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Watchtower no longer acepting donations from Amazon


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I have registered with Amazon Smile for the last year. A fractionally small portion of my purchase price has been directed to our WWW.

As of today, it appears that our brothers have broken off this relationship. I am sure there is a good reason. 

Anybody hear anything?

 

 I am not sying I am Superman, I am only saying that nobody has ever seen Superman  and me in a room together.

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On 9/22/2017 at 8:35 PM, Old said:

As of today, it appears that our brothers have broken off this relationship. I am sure there is a good reason.  Anybody hear anything?

 

I've heard of many doing this, and I never really liked it. For so many reasons.

 

I have often looked at the economy, commercial sector, and financial sector, together as a whole, in a holistic way, and I've come to see how consumerism is the largest source of support which is fuelling wars, natural disasters, inequality, political upheaval,  human slavery, abortion, drug abuse, and so many other evils in today's world.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the WT study from a few weeks back, Seeking Riches That Are True.  Particularly this statement:

Unlike the complete separation that God’s people maintain from politics and false religion, most cannot separate themselves completely from the commercial part of Satan’s world.

 

The writing committee could have easily reasoned, and instead written,  "we cannot separate completely..."  but instead they said most of us can't, implying some can and probably do.

 

I also how found it odd how divided we are on what constitutes "life's necessities."   For example, I've never owned a car or a home. Even when I pioneered people would ask me "how do you pioneer without a car?"   and it wasn't a bad question:  three quarters of our congregation territory is rural and has no bus service at all. Gas is very expensive here, and food prices were rising quickly when I started pioneering.  I would often go long day's in the ministry not eating in order to save money.  Then I would take the bus back downtown, where I live, and where the soup kitchen is.  I would pay $1.25 to eat a meal that was produced by a church that was part of Babylon the Great.   And this while some in the congregation had large modern houses in the country with pools, completely paid off, and would complain about money.   It was almost too much and I became very discouraged and didn't even want to talk about my material needs (which, from my standpoint, were being completely taken care of;  I had sustenance and covering, so I shouldn't complain either)

 

I feel like allowing witnesses, or anyone, to be able to divert some of their consumer spending towards Jehovah's organization is not maintaining separation from the commercial part of Satan's world.  It can also be very discouraging for people who cannot make financial contributions regularly to hear others talking about how they are helping ones in the congregation setup their amazon account in order to give Jehovah a bit from their "surplus." (Luke 21:4)

 

If we're spending money on something besides food or clothing, aren't we in fact using our surplus on ourselves?  Because Paul said to the Corinthians that we should use our surplus to offset others' needs.  And we know there is a huge need!  Every day at least one of our brothers and sisters goes to bed with dire hunger pains with no food to be found in their entire village. No car, no way to obtain food.  And this happens in our own congregations, not just in Africa or India or some far off third world country.

 

If we don't inquire more into, and look after, each other's needs now when we are in peaceful times in our land, how difficult will it be when real economic troubles come?  Each week right now in Venezuela, two or three witnesses are being kidnapped, no doubt for ransom money.  And this could happen anywhere:  Venezuela was the richest country in Latin America in the 70s, and unemployment and overall poverty there now is actually lower than it was in 1999.

 

Economics is a very odd thing:  it would seem that when a country is doing "better" than usual, it is actually harder on the working poor, not easier.  I suppose it's because virtually all wealth being generated in recent times goes entirely to those who are incredibly wealthy already.

 

If this system goes on longer, we may all have to pitch in all our money that isn't for food, heating, etc. just to keep the preaching work continuing in the more productive lands.  who knows...

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(2 Corinthians 9:7) Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
 

If someone chooses to help others, The Scriptures are clear that this is a good thing. But at the same time, we should not shame wealthy persons who do not give to the needy, nor should we imply that a comfortable lifestyle is unscriptural.

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On 9/22/2017 at 8:35 PM, Old said:

As of today, it appears that our brothers have broken off this relationship. I am sure there is a good reason. 

 

They have not stopped accepting the donations. The name of the charity has changed. It is now "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses" Wallkill, Ny

 

The description is:

Quote

Mission: CCJW is a religious organization that supports the religious worship of Jehovah's Witnesses in the United States. CCJW uses voluntary contributions to obtain buildings, hold large assemblies, support congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses, and coordinate Bible-based training programs, all for religious worship, and to provide humanitarian assistance to individuals suffering from natural and man-made disasters. These activities assist people in the community to be law-abiding citizens who live by h

 

"Let all things take place decently and by arrangement."
~ 1 Corinthians 14:40 ~

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1 minute ago, Brandon said:

Well I'll just have to kindly disagree with both you and @Stavro, since according to Acts 4:32 it is not in accord with the fruitages of the Holy Spirit.

 

And we literally just had this WT discussed too...

