Would You Like WatchTower Better if They Open a Soup Kitchen or Charity Thrift Store?

by cameo-d 36 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Gregor

  I would like the Watchtower Society better if they dropped dead.
• 

  beksbks

  Well actually, if they did, it would make them "part of this world". They wouldn't be them. It would essentially negate every crummy aspect of them. They would be aiding "worldly" folks. So if they did, yes I would, but they couldn't and still be them.
• 

  cameo-d

  "Charities" started with missionaries going in to foreign countries and bribing people with yams and rice. They 'appeared' to have a benelovent purpose. Then the missionaries gradually set up not only medical clinics but educational facilities. They taught natives their own language and soon had them reading their religious sunday school books.

  It was tip toe methodology to introduce their religious agenda. Sometimes these natives traveled for miles to come to these centers and would often be glad for a chance to stay for a day or two before returning to their villages carrying back the rice and yams. As time went on, the rice and yams were only supplied as meals when the villagers came to stay for a few days indoctrination. Very subtle, but the charity giving became 'conditional' and was used for behavior modification.

  There is an agenda at work in this country even in this day and age. All of the Ivy League schools are owned by religious denominations. Hospitals are owned by religions. Religions have stock in many high rolling corporations. Religions do own the world. Religions support the masonic-illuminati upline.

  Religions are losing their financial backing because many people have seen through the lies, deception, and manipulation. The religions have joined forces as inter-faith groups under new umbrellas now and are establishing many "charity" type operations. They no longer display a denomination name. Unless you were to dig for the information, you might not even know that religions were the registrars.

  There is and has been a merger of church and state through "faith-based initiatives". Gradually, these charities, (no longer clinging to a particular denomination) are taking up the slack as the economy continues in its downfall. It appears to me that there will eventually be a repeat of what has gone before. The "appearance" of benevolence, followed by conditional terms in the future. I believe this is how religious dominionism intends to gain control of the populace.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  I am not going to spend much time defending charities. Much of what you say is true. But I see some very poor homeless shelters in Chicago run by local priests- giving away a meal and a cot every night to hundreds. I see Catholic charities doing alot for people. Jewish charities focusing on children's vision. The Salvation Army turns most of their profits right back into aiding people. Oh, they have religious agendas, but they help people regardless of how they accept or reject the message.

  I went thru Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina as a JW and helped with the aftermath of that and Hurricane Andrew in south Florida. The individual JW's came in droves and wanted to help their fellow JW's. I have no doubt that the same was true for Katrina or the recent Haiti earthquake. But after Hurricane Andrew, WTS changed. (Perhaps DURING Andrew, they changed.) They saw that the members were so quick to want to help. Acting as a channel for that help, they abused it. Instead of just going to help out, they said members needed to be "approved" by their regional building committee to go help Katrina victims- "Don't just go and lend a hand. And stop donating 'stuff.' What we need is money- MONEY MONEY MONEY. And don't write on your check that it's for the disaster relief, just give it to US and be assured that we know what to do with it." Did the Red Cross ask for money? Sure. But they spent it in the area. WTS takes the money and then lets the "approved" individuals donate their time and buys some token amount of building materials then asks the victims to turn their insurance checks over to WTS.

  I could go on and on. If you want to compare that to the shyster preachers that get donations to go to Africa, to supposedly help the poor, then get to Africa and feed them a little food then try to solicite even more donations from the Africans- alright then. It happens. But my gripe isn't that. My gripe is that they prevent good from their members by channeling it. The WTS prevents the donation of canned goods, clothing, automobiles, whatever, they prevent hard workers from getting to the area because they are irregular in field recruiting. They don't account for how much of their donations to the worldwide work should have been spent in disaster areas.
• 

  cameo-d

  OTWO: "My gripe is that they prevent good from their members by channeling it. The WTS prevents the donation of canned goods, clothing, automobiles, whatever, they prevent hard workers from getting to the area because they are irregular in field recruiting. They don't account for how much of their donations to the worldwide work should have been spent in disaster areas."

  Gee. I didn't know they took such a pro-active measure against charity. I just thought the complaint was that they did nothing. I would like to know if more people here have stories about being prevented or discouraged from helping others.

  OTWO: " Oh, they have religious agendas, but they help people regardless of how they accept or reject the message. "

  Granted, I do know that many of the workers for these charities have a true heart and are good people. I know that many of the workers would help anyone regardless of race, religion, or creed. The ones who have the agendas are the big cheese in the board rooms. The "corporation" probably brings in 10 times the amount it shells out for actual charity. As the homeless situation increases due to the economy, the unemployment rate, jobs drying up, and mortgage foreclosures, these charities will be forced to become more political and "selective". I am sure they already are to some degree.

