by sandy 25 Replies latest jw friends
20 dollars per week I believe + free medical + lodging + food
Well, on the free medical...I still have (I think) a receipt that my ex-wife had in her papers from her marriage to a bethelite. It was 30 cents for an x-ray back in 1979/80 time frame.
If you work in the printing end of the business you can find trade as a pressman or binder...union wage for that is decent.
When I was in the French Bethel (20 years ago), health expenses were NOT covered by the Society. You had to pay for a doctor's consultation, medicine and so forth. There were local arrangements, such as organized visits to a JW dentist or ophtalmologist who treated Bethelites free of charge (perhaps with an indemnity from the Society, I don?t know). But we still had to pay for dentures or glasses. As dentures were pretty expensive, it often ended with simple extractions (you could have told an old and poor Bethelite from his smile, had he felt like smiling). In case of major surgery, most of us had an insurance (with a private JW insurance company) for which we had to pay with our monthly allowance or annual ?Personal expense account?. I suppose conditions were different in Brooklyn, with a partly internal health care system (?). However, I still feel the economic situation was definitely better for the average Bethelite than for special pioneers which had to pay for everything (food, clothing, shelter and health care) with their only allowance (ca. $ 100 a month in the late 70?s, $ 300 in the mid 80?s).
Actually, they dont call it wages or salary. I think they call it allowance.
Do the people at Patterson get the same?
H elp Us Keep Your Earnings Record Accurate You, your employer and Social Security share responsibility for the accuracy of your earnings record. Since you began working, we recorded your reported earnings under your name and Social Security number. We have updated your record each time your employer (or you, if you're self-employed) reported your earnings. Remember, it's your earnings, not the amount of taxes you paid or the number of credits you've earned, that determine your benefit amount. When we figure that amount, we base it on your average earnings over your lifetime. If our records are wrong, you may not receive all the benefits to which you are entitled. . Review this chart carefully using your own records to make sure our information is correct and that we've recorded each year you worked. You're the only person who can look at the earnings chart and know whether it is complete and correct.,. ." rwhen your Statement was prepared. Your complete earnings for last year will be shown on next year's Statement. Note: If you worked for more than one employer during any year, or if you had both earnings and self-employment income, we combined your earnings for the year. ...It is possible for a young person who has worked and paid Social Security taxes in as
Your Earnings Recrds at a GIance Your Taxed Your Ta..xed Years You Social Security Medicare Worked Earnings Earnings 1977 $ 717 $ 717 1978 0 0 1979 477 477 1980 1,046 1,046 1981 1,408 1,408 1982 2,117 2,117 1983 2,329 2,329 1984 2,389 2,389 1985 0 0 1986 0 0 1987 0 0 1988 . 12,393 12,393 The other day I got my statement from the gov about my earnings as a tax payer-
now what is most interesting is during 1985 the wt took advantage of a program called VOW OF POVERTY
so from that year forward bethel didn't put aside any money for bethelites
as you can see before i left in 88 i had nothing sat aside and then my first year out of bethel look at ALL THE CASH I WAS MAKING
when LADY C AND i look back at the life we had it makes us cry , esp as i think of all the couples we left behind as friends
many of them are not making much more than what you see i made in 1988- and they still have nothing sat aside-
to day we doing well, back in college, built a beatiful home, and on track career wise- as well as runnning a local jw help group AND WE HAVE FUN TOO-
Lady "C" and myself were thinking about all the bethel couples we know esp those with 15-20 yrs of bethel time since 1985 who when they get thier statement will show ZERO DOLLARS SINCE 1985
it is truly a shame to think that if the wife or the man gets sick and bethel tells them they have to ROLL UP OUT OF THIS CAMP they will be given the SHAFT TO SAY THE LEAST
Ai was thinking about a post about CO being taken care of , yea they are hoooked up, but it is all CONDITIONAL-
for they have the same status as bethelites unless THEY THEMSELVES are taking the money that the jw give them and sock it away they have nothing,
in my esp most don't set aside anything due to JAH WILL PROVIDE, SINCE HE HAS PROVIDED FOR US ALL THESE YEARS
AND that mindset of Jah will Provide prevents so many CO and Bethelites from even thinking about setting aside anything
besides refocus your mind on the CO and Bethelites OVERSEAS in poor countries THEY ARE GETTING THE REAL SHAFT
if you don't think they get the shaft just take alook at what happened to me, now think about a bethelite who has been at bethel since 1985- he LITERALLY HAS NOTHING IN SOCIAL SECURITY
I just read this old thread. How many people are at Bethel? How depressing that place must be. Who do they get to go there anymore?If they only get $20.00 a week, how do they buy clothes? Don't they hear of the fact the the WTS makes $950,000.00 a year? How sad for them.
