsemike

  To Jeff S. "Why is it the case?" Because the WT is NOT the truth, never HAD the truth, and doesn't have a CLUE about what the Bible or Jesus is about. They are a mentally deficient, psychomaniacal cult. I had 25 years (and a raped daughter by a known pedophile) to discover this. I also have a degree in psychology. The WT is a book publishing business that cares NOTHING about anyone unless it will benefit them in return. "On 9-11, the planes hit the wrong buildings."