Community Service - why looked down on when it was so encouraged by Jesus

by insearchoftruth 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  dgp

  I believe community service is looked down on because it denies the impending Armageddon, and, also, because it suggests that we can actually work now and here to improve the world and make it better. Which is an idea that suggests that Satan doesn't control the world, since we can improve it.

  I also think it's because people could argue that they are feeding the poor instead of serving the WTBTS, and there would be no way to force people to sell magazines if community service were a good thing.
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  lovelylil2

  Many times when my husband and I were out in service, we met people who needed material things such as money to pay for their heating oil, warm clothes for their kids, or groceries. And we helped all these people out of our own pocket. One time when we did this, some nosey sisters in our hall (Hingham MA) actually had the nerve to ask me what my family was doing for the friends in the truth?

  Apparently they felt it was improper to give to those who were "worldly" when there was a need in the congregation. I told her how my family gave lots of $$$ and time to the WT, gave work to brothers who needed it to support their family, even those these "brothers" charged 2x as much as the "worldly" people for the same work. In addtion we have widows and orphans over for dinner continually, send meals over to the sick and grieving friends and do much more than that too.

  Even with this being said, I was scolded and told I needed to get my priorities straight. I came to believe after that, the reason they reacted that way is most of the JW's do not love people unconditionally and this is the way the WT has trained them. And the WT has also trained them to literally hate people in the world, when that is another teaching directly contradicting Christ.

  Jeff,

  I agree with you 100%. Just want to point out though the only reason I mentioned Jesus' words about service to others in this thread is because the WT claims to be a christian organization. And yet, they continually prove false to that.

  I did not want to give the impression that I think ONLY Christians give to others. Also, I want to clarify that most Christians (myself included) do not give just because of Christ's words or because we feel obligated to, because we are Christians. We mostly give because of our love for others, which for believers partly springs from the spirit of God dwelling in us. The other part of me learned to be giving to others because that is simply the way my parents brought me up.

  Peace, Lilly
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  Chalam

  Great thread!

  Continuing on in James

  James 2:17-18 (New International Version)

  17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

  18 But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds."
  Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

  JWs have neither faith in Jesus nor the works that flow from this faith. Their faith is in the WT and the "works" they do are for the organisation, not Jesus. and the people He says to serve.

  Matthew 25:35-40 (New International Version)

  35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

  37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

  40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

  Blessings,

  Stephen
• 

  changeling

  As taught to me by my uber theocratic mother:

  1- it takes away time and resources that could be used to further the "good news"

  2-it could put one in close contact with unrighteous people

  3-the kingdom is going to solve all of mankind's problems permantely,so helping in temporary solutions is a waste of time

  (WT's opinions,not my own)

  :)
• 

  lovelylil2

  Stephen,

  My thoughts exactly. See my earlier posts. Also building on what Stephen quoted in James, here is another James text that the WT ignores.

  James 1:27

  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

  We had many widows in our congregation that got completely ignored by all the elders and most others too. That is probably because they did not have much $$$$. There was one widow, a lovely lady who was in the WT more than 30 years, raising all 5 of her children in the org. who would call my husand whenever she needed help with anything because none of the other brothers would assist her. She was labled as a pain in the neck by the brothers. Can you believe that?? My husband would change lightbulbs for her when she couldn't reach them and put her air conditioner in the window every summer. Also do any painting or other chores around her home when necessary. She always appreciated it and became very fond of my family. She was like an adopted grandmother to my kids. She died the year before we left the org. I still miss her very much.

  Not only do jws not help people in the world, they seldom help each other in the congregations. This makes sense because their "mother" (org) is selfish too and is a taker, taking millions of $$$ from these same widows and orphans and giving them nothing back in return.
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  garyneal

  Stephen,

  Excellent post. I said the same thing in another thread along these same lines. It amazes me how everytime I ask my wife what do the Jehovah's Witnesses do for charity she just parrots the party line and says that her 'charity' is preaching the 'good news of the kingdumb.' Those verses in James hits the nail on the head and refutes her favorite argument where she uses the line against me saying, "...faith without works is dead." (James 2:26) She uses this to refute my arguments in that salvation is by grace alone without works but it falls apart in context with the rest of the text in James 2.
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  WTWizard

  Simple. If I spend my Saturday morning ringing the Salvation Army bell, that is a Saturday morning that I cannot be bringing in new disciples. If I spend a Tuesday evening donating unused articles to help the poor, or doing volunteer work, I miss a boasting session or Family Waste the Evening Night. If I spend a weekend mentoring a child, that is a weekend when I cannot bring in new disciples and will most likely miss a boasting session.