Jehovah’s people do not beg for money. […] “We have never considered it proper to solicit money for the Lord’s cause, after the common custom . . . It is our judgment that money raised by the various begging devices in the name of our Lord is offensive, unacceptable to him, and does not bring his blessing either upon the givers or the work accomplished.” – From: God’s Kingdom Rules, Page 196
This alone is enough to open the eyes of many members to see that Watchtower is not the one true religion. The only thing they still seem to hold to is that they don't pass an actual collection plate passed around to embarass members during the meeting. But the body of elders have the C.O. to do that to them and attempt to shame them to increase donations.
Ever since they took all the money from all the congregations, all the members have been hearing is how they have to cough up more.
Now the members have a whole bunch more to chew on. Cutting back on printing again, cutting back on Bethel workers again, money problems with construction.
Members are not going to all be fooled by this. Further, if they donate the monthly expenses at the Kingdom Hall, they won't put money in the Worldwide Work fund and they won't have more money to donate at the Assembly Hall.
But I want to just focus on the simple idea that they do indeed solicit funds now, contrary to what they have always said. They beg and coerce. They have regular articles on how the members can outright donate, put Watchtower in their will, send jewelry, name them as life insurance beneficiaries, etc. etc. etc. They have addressed this issue on jw. org and even have a cartoon about children giving up their ice cream money.
Notice how they still lean on the same claims: http://wol.jw.org/de/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102012165
Who are they fooling?
