Witness relief efforts in Katrina area... this surprised me

by AK - Jeff 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  AK - Jeff

  
  Some who may have seen my thread on reanimation of my friendship with my cousin who has been shunning me, know that I met with him. We had a long discussion, esp. about 'works'.

  One point he made was that some from his congregation went down recently to help rebuild some homes. The effort they were part of was not rebuilding witness dwellings, or Kingdom Halls! They were building homes and working on repairs for others, not witnesses. Further, they were instructed to do so without witnessing to anyone on the site, or the owners. And also to return each day to the site with food from the society's local donation point for the families in the area. This was all orchastrated thru the organization. He commented that it was odd that it was being done this way, with all the constant criticism by the WTS for years about how other churches were making 'rice Christians' by doing relief work, feeding the poor, building communities etc.

  Anyone else hear of this going on? Is the leopard changing it's spots? Or has the organization decided they want some 'rice Christians' now?

  Jeff
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  ozziepost

  Hi Jeff,

  I'd sure like to know more of this too.

  It certainly would mark a change in direction. Goodness, they might have looked at christians for the example!!
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  jgnat

  PR job? A witness once told me that when the genocide was happening in Rwanda, the local Witnesses sheltered Tutsis, regardless of their religious background, from the killing. I told her I was very interested in any information she had on that, and asked for the article. She never got back to me. I suspect, like in most cases of JW kindness, that it was JW Tutsis who were sheltered.

  http://www.jw-media.org/region/americas/usa/english/releases/humanitarian/usa_e050901.htm
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  luna2

  It could be that they are responding to criticism of their extremely narrow definition of "charity". I'm glad to hear that they are helping non-JWs in more than just an incidental way this time around.
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  TopHat

  Did your cousin say anything about the WTS asking for insurance money for the repairs and rebuilding of their homes or is that done without the R & F's knowledge?
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  Will Power
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  Frog

  It has always bugs me that witnesses in general feel they are part of a great charitable organisation when there couldn't be anything further from the truth. The WT generally only invests monies into it's own work to retain it's capital. It is possible that some kind PO's gave their blesssing (so to speak) to some "brothers" to help more generally in the building work, but I imagine it's probably at their own expense and not out of the societies pocket, afterall, what facility is there in place for the appropriation of funds in that respect? It would have to be done at a congregation level I suspect. As for dubs being told to shut off their "informal witnessing" radar, well i can't imagine that ?!
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  Will Power
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  Frog

  if you've got something to say WillPower, just say it?!! (re 2 blank posts)
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  Will Power

  Maybe the comments on this board are making a difference.
  Could JWD become a conscience?
  
  Yaaay
  
  maybe mainstream is the only way to survive or
  as with everything the WT says/does -
  the appearance of it is what counts.
  and once THEY appear to be doing it - no one else is, or even comes close.
  
  If people actually get helped along the way - all the better.
  
  wp