Thanks for providing an alternative viewpoint emeth, it is always good to see a healthy debate. It can get a little one sided on here sometimes... I hope you weren't censored. But if you REALLY wanna taste censorship, post ANYTHING controversial on jwtalk! dare ya!
philipines disaster news up on jw.org
by Captain Blithering 112 Replies latest jw friends
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konceptual99
I don't understand why emeth's posting abilities would be limited. He might be fighting the tide on this forum but I didn't find any his posts offensive or provocative. I hope he changes his mind and returns. I for one welcome posters that challenge some of the prevailing views. especially when specific posts are just as ill conceived as what we see spouted from Brooklyn.
On the matter of this specific topic my summation of my position/thinking is:
1 - the WT society do not prevent anyone from giving to charity
2 - they do argue that organisationally they do not get involved in proactive charitable acts as they think it only the kingdom of God that can bring lasting change and that the commission Jesus gave was to preach the kingdom news.
3 - this position can cause confusion amongst Witnesses who lack the thinking skills and personal integrity to do what they feel to be right.
4 - the WTS does prioritise help to the JW community and help offered to the wider community is limited. They do make capital of help offered to the wider community. The reasons for this can be debated and argued in defence or condemation of the WTS but I think a key factor is they simply are not geared up to offer help as a charitable organisation - they are a publishing house.
5 - it is hard to know what value for money any charitable giving offers. Senior management in all large charities attract high salaries. Charitiable gifts can be mis-used, stolen by corrupt agencies before reaching the intended recipients. When making a donation one simply has to try and make an informed choice and accept that doing something is better than doing nothing. What you cannot ignore either is that most charities are organised specifically to try and get help to individuals on the ground - the WTS is nothing of the sort unless you count bible literature as life giving.
6 - Whilst it is easy to mock the WTS for sitting on a fortune and not doing more you have to accept that they ain't going to change. They are a publishing house not the Red Cross. If you want to know your cash if more likely to be used for helping individuals in need then don't put it in the WWW box.
7 - Finally, I think we all have to look at how we view "charity". We can accuse the WTS of not reflecting so called Christian values but we all make a judgement about what we are prepared to give up to help others. Few give nothing but even less give everything. Who here gives a significant proportion of their time or money to others? How many of us, on reflection, are guilty of giving pretty much only when we are faced with a particular situation that provokes an emotional response?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticising anyones' choices, just suggesting we all make a choice about how much we are really prepared to give to help others. We all like the idea that no one should be homeless, but I bet there are very few who have given up part of their house and personal space so that a homeless person can live somewhere. Instead we might donate to a charity, help out at a soup kitchen.
My biggest regret over all of this is that the mentality embedded in me through the WTS idea that we look to God's Kingdom encourages a cynical and dismissive view of charity and how to really help those less fortunate. That's the moral crime perputrated by the WTS.
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GoneAwol
Mmm. I'm sorry you felt the need to bail out on us. I was enjoying the discussion. I hope you find what you're searching for. I honestly believe that you are searching as you wouldnt have come here.
To search for answers is good. To say a particular group has the answers is dishonest and misleading. I do hope you come back and answer some of questions that still remain.
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Captain Blithering
Nice summary konceptual!
I agree, one of the lasting damages that the WT mentality leaves is that the Kingdom will solve all so there's no point rearranging the chairs on the titanic.
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Rattigan350
emeth said: "JW Gonebad are you serious? do you think the ceo's , project managers and FTE's dont get salaries,.. do you think their offices come for free? Get real"
The full time workers for charities should not get paid over $30K as a regular livable wage. That is what people are protesting, those CEOs getting over $100K salaries and bonuses.
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DATA-DOG
" There is never money left over since we use all of it at a certain time when needed."
Really? The WTBTS just spent 1 Billion dollars?!?! The above statement was made in ignorance. If the GB would make the financial reports of the Organization available to the public then we could put this question to rest. Waiting......
DD
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prologos
I have an idea how the millions contributed world wide should be spent:
Fund to buid a massive concrete structure in each municipaity to withstand known forces.
structures that serve as schools, food depots, hospitals in normal times and batten down when quakes, winds, water strikes,-- as they will- increasingly.
In my home town, 75 years ago, in my absense, huge, indestructable concrete shelters were build that protected the population from devastating unrelenting bombardement, and it took years to finally demolish these bunkers.
The places in the philippines are beautiful, what is needed miniature Cities of Refuge.
together with the re-build "coconut lumber, bamboo, beautiful and cool palmleaf roofs", build the permanent shelters. once & for all. please.
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KiddingMe
Marked
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JW GoneBad
I wonder why we haven't heard anymore reports from the GB or JW.Org on conditions in the Philippines since they last reported on November 14th.
I wonder if the high JW death toll is a bit too embarrassing or detrimental to their reputation, and so they prefer to keep quiet about it. Its' not like they don't have communication with the brothers there. There were plenty of Bethel representatives there when the typhoon hit because they were preparing to have their DC that same week. And then there are COs and DOs who no doubt they are in touch with.
I heard from a brother here in the U.S. who has close family ties in the Philippines that the death toll could reach as high as 60. Sad indeed!