Tutorial for Making Donations Electronically

[Jack Ryan]

Tutorial for Making Donations Electronically video will be considered the week of October 16, 2017.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Watchtower 12/1/1987 pages 30-31 ‘Where do such funds come from?’ is an often-asked question. Unlike the churches of Christendom, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not take up collections or send out envelopes to solicit donations. Rather, contribution boxes-like the treasury chests of Biblical times-are set up at their Kingdom Halls. 

Awake 9/8/1975 page 26 …is it not a comfort for them to know that in the local congregation of Jehovah’s witnesses they will never be tithed to pay out a percentage of their income? Nor will unscriptural money-raising schemes be imposed on them. It is at the Kingdom Hall that an unobtrusive contribution box is located for use by those who wish voluntarily to give money to support the work of the congregation. Donations mailed to the headquarters of the Watch Tower Society are also unsolicited and entirely voluntary.

Watchtower 9/15/1974 page 559 The Kingdom Halls of this happy group are open to you and you may attend free of charge, without having to suffer embarrassment by a request for contributions or the passing of a collection plate. 

Watchtower 8/15/1971 page 506 The emphasis in all giving among the Witnesses is that it must be voluntary and spontaneous, from the heart. In fact, ever since the earliest days of the modern witnesses of Jehovah it has been their policy that never should there be any passing of collection plates or similar solicitations for money.

Watchtower 5/1/1962 page 278 How May I Contribute? Jehovah’s witnesses have never gone begging for finances.

[Jack Ryan]

 

[Evacuated]

I can't see anything particularly sinister about publicising the manner in which donations can be made to fund the worldwide work of Jehovah's Witnesses. It would actually be pretty naive to ommit to do this nowadays,  as electronic systems have changed the options available, and opened up a way of reducing the costs involved in processing money.

Equally, to suggest ways that experienced ones can help those who are unfamiliar with electronic donation methods is completely practical and of great assistance to those who wish to use these channels, but feel a little daunted by the methods.

To have this as a meeting item is beneficial, as it covers all of the various contribution methods currently available and alerts all present to these varied facilities. To make such information geographically specific by means of the website is also highly efficient.

I have found contribution methods to nearly always be a topic of interest to new ones I bring to the meeting. Not only do they expect to contribute something to costs, but they are often puzzled as to why so little is said about money. This sometimes arouses suspicion on their part as to some sort of financial "whammy" that might be waiting in the wings should they pursue their interest. So having information on contribution methods clearly available and transparent is indeed prudent. Considering the content of the video, it would seem to fit the generally held view of such contributions as "unsolicited". 

 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nonprofits-difference-between-solicited-unsolicited-rosana-ortega/

It is true that religions in general have behaved in a scandalous manner with regard to "unrighteous riches",  unashamedly heaping great reproach on God's name, as pointed out so ably by George Carlin. Notwithstanding, people are still willing to contribute to what they feel is a good cause, and I am regularly given funds by members of the public as a contribution to our work which, even if they do not belong to our movement, they see as genuine and above board. Most people I witness to quickly see that with Jehovah's Witnesses, they get much value for actually no money at all. I am happy to contribute to an organisation that seeks to genuinely preach "the good news of the kingdom", and most of those who stick around are of the same mind.

(I will let the cynics blow their hot gas about fancy suits, expensive watches, "misappropriated" Kingdom Hall funds, legal expenses etc. etc. themselves.)

[TrueTomHarley]

1 hour ago, Gone Fishing said:

It would actually be pretty naive to ommit to do this nowadays,  as electronic systems have changed the options available, and opened up a way of reducing the costs involved in processing money.

I'm going to get me one of those things someday that all you have to do it tap the cashier on the forehead with it and the transaction is done.

[Evacuated]

1 hour ago, TrueTomHarley said:

tap the cashier on the forehead

Yeah, so much is done for them now, you have to do this just to wake them up!