Why don't JWs do much in the way of charity work?

by ilikecheese 32 Replies latest jw friends

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  Ding

  The WTS doesn't consider this life all that important. Near 1975 they praised JWs who sold their homes in order to pioneer. When JWs are hospitalized, the elders will sometimes make a special effort to make sure they don't weaken and take a blood transfusion to save their lives. As Leavingwt says, they want people to pin all their hopes on Armageddon and the new system.

  Of course, that again raises the question that others on JWN have recently asked: If the WTS has such an important message to get out, why do they ignore the electronic media and the internet and focus all their energy on a highly inefficient 19th century method of door-to-door canvassing? Is it just because Jesus and his disciples didn't have these tools? They didn't have the printing press or cars either...
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  clearpoison

  What would be greater charity than donating eternal life to your fellow human?

  CP
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  ssn587

  CP scaming people with WTBTS BS is not donating eternal life to anyone, it's donating a life of slavery to a publishing company to your fellow humans.
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  MrMonroe

  Witnesses in general are quite selfish, partly the result of a constant background of warnings by the WTS (as Blondie showed) about giving money to charities that will only waste it. People pick up on those nuances and realise that, if the WTS disapproves of charities, they may as well keep the money to themselves.

  The WTS pushes this line about the new system solving everything, which means:

  (a) Even if your money helps some people now, they're only going to die soon anyway at Armageddon;

  (b) You don't need to bother your conscience about people suffering because God can see them and is doing nothing abut it and in a way they're just collatoral damage in the battle between God and the Devil and after Armageddon no one willl ever think about them again; and

  (c) The way to really help people is go witnessing more and to get them to become JWs so they'll survive Armageddon.
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  PaintedToeNail

  Because all worldly institutions will be gone at armegeddon, including charities.

  The poor will always be with you. So preach to them instead.
• 

  LongHairGal

  ilikecheese:

  Well, the reason, so they say, that they aren't involved with charity work is that they are doing a warning/preaching work and these other things can be left to other people (i,e.,worldly people) to do. However, it was my observation that the religion is not interested in the welfare of mankind or their neighbors. As far as they are concerned, the world outside of their religion is sinful and under condemnation and just waiting to be destroyed. So, why get involved?

  The problem I have with their mentality is that they want to get whatever they can out of the sinful old world. Their hands are always out looking for something and some people in the religion are some of the most shameless deadbeats and smooth talking creeps I have ever encountered! In fact, I can honestly say that my experience in the religion itself brought me into contact with more of these kinds of people than my experience in the business world! Truly shameful. But, again, they have no shame. The concept is unknown to them.

  If you wonder why they don't get involved with charity in the world, they don't even have anything for people in the religion who are truly needy (and I am not referring to people who just don't want to be part of the workforce either). I am referring to hard-working people who fall on hard times. They have nothing for them and will tell them to seek help from relatives or the government, etc. If you are in the religion and are not related to the "right" people and are not in the popular clique, you are simply up that famous creek without a paddle.
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  wha happened?

  The ultimate defeatist have already judges the world as lacking and temporary so don't bother lifting a finger to help anyone, outside of the donation box at the KH
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  Band on the Run

  My father's sister's first husband died from tuberculosis. He was a coal miner for his short years. B/c of he was young and left behind a wife and very young daughter with no support, the entire coal mining town was very upset. The union blamed the mining co. My father, her brother, was present but skipped the funeral and went out in FS. When confronted by the whole town, he announced "let the dead, bury the dead." What a way to win friends and influence people.

  I studied with Elaine Pagels for several courses. Her specialty was Gnosticism. She was not a Christian while I was at college. Much later, her husband a world prominent physicist had a mountaineering accident and died. Her foray into being an active Christian was interesting. I know the church where she started attending services. The contrast between academic scholar and believer was interesting. The book she wrote discussed what drew others to Christianity in the manner she was drawn. She said that despite beliefs that Christians were cannablists who committed incest, the pagan world was drawn to them b/c the earliest Christians would stay behind when plague hit. They ministered to everyone. It was so startling they received good word of mouth.

  I have her book somewhere but the dates are very early.

  Reading the WT analysis is so difficult. It chills me. Jesus said to love another, not to knock on doors and believe some cult in Brooklyn. Honestly, he could have said I bequeath my organization to Peter and James. Do what they say. He never mentioned the apostles as a determining factor. Of course, any alms takes away from the WTBTS assets. Since the end of the world is so imminent, why not spread the wealth around before the end. Cash is not going to help after Armageddon. Can you imagine a WTZone currency?
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  Snoozy

  When I was a witness I did my share of baby sitting and cleaning sick peoples houses and doing their laundry, running errands, staying with the elderly when they were sick..taking the ones without transportation to the meetings..doing odd jobs for those unable to . Contributing to ones in need..I even did their hair and laundry when they pioneered..I did my share!

  Snoozy..
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  Band on the Run

  They joined the United Way? !!! This is similar to ngo at the UN. I sneaked money to the United Way when I started employment. My mom warned me never to mention it to any Witnesses. My $3 donation could have gone to Bethel.

  Terry wrote of his JW prison experience on another thread. Basically, he had to make a stand with no support from the org. My father received a mnisterial exemption b/c he served at Bethel during WWII. He had no resources. A certain nice older Bethel brother offered to help him--showed him the forms and described the issues. Without this bro, he would have been in prison with an uncle of mine. So many brothers faced prison. Most could never afford a selective service lawyer. If the Witnesses diverted one of their lawyers for a few days, a general legal memo describing the process and particular JW problemss could have been circulated for a pittance.

  People here write horrible things about religion. Often, they are correct. Religious groups do such much good, too. --not tied to religion in most cases. Jesus said to feed the poor, what you do for the least of these, you do for me. Jesus did not say to invest in hedge funds and heavy duty real estate. The Pharisees had to do charitable works. Jesus provided real bread and real fish to feed the crowds. It was not spiritual, pretend food. Where is the love?

  You don't need to know Luther, Karl Barth, Augustine, Hans Kung or source analysis to ask where is the love.

  P.S. Heifer Int'l is a Christian charity with meticulous, well audited books that provides pairs of livestock to 3rd world groups. I give shares of sheep, cows, goats. They have nice cards. I make a donation regardless of religious background of the giftee. The faces on people when they read that a contribution was made to present a pair of pigs, a hive of bees, to poor people is amazing. It is not politness. They are very impressed. Since I can't afford much livestock, I write fractions of big animals. 1/3 of a very good sheep.