Swedish government declines to give JW financial support

Quite recently, Watchtower in Sweden applied for governmental financial support, as they are entitled to as a registered religious community. However, the government declined to accept the application, stating that the reason was that the JWs do not adhere to democratic values and standards and do not support mainstream values.

The witnesses are upset, because they feel discriminated against. They state that the financial issue is not the real issue, but to be treated in a similar way as other religious communities.

They have appealed the decision and plan to send a report explaining the witnesses views in more detail.

The Branch Office chose the religious, pentecostal (Assembly of God) newspaper "Dagen" to make an interview.

Here is the photo report of the article.

http://www.dagen.se/dagen/gallery/?ID=jehovasvittnen

BTW. JWs have received governmental support (actually the government pays the same  amount per member to all registered belief communities as they do to the State Church, so it is a kind of tax being paid back to the religious community) in Norway for many years... 

Can someone send the Swedish Government Rutherfords letter appeasing Hitler.

Thanks.

 but to be treated in a similar way as other religious communities.

Cmon they cant have it both ways. On the one hand they want to be treated as other religious communities.

However in their propaganda they claim they are unique and are not at all like "other religious communities".

Give us a break!

y

Inasmuch as I disagree with the Watchtoer society, I am in favor of giving them the same rights as other belief communities as long as they are registered and accepted as such. That is a matter of principle.

I'm with Yesidid. You simply can't have it both ways. They would be horrified if after reading a WT article they were seen as the same as any other religion.  And yet once money is involved they say they are the same. It reminds me of the UN scandal On one hand they say how terrible the UN is, then they do all they can to keep in with them. Hypocrites

Of course, I'd prefer it if NO religion received financial aid.. seperation of church and state and all... but that's just because I have no spiritual side and sold my soul to satan on a whim for a book on evolutionary biology and a bag of starburst jellybeans (Satan has the best textbooks, music, and jellybeans).

One amazing thing I notice about the Catholic church across the street is that they have 2 nights a week where they actually feed the homeless.  It's pretty cool.  They've had to borrow a can opener or other things from me on more than one occation.  I hate religion, but that's not bad stuff.  I don't mind lending my can opener to them for an evening for that. 

It would be nice if religions had to display some sort of positive community effect (other than self promotion) to be considered for government support, and if so, then maybe.  JW's never really paid much attention to Jesus commandment to take care of orphans and widows (and those generally just down on their luck).  I don't see Kingdom Halls feeding the poor or open 24 hours throughout the winter allowing 3 people at a time to enter and warm up.

Of course, it's Sweden, so I really have no say in what what the Swedish people want.  If every Swedish person likes giving their income/tax money to primarily self-serving religious organizations like the JWs, then I guess that is ok.

- Lime

Why don't they apply to brooklyn bethal for financial support - they've got more than enough $$ to go around.

I guess it is more fair to state that whatever each tax payer pays goes back to the community that individual belongs to...

Quite a lot of the Swedish watchtower surplus is being sent out of the country....

It's a rather easy calculation: You pay your taxes, and on the state budget let us say 2 % of the government expenses go to the Ministry dealing with religious affairs. In the Scandinavian countries, there is a Lutheran State Church, and so the expenses for the churches to a large part are paid thru the state budget, as is the salary of all the priests etc. Now, if you are not a member of the State Church, you do not want any of your tax money to go to the State Church, and so the calculation is that the total sum of the state budget going to religious affairs is divided with the number of State Church members. Presently, the per capita amount - amount per member - in one of the countries is some 100 US$ worth. The religious groups outside of the State Church apply for funding, and if approved of or recognised as churches or religious groups, present memberhsip lists or numbers, and recieve the 100 $ for each member paid to the central organ of the church. The organ then to a certain extent does with the money as it pleases, apart from the fact that they have to let the government have a look into their books, their finances, be audited, and if errors are found either in the way the money is spent or in the number of members, then the government can either claim the money back or decide to stop giving financial aid to that church in the future. Some Moslem chuches have experienced that because of membership hoax. If the WT in that country has say 10,000 members on their list, then they receive 10,000 x 100 $ = some 1,000,000 $.   

It's open to all to apply, and there are as of today no interference in church policy, so it's "come and get it". There are voices asking for the churches that apply to have to accept and install gay priests or have equal rights for gay, the same also for female priests etc., but as many conservative churches are opposed to that, as well as the Moslem ones, it still is a "no strings attached" policy.   

Doesn't the German government have a similar arrangement (or did) with the religions there?  Has the WTS made similar requests and been granted them there? 

German x-jws, what say you?

Midwich,

That is the irony. They are a non-player in helping and supporting any social or environmental causes or government led initiatives to help those in need unless forced to pay SS taxes and workmens compensation like they have in the USA for a few of their workers.

But the hand goes out to the public trough. They also applied to the United Way for funds....how much did they donate to the United Way (with our donations).

Basically they are asking satan for help? Don't jw's believe all governments are of satan? how do they explain such things to the r & f and not being part of the world blah, blah, blah?

It is strange that so many exJWs seem to continue the black and white thinking they once detested.

they don't help the poor and help the common man, so other religions are doing this.

these other religions use the $$$ to help, not destroy.

f___ them, learn to change your tune, and then you can have the cake too

It is strange that so many exJWs seem to continue the black and white thinking they once detested.-- It isn't black and white thinking it is merely holding them accountable to their own doctrines. Besides, other churches actually do something for the society they live in such as feeding the poor, clothing, helping to rebuild (and not just their own), etc.... Going around annoying people on Sat mornings telling them they are bird seed if they don't join, passing out the dead tree issues of their cult news does nothing to help the society they live in.

Well, although I am being shunned by my family because of the organizations policies and have lost all my former friends because of disagreeing, I refuse to see everything black and white.

I do see that that the community benefits from the societys teaching illiterates to read, rebuild homes and helping in disaster although it is primarily their own, that frees labor to be used to help non-witnesses, some people (who have been drug addicts, criminals etc) do change their lives for the better, thus benefitting society at large.

But: I do wish the organization of JWs would do more to help society as such, but that is not their agenda, believing the end of the world is imminent their activities are primarly directed at helping people to achieve spiritual goals (as seen by the WTS)...

Pretty pitiful if you get turned down for welfare in SWEDEN!