  As it gets to the point of becoming more selective, that is when conditions of terms become more apparent. This is what I expect to see in the future. Would an atheist sign a statement of loyalty or (pretense of) religioius affiliation if it were required for food and shelter?
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  Gee. I didn't know they took such a pro-active measure against charity. I just thought the complaint was that they did nothing. I would like to know if more people here have stories about being prevented or discouraged from helping others.

  They often ask for too many volunteers, so they can pick and choose. The relief effort for Hurricane Katrina victims was an example in my case. They told us that they would need volunteers to go down in Winter- late January or early February, 2005 (after the initial huge push to help- to provide ongoing repairs/help). I arranged my vacation to go down in February. They said they specifically needed carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and also people who could move a bunch of weight all day. I told them I was an elder who could move a bunch of weight- not a carpenter, electrician, or plumber, but would gladly work for them or anyone all day everyday.

  Come two weeks before time to go. The Illinois Regional Building Committee (who you must work with in order to volunteer to help fellow witnesses) calls me to say they don't have room on the bus for me. I tell them I can drive down and follow the bus. I also asked if there were others that needed a ride in my car. They said they had no more spare beds for me. I said I knew people in New Orleans area that were willing to put me up, or if need be, I could roll out a sleeping bag on the Kingdom Hall floor like we did at Hurricane Andrew and Hurricane Hugo Relief. They said "No, you have to work within the established organizational ways- no private car and no arrangements for yourself. Can you keep yourself available for other weeks this year?"

  "NO, can't do it. You asked me to get my vacation this particular week. I still have to take it then even if I don't go to New Orleans."

  The same RBC representative was looking for people for a later date. His wife did not know that I already said I could not go. She phoned me to ask about going in late Feb/March. I said that I had already said I couldn't do it. She said it was too bad I missed out on that early Feb. trip. "We had a lot of fun." I asked what she meant.

  "Oh, my husband took me and the preschool age children. Another RBC brother's wife managed to get into the group with their child. We had a great time cooking for the brothers everyday and had a picnic the last day."

  I didn't ask if she and the other woman or their children were electricians, plumbers, or carpenters. I wonder how much heavy weight these sisters and the preschool children could move.

  I vowed never ever ever to work with the RBC on anything from there on out. To be fair, I was mentally "on the way out" at that point.
• 

  4mylove

  This would never happen. In my MIL words or wisdom "why invest time on someone that won't be there in paradise..."

  4
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  From: http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/quotes/charity.php

  Kingdom Ministry 2005 January Canada Edition p.7 Question Box
  "What is the best way to make contributions for the benefit of needy brothers in other lands? At times, we hear about brothers in another land who have come into material need because of persecution, disaster, or other difficult circumstances. Some brothers have been moved to send funds directly to the branch offices in such lands, requesting that the money be used to help a certain individual, a particular congregation, or a designated building project. -- 2 Cor. 8:1-4. While such loving concern for fellow believers is commendable, often there are needs that are more urgent than those that the contributor has in mind. In come cases, the designated need has already been cared for. Of course, we can be confident that when contributions are sent to the local branch office for the worldwide work, the Kingdom Hall Fund, or disaster relief, those donated funds will be used as directed by the contributor. The brothers in all the branches have been thoroughly trained to respond quickly to unanticipated needs. In all cases, the branch keeps the Governing Body informed regarding the matter. If additional assistance is needed, the Governing Body may invite nearby branches to help or funds may be sent directly from headquarters. 2 Cor. 8:14, 15. Therefore, all contributions intended for the worldwide work, building projects in other lands, or disaster relief should be sent to the branch office in the land in which you live, either through the congregation or directly. In this way, 'the faithful and discreet slave,' through the organizational arrangement set in place by the Governing Body, cares for the needs of the worldwide brotherhood in an orderly manner. -- Matt. 24:45-47; 1 Cor. 14:33, 40.

  Watchtower 2003 June 1 p.7 Giving That Pleases God
  "When it comes to organized charity, though, we need to be cautious as we evaluate the many appeals we receive….There is a kind of giving that is even more important than charity. Jesus alluded to this when a rich young ruler asked what he had to do to get everlasting life. Jesus told him: "Go sell your belongings and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, and come be my follower." (Matthew 19:16-22) Notice that Jesus did not just say, 'Give to the poor and you will get life.' Instead, he added, "Come be my follower." In other words, as commendable and beneficial as charitable acts are, Christian discipleship involves more. Jesus' chief interest was in helping others spiritually."
• 

  LongHairGal

  OTWO,

  From your story it sounds as if the JWs charitable work is a scripted, infomercial-like publicity stunt and I believe it totally. Sounds like they should have hollywood makeup artists there with lights and cameras. They don't want anything spontaneous at all. What are they afraid of? That somebody would slip up and say something wrong or maybe even be 'influenced' by genuine charity by so-called worldly people?

  Everything has to be just like it is at the hall: canned and scripted and all for appearances only.
• 

  beksbks

  This would never happen. In my MIL words or wisdom "why invest time on someone that won't be there in paradise..."

  Yup