Are dubs allowed to invest?

SpiceItUp

Technically its a gamble and thats not allowed but I think they could side step it if they really wanted to.

Has there ever been any article on it?

teenyuck

I don't know about articles, however, after 1975, I think it hit home that if you can you better save and invest in the future--you will be old and poor if you don't.

I know my mother has CD's, T-Bills, and various stocks. Then again my mother is not the model JW.....

expatbrit

I'm sure there has been an article on it (what hasn't there been an article on?...lol).

I've personally never read or heard any blanket injunction against investing, just cautions against very risky speculative types of investments. Anyway, the WTS itself has hundreds of millions in investments. The notes on their Financials usually say something along the lines of how they invest in instruments that "do not conflict with their Christian Conscience". Generally the investments are in fixed income safe stuff, from what I've seen. The Society usually sets a target of a few points above the annual inflation rate for their investment income. Because of the low rate of inflation lately, and the huge amounts invested, they usually meet that target.

Expatbrit

drwtsn32

It definitely was not wrong to invest in the stock market.

Shutterbug

I missed some 10 years of investing in my 401k because we would lose the whole thing when the big A came around in 1975, so the money would be better spent supporting the world wide witness work. If I had not listened to all this garbage I would be a lot better off today.

Matty

You're just pissed with me for losing all that money aren't you?

Witnesses have always dabbled on the stock exchange. Many of them leave their stock to the Watchtower Society. It's always been a "conscience" thing.

JT

You asked the wrong question- smile, for those of us who are from old schoool we are very familair with the wt techniques of compliance-

you see the question is not so much "Are dubs allowed to invest?"

but instead "Is is WISE TO INVEST IN THIS OLD SYSTEM"

You over and over the wt will raise such questions, never to give a direct answer but a "What way is the Society leaning"

such things as Retirement funds, buying a home with a 30yr mortage, etc were classified as trying to carve out a "Niche" in this old system-

so while they never would come out right and say they would phrase it as:

Since the time left is short is it wise to be storing up treasures, could not one better use their time , energies and monies to further the kingdom interest- then they will say

"One bro divested himself of funds and moved to serve where the need is great and today they are serving in the Traveling work, he reports "never once have we gone lacking, jah has alway provided what we need"

so it was due to articles such as that - which allowed the wt to paint 2 choices

1. the choice made by those who are MATURE, SPIRITUAL, TRUSTING IN JAH

AND

2 Those who are seeking materialistic goals, weak, immature etc

with ALL ARTICLES using this technique to setup the choices it becomes easy to see how after conventions after convention , talks after talk,drama, KM, skit, interviews, and misquoting of the bible

the avg jw who WANTS TO SERVE GOD and make spiritual choices would make the choices they did

as this old DO used to say when asked about a yes or no answer-- "WHICH WAY IS THE SOCIETY LEANING"

DJ

but instead "Is is WISE TO INVEST IN THIS OLD SYSTEM"

Nail on the head, JT. It's all about inducing subtle guilt.

blondie

There are 2 articles in some Awakes from the 60's but they are not on the CD nor in my library. Does anyone want to post the pertinent parts here?

propriety of investing: 2/8/62 Awake pages 22-3; 10/22/61 Awake pages 21-2

Blondie

dubla

Technically its a gamble and thats not allowed but I think they could side step it if they really wanted to.

its a gamble, but its not gambling, if that makes any sense.......investing in a company (stock), a bank (cds), or the government (treasury notes), for example, is simply lending money to that entity and expecting to be paid back with interest/gains (with stocks its not actually lending, but same idea...the company needs to raise money, and they do so with investors). if the wt told people not to invest, they would also have to outlaw all loans of any kind, all borrowing, etc......pretty tough to back up with the "gambling" scriptures. sorry if that sounded like a explanation for children......i just wanted to clarify the difference between gambling and investing.....its not at all the same as putting your chips down on black and hoping for a good ball drop.

aa

Are dubs allowed to invest?

Share this