Are they looking for "Rice Christians"?

by Gopher 13 Replies latest jw friends

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  Gopher

  I'm trying to get a clear "take" on this:

  The WTS has often implied that their form of missionary work, concentrating on "preaching and teaching", is superior to that of Christendom's. Christendom often starts out by bringing food supplies, hospitals and the like, supposedly "enticing" the natives with material goodies. I have heard such converts called (and I cannot remember if it was from the platform or in print) "rice Christians", as in, give them enough rice and they'll convert!

  Now comes the interesting article (4/22/2001) in the Awake "Mozambique Floods--How Christians Cared for Victims". (That is to say, how JW's cared only for JW victims.) The Society did an impressive job bringing relief supplies, setting up refugee tents, and rebuilding homes.

  But I could not find any evidence where ANY of this was shared with non-Witnesses.

  I started to wonder, is the message this: "If you become a JW, your material needs will be cared for! You will have someone to watch over you!"

  Not to denigrate the work they did. But then the Society should not denigrate the work of other organizations which bring material aid to the people, either.

  Still sorting it out, Gopher
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  aChristian

  : The WTS has often implied that their form of missionary work, concentrating on "preaching and teaching", is superior to that of Christendom's.

  I believe JWs are wrong about this, just as they are wrong about almost everything else. The fact of the matter is the JW type of preaching is very ineffective. Very few people listen to door to door religion peddlers. For, as has often been said, people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.
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  aChristian

  ignore - accidental double post

  Edited by - aChristian on 21 March 2001 0:6:17
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  ozziepost

  Of course there is the obligation on Christians to "look after orphans and widows in their tribulation"(Jas 1:27).

  I suppose the question is then, Are these orphans and widows inside the congregation or in the world at large?

  Ozzie
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  JanH

  Interesting topic.

  I just wonder: Have anybody here ever seen, first hand, an organized effort by the WTS to give food or any other form of emergency aid to outsiders?

  Anybody met and talked face-to-face with people who had experienced this?

  Anybody seen relief efforts directed at JWs? Anyone talked to those who had personally experienced it?

  Now, I was a JW for quite a few years, and I know a lot of JWs, including people who traveled as missionaries etc. None of them had ever seen these things with their own eyes. Actually, noen had even seen relief efforts directed at JWs.

  This tells me, at best, that such efforts are rare, and that the WT claims and stories about such operations are exaggarated.

  - Jan
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  Tina

  Hi Jan,
  I've never seen the wts give humanitarian aid to anyone but their 'own'......I do recall someone posting a long time ago,that in one instance they had to do it the US here,to save face in front of the press(but I can't verify or remember who posted that)
  But how very cold of them,,,,,I saw the pix in the awake...and I can't imagine how they can bypass women,infants,children in need to search out their own,,,,,,,,,,,but they do according to every article I've read........and then they have the temerity to boast and self congratulate,on such behavior..................
  No other humanitarian org requires such a qualifier to give assistance!
  And how about the assistance they accept from the world? The Red Cross,Flood relief,shelters do not turn them away..........yet they do they do and crow about it.
  I threw the mag away in disgust after reading it(it gets tossed anyway) but it angered me. A child in need,an infant in need,a woman in need, a man in need,is simply that,a person in distress.
  Are they at all aware how normal ,everyday people view articles like that? My friends are apalled when they see such selectivity done in the name of 'humanitarian effort'. reagrds,Tina
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  trevor

  Gopher,

  I can clear this up. Every Sunday my local pub leaves little pieces of cheese on the bar for the locals. A sort of treat for the regulars to give the place a 'we will look after you becauce you're in our club feeling.'

  I passed this useful tip on to the Bethel Boppers who were very taken with the Biblical principles involved. The WT president himself became involved and even visited my pub diguised as a shepherd, to check out the club maintenance idea.

  The idea was worked on and went global. All say cheese.
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  LDH

  Just you wait until George dub-yah Bush gives millions to faith based charities!

  Who wants to be the bank on whether the WBTS will come out and find homeless bums near Brooklyn that they've been 'feeding' for decades? all to get a piece of the pie!
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  Gopher

  Thanks for the good "takes": Achristian, Ozzie, Jan and Tina.

  Trevor--"Club maintenance"? Too funny. So now we have you to blame for this "fake" charity work worldwide? Repent, ye!

  LDH--They'll probably give out leftovers from the Bethel cafeteria to anyone who'll also take either a tract or a book published prior to 1986. [8>]

  Gopher
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  Agape

  Goppppher, (oopps) I know you're just "sorting things out", but if you want a short-cut to your spiritual desktop, try taking everything the WTS says and teaches, turn nearly 180 degrees, and take what results as accurate. This technique applied to such topics as blood, resurrection, the true identity of Jesus and others will save you so much time and effort. With the left over time, you will be able to reach out more effectively to those still ensnared in the Truth.

  Are you to the point yet of embracing the legitimacy of historical christianity? Be carefull, Russell warned that when you go to the Bible alone you are liable to wind up with the very same doctrines as Christendom. I want to celibrate with you when that other foot is alllllll the waaaaaaaaay out.

  God bless,

  Agape