Knorr was questioned about this once when the Society was buying buildings and buying equipment. Someone asked him if such future planning and expansion was against the Society's published beliefs that the end was very near. He said we believe the end is near but we plan for the future.
That would be fine today but the Society doesn't allow the same for it's people as it allows for itself.
I know elders and other Witness people who started setting up passive income streams for their retirement when they were in their 30's, thirty years ago. Some of the Witnesses here are very wealthy, owning businesses and rental property. The same Witness people discourage sister Poor's son and daughter from taking the scholarships offered them to go to university because the end is so near.
The elders actually want to hire sister Poor's uneducated children to work for them in their businesses. The vehicles at the Kingdom Hall here looks like Hollywood money lives here.
I'm not critical of the Witnesses for being prosperous. I think they should be. They have a duty to look out for themselves and their families. I am critical of them discouraging the Witness people from taking the same gold brick road they did and for discouraging people from getting a practical education.
The Witness system I know exploits on many levels. In my opinion, exploitation and religion are not very good companions.
someday I'll be 60
by darth frosty 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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garybuss
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parakeet
garybuss wrote: ***The Witness system I know exploits on many levels. In my opinion, exploitation and religion are not very good companions.***
Exploitation and religion shouldn't be good companions, but it's amazing how often they are. I knew a young, poor JW who was encouraged by his mother to work for a wealthy JW housing contractor because she was sure "he would be treated well."
The young brother was worked like a slave -- very heavy lifting, excessive overtime, and poor wages. Within a few months he developed back trouble and had to quit. He was free of the "caring" brother and later of the JW religion, but the back trouble has followed him throughout his life. -
mouthy
Poor's son and daughter from taking the scholarships offered them to go to university because the end is so near.
Oh dont remind me that is what I did to my daughter who is still a JW
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Jourles
Well hell, darth. If I had known you went riding this Sunday, you should have rang me up. The weekend was gorgeous - unlike now. I could fake being a jw for a few hours.
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darth frosty
Next time J I'll hit you up. For those that ride what type of bikes do you have. I have a Hayabusa (very telling if any of my riding buddies are on here.)
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FairMind
I'm already 60 and of course never thought I'd reach this age in the "present system of things". I beleive that most who have spent decades in the WTS take the predictions of Armageddon with a grain of salt. Intelliegent, thinking JWs know that they have to take care of themselves financially and physically since there is no guaranatee that the end will come in their lifetime.
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Jourles
I have a Hayabusa
I didn't look it up, but it sounds like a "crotch rocket" to me. I've got a Honda Sabre [cruiser].
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purplesofa
Go spend them some where else then
ROFL
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darth frosty
The sabre a nice bike J, you got the 750 or 1100 version? and yeah the Busa is a crotch rocket it was me and a bunch of harleys and goldwings (even when it comes to motorcycles I dont fit in with witnesses.)