On the other hand......

The WTS' official site displays an article boasting of the financial support that it enjoys. As it customarily does, it seeks to draw a distinction between them and "the churches", and as it customarily does, it does so in a superior, belittling fashion.

Nonetheless, is it logical? After haranguing some churches for tithing it admits that it was the pattern for first-century christians. Huh? So why condemn it?

Then they claim that they have "a more effective way" of financing their efforts. They sure have! They say as much in the third paragraph......it's the distribution of literature!!!!!!

Voluntary Giving Today
Clearly, during the first century, followers of Christ practiced voluntary giving, not tithing. However, you may wonder if this is still an effective way to finance the preaching of the good news and to care for Christians who are in need.
Consider the following. In 1879 the editors of this magazine stated openly that they would "never beg nor petition men for support." Has that decision hindered the efforts of Jehovah's Witnesses to spread Bible truth?
Currently, the Witnesses distribute Bibles, Christian books, and other publications in 235 lands. The Watchtower, a Bible educational magazine, initially had a monthly distribution of 6,000 copies printed in one language. It has since become a semimonthly magazine with a printing of more than 24,000,000 copies available in 146 languages.

http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2002/12/1/article_02.htm

smack

makes me wanna put my hand in my pocket.

"We would never petition men for their support". Not directly, of course. But we will show a picture of a mature looking man HAPPY to give his money to the organization. And if you notice, they're not showing a check here. They're showing the green. Cash. Ain't nothing like it. But of course, no one's petitioning for it. You understand???

Frannie Banannie

Don't any of 'em pick up on the WT-BATS questionable practice of asking for funds to build KH's, then turning around and *loaning* the money back to the congs who *gave it in the first place" to build the KH's?

Frannie B

mizpah

...and what of those articles that instructed you how to leave your estate to the Watchtower Society?

Valis

never beg nor petition men for support

well...perhaps they were merely speaking to the sisters at all those meetings..

Sincerely,

District Overbeer

drwtsn32

It's true... they don't beg or petition... they use emotional manipulation.

badolputtytat

Nope, he aint smiling.. he is gritting his teeth, and trying not to be heard... he is really saying "Dang, there it goes... in the little hole... boy it's dark in there... I should be using this money to buy a tie that wasn't made in 1941....but NOOO ... gotta continue the gal-dang work! Gotta pay for the stupid R.V. the overseer is gonna be driving to Florida this winter..... "

sheeesh ... using a picture of a man who is obviously on a retirement fund is really low.

Nonetheless, is it logical?

no... and neither is that tie.

JeffT

Gotta love the way they manipulate the Word of God to suit themselves. When they want to, all those old testament laws are "principles" that show how Jehovah wants things done. But that tithing thing is just something all those churches use to beat money out of people.

Hypocrites, pick a way of looking at scripture and live with it.

peacefulpete

where do they "admit that tithing was the first century pattern"? I see the opposite.