Something Evil | What it's like to be shunned from the Jehovah's Witnesses

[Lilith7]

Make that all churches and I will agree with you. It isn't just this lot who shun and destroy families.

Definitely agree; religion does do a fair amount of good but it also does great harm.

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I have long felt that the tax-free aspect of charity should only apply to money/goods that go directly to the beneficiaries. There are far too many leaders who get away with big salaries and rich lifestyles while the parishioners go poor. Then there are those that have huge businesses that have a huge advantage over their competition because they don't pay tax, and the competition does.

I got put off the Sallies in the early 80s when my friend who was a member with a degree of standing in the church was denied help in getting out of the violent marriage she was in. Their attitude was that family cohesion is all and that she should stay and weather the bruises. Then later in the 80s they lobbied against the homosexual law reform. It's one thing to say that people's behaviour goes against your principles, but an entirely different level to promote laws preventing people from being who they are. I remember being given door knob/letterbox stickers that said something like "Salvation Army not welcome here....".

And then of course we are well aware of the whole debacle of what goes on at Gloriavale. A different aspect to a degree, but overall still part of the system that lets the leaders get away with everything while not being required to pay any tax.

True; too many churches now have far too much money which doesn't always reach those in need. I was also put off the sallies for their anti gay stance - if Ireland, after centuries of their priest-ridden history can evolve sufficiently to legalise gay marriage, then the Sallies ought to also be able to join the rest of us in the 21st century.


It would make good sense to make only their donations to those in need  tax free - but I suspect it would be a brave & perhaps foolhardy  govt which did so.

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It would be really simple for genuine philanthropy to be proven and demonstrated. That could be assessed and tax credits issued. It would cut out the personal profiteering that is rife in churches, and separate the faithful from the faithless.

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I remember when I sought some support for dealing with a very rebellious teen who was indulging in dangerous self destructive behaviour. A church group arrived, well known for that kind of work - not the Sallies. I was then harangued and remonstrated with because I had an illegitmate daughter,  and the situation was my punishment in their view.

Funny how such attitudes can turn folk against some groups.

There are always going to be some absolute arseholes  apparently still living in medieval times, who enjoy feeling superior & trying to make others feel inferior. I suspect there's something lacking in them.