"We never solicit donations"

doubtfull1799

Inspired by this weeks CLAM article which again "reminds" the brothers pdf their obligation/privilege to donate "voluntarily" I have complied a list of articles or videos in the last 5 years where donations are indeed solicited or encouraged. The society may argue that these are not actual solicitations because no plate was passed around. But a donation box is just a more discrete and subtle version of the plate. And they make this comment in their online article "Can you trust religion regarding money":

"Do the religions in your area imply direct or subtle pressure to obtain money? Is that in harmony with the Bible?"

They may argue it is not direct, but I can't see how one could argue it's not "subtle pressure."

If I've missed any please feel free to add to this list: (seems things have really ramped up since 2015)

2012

w12 1/15 p21-25 - Making whole-souled sacrifices for Jehovah

km 4/12 - Our district conventions

w12 8/15 p3-7 - I am with you

w12 10/15 p12-16 - What kind of spirit do you show?

2013

w13 8/15 p3-8 - You have been sanctified

km 12/13 p8 - Announcements

w13 11/15 p8-9 - How can we help to meet the needs of others?

w13 12/15 p9-14 - Will you make sacrifices for the kingdom?

2014

w14 1/1 p11 - Did you know?

km 4/14 - Maintain your conduct fine among the nations

km 11/14 Announcements

w14 12/15 p4-5 - Jehovah richly blesses a willing spirit

2015

2015 - Jehovah will care for our needs video

w15 3/15 p24-29 - Loyally supporting Christ’s brothers

km 4/15 p5-7 - Convention reminders

km 4/15 p3-6 - Conduct that glorifies God

May 2015 Broadcast

w15 6/15 p27-32 - Live in harmony with the model prayer

w15 7/15 p27-31 - This is our place of worship

w15 9/1 p6 - How our ministry is financed

w15 9/15 p27-32 - How can we show that we love Jehovah?

km 11/15 p4 Announcements

w15 11/15 p15-15 - Show appreciation for Jehovah’s generosity

Dec 17 2015 letter - Supporting WWW

2016

Jan 2016 Broadcast

CLAMwbb16 Feb p5 - Faithful worshippers support theocratic arrangements

May 16 2016 letter - Donations to the WWW using jw.org

Sept 21 2016 letter - Global assistance arrangement

w16 Nov p4-8 - Keep on encouraging one another each day

w16 Nov p19-20 - The work is great

Dec 29 2016 letter - Donations in support of kingdom interests

2017

w17 Jul p3-8 - Seeking riches that are true

w17 Jul p7-11 - Making a donation to our WWW

CLAMwb17 Oct p5 - How to donate to the WWW

CLAMwb17 Dec - Take firm hold of the robe of a Jew

w17 Nov p18-19 - The generous person will be blessed

Dec 1 2017 letter - Donations in support of Kingdom interests

2018

w18 Jan p17-21 - Why give to the one how has everything?

Listener

A couple of others -

2015 Sophia Video - Be generous
August 2015 Broadcast

steve2

There will be a thrilling increase in this time of the end of requests for donations.

stuckinarut2

Brilliant thread Doubtful1799!

Thank you for posting this, and for compiling such a great list!

slimboyfat

Big spike in 2015, consistent with their financial crisis beginning suddenly that year.

pale.emperor

I'm happy to say that I've never donated a penny to the Watchtower even when i was in. I couldn't afford to! It cost me £80 a month in taxi's to the meetings.

I remember giving a talk about giving to Jehovah. I concluded that one of the most valuable things a person has is time. And brought out that we can donate time to the org in preaching, meeting attendance and study. I didn't mention money because at the time i sincerely believed what out CO had told us, that the org dont worry about money.

I was reprimanded for that by the elders.

ttdtt

doG always needs money.
Brother, can you lend a Deity a dime?

Drearyweather

But a donation box is just a more discrete and subtle version of the plate.

Honestly, I never felt that the contribution box or these articles brought any kind of pressure on me or my family.

Before becoming JW's, we were Catholics and had neighbours who belonged to another small local Christian sect. Apart from the collections plates that were passed, each month my father received an envelope in which he had to put money and return it back to the Church. While my neighbor always told us about the tithe that they had to regularly pay.

However, after becoming JW's, never were we pressured or hounded by elders to donate to the society which was a welcome change for us.

I regularly read testimonies on this forum, but never have read any story where elders have reprimanded or taken action against anyone simply for not regularly contributing in the donation box. Instead, many here have told that they have never contributed a dime in decades. Many websites have a "donate" button on their websites, we don;t feel pressured by it to donate. We simply ignore it if we want.

Ignoring the contribution box in a kingdom hall is much much much simpler than ignoring the collection plate that gets passed around in a church.

punkofnice

Image result for pinocchio nose grow

WTWizard

The best formula is to give the amount you genuinely feel reflects the amount you benefit from the religion. If you have zero benefit, then give zero--and that includes time as well as money. If they hound you for more, tell them that if they keep hounding, you are not giving anything at all.

"We never solicit donations" - really?