Once the accounts are cleaned out I don't see the average circuit or congregation building up that kind of cash reserve again.
Agreed. The sentiment I've heard expressed time and again in recent months to this very event (raiding of circuit funds) goes like this: Well, in the future when they announce a deficit I'm content to let the brothers draw from the funds they've already taken from us because that's what we used to draw from to pay our current bills.
The days of circuits and congregations building cash reserves is over. Donations are already falling and will continue to fall. Converts to JWs (those not raised in the truff) are having flashbacks to days when they tired of churches relentless pursuit of their hard-earned dollar, and they're sharing the feeling it leaves them with.
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