 

Instead of derailing the topic further, I feel it's best to split this off into its own discussion.

https://jwtalk.net/forums/topic/32908-where-should-surplus-money-be-used/

 

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On 9/25/2017 at 3:51 PM, Hope said:

For myself - if I'm ordering from Amazon anyway (which I do a lot for my job... and myself, at times) and there's a way to also contribute to our work (which I also do on my own), I say, "why not"?

 

I concur. I'd rather see a portion of my purchase price go to the organization than anywhere else.

 

At the same time, shopping on Amazon is not how I donate to or support the worldwide work. That would be false reasoning.

 


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I received this email this morning regarding the Donations on Smile.Amazon.

 

"You are receiving this email because you have previously selected to support Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York (EIN: 11-1753577) at smile.amazon.com and we are not able to issue donations to this organization. Charities are not able to receive donations if they choose not to participate in the AmazonSmile program, or if they do not meet eligibility requirements.

 
Since you are currently supporting a different AmazonSmile charity: Christian Congregation Of Jehovah's Witnesses (EIN: 22-3765681), we will reallocate the donations generated by your previous smile.amazon.com purchases to Christian Congregation Of Jehovah's Witnesses (EIN: 22-3765681).
 
Remember, Amazon donates 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible items purchased at smile.amazon.com. For more information on the program, go to smile.amazon.com/about."

"Be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Hebrews 6:12

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When I went to the website today, a pop up told me 

"We’re sorry. Christian Congregation Of Jehovah's Witnesses is not currently eligible to receive donations from AmazonSmile."

 

Does anyone know what's going on?


Edited by blue-jay
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Not sure .... but there are quite a number of Congregations and Assembly Halls that are still listed

"Let all things take place decently and by arrangement."
~ 1 Corinthians 14:40 ~

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  • 3 months later...
On 26/09/2017 at 4:18 AM, Brandon said:

 

I've heard of many doing this, and I never really liked it. For so many reasons.

 

I have often looked at the economy, commercial sector, and financial sector, together as a whole, in a holistic way, and I've come to see how consumerism is the largest source of support which is fuelling wars, natural disasters, inequality, political upheaval,  human slavery, abortion, drug abuse, and so many other evils in today's world.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the WT study from a few weeks back, Seeking Riches That Are True.  Particularly this statement:

Unlike the complete separation that God’s people maintain from politics and false religion, most cannot separate themselves completely from the commercial part of Satan’s world.

 

The writing committee could have easily reasoned, and instead written,  "we cannot separate completely..."  but instead they said most of us can't, implying some can and probably do.

 

I also how found it odd how divided we are on what constitutes "life's necessities."   For example, I've never owned a car or a home. Even when I pioneered people would ask me "how do you pioneer without a car?"   and it wasn't a bad question:  three quarters of our congregation territory is rural and has no bus service at all. Gas is very expensive here, and food prices were rising quickly when I started pioneering.  I would often go long day's in the ministry not eating in order to save money.  Then I would take the bus back downtown, where I live, and where the soup kitchen is.  I would pay $1.25 to eat a meal that was produced by a church that was part of Babylon the Great.   And this while some in the congregation had large modern houses in the country with pools, completely paid off, and would complain about money.   It was almost too much and I became very discouraged and didn't even want to talk about my material needs (which, from my standpoint, were being completely taken care of;  I had sustenance and covering, so I shouldn't complain either)

 

I feel like allowing witnesses, or anyone, to be able to divert some of their consumer spending towards Jehovah's organization is not maintaining separation from the commercial part of Satan's world.  It can also be very discouraging for people who cannot make financial contributions regularly to hear others talking about how they are helping ones in the congregation setup their amazon account in order to give Jehovah a bit from their "surplus." (Luke 21:4)

 

If we're spending money on something besides food or clothing, aren't we in fact using our surplus on ourselves?  Because Paul said to the Corinthians that we should use our surplus to offset others' needs.  And we know there is a huge need!  Every day at least one of our brothers and sisters goes to bed with dire hunger pains with no food to be found in their entire village. No car, no way to obtain food.  And this happens in our own congregations, not just in Africa or India or some far off third world country.

 

If we don't inquire more into, and look after, each other's needs now when we are in peaceful times in our land, how difficult will it be when real economic troubles come?  Each week right now in Venezuela, two or three witnesses are being kidnapped, no doubt for ransom money.  And this could happen anywhere:  Venezuela was the richest country in Latin America in the 70s, and unemployment and overall poverty there now is actually lower than it was in 1999.

 

Economics is a very odd thing:  it would seem that when a country is doing "better" than usual, it is actually harder on the working poor, not easier.  I suppose it's because virtually all wealth being generated in recent times goes entirely to those who are incredibly wealthy already.

 

If this system goes on longer, we may all have to pitch in all our money that isn't for food, heating, etc. just to keep the preaching work continuing in the more productive lands.  who knows...

Two or three witnesses kidnapped each week...my goodness are you sure this is true...it must surely feel like the tribulation has started for them....this is terrible news ..

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