Hi folks. My name is Ken. I am and have been one of Jehovah's Witnesses for many years. I wasn't born or raised as one though. I became one because of the kindness and love I've seen and experienced many times over. Nope, we're not perfect. We're just folks doing our best to walk in the steps of Jesus Christ. Folks who are not Jehovah's Witnesses are our fellow humans, whom we love as well. I did have the privilege of assisting with relief for Hurrican Andrew that wiped Homestead, Florida from the map. It was destruction, the likes I had never seen before. My heart went out to all the poor people living in the affected area. I know that my brothers and sisters felt the same as we saw the scene of devastation. We are organized by RBC's - Regional Building Committees. Our RBC went to assist. I had trouble affording it, but my family sucked it up and we came with the money for me to afford to go. It was a privilege to help others - both Witnesses and non Witnesses. I didn't care. None of us did. We just wanted to help, to make a difference, to bring comfort. I personally saw many non Winesses coming to the Kingdom Hall that had been damaged and repaired to be used for a central assitance depot. They could get a hot meal anytime, 3 meals a day. They could get a shower, use wash machines, use the restroom facilites. They could take necessary supplies with them if they wanted. No money was requested or expected. I've been asked to help with Katrina now. Same story. I'll have to dig down in in my pockets to find the money in order to have the privilege of helping my fellow man - no matter what his relious persuation. He's one of Jehovah's precious creations. So if I can go, I'll be there. I could not care less if someone shows up with a news camera. It's their photo op, not mine. I'm just there to do what I can.

Im on my way to work but I just have to say beautiful to see. But just as a side note to Stephen Markson How about this,their actually are many more but no time at the moment.
http://www.raiseyourkidsright.com/HurricaneKatrina

Wow! I didn't think there was a religion like that. I read the Bible and know what it says Christians should be like. I know they're supposed to preach the good news,follow the Bible, love each other and take care of their own. Personally, I don't have much use for people who make a show of being do-gooders to others and neglect their own family. This might be what I've been looking for.

I and a large group of other Witnesses traveled to New York city after 9/11 to assist in whatever we could to do. I ended up sweeping the street, others carryied cases of water to the workers, etc., etc... We were busy for days doing whatever needed to be done, all at our own cost.

Aside from that, at the world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn at the foot of the Brooklyn bridge, the doors were opened when masses and masses of people walked over the bridge on their way home. We offered them food and coffee and consolation. Nearly none of those people were Jehovah's Witnesses.

In the spirit of Jesus' words in the sermon on the mount, when we go doing acts of mercy to others, many of whom are NOT fellow Witnesses, we do not "blow trumpets ahead of us" letting others know how "good" we are. If a non-Jehovah's Witness press agency runs an article on our charitable work, that is their decision to do so. However, we generally keep such activities to ourselves, as it should be.

Over thirty years, I have personally helped many, many dozens of non-Witnesses from changing their tires on cold, stormy nights out on the highway to paying for meals of down-and-out homeless people. We do not go around announcing our good works. I mention this now as a rebuttal to the nearly ludicrious allegations written above that we only "help our own", nothing could be further from the truth.

Such comments are generally made from disgruntled former members who were expelled because of their own gross moral practices which they deliberately chose not to correct. Once removed from among us, they can only state mean-spirited half-truths and beligerant allegations against us. In nearly all such cases, those who make such allegations are carrying on lifestyles that are in gross opposition to the Bible's standards on morality. So, consider the source whenever you read anti-Jehovah's Witness comments.

I have seen articles re Witnesses helping non-Witness neighbors in disaster areas, as long as their supplies hold out. They will absolutely not "persuade" Alice to donate her insurance money for their help. They will be elsewhere, helping others if/when she is (hopefully) reimbursed by her insurance.

Several hundred JW's volunteered for MONTHS to help JW's and non-JW's in Houston and the surrounding area during the Tropical Storm Allison flooding event a few years ago. All without pay and we all had full-time jobs, families, etc... To say that we only care for our own is a gross misrepresentation of who we are. Of course, we look out for our fellow brothers and sisters but don't say that we have a blind eye and don't act to help others that are not of our faith. It just isn't true. Immediately after Katrina, there were several drives locally to raise money and donate goods in general by local organizations and charities. My family contributed both money and goods (diapers, feminine hygiene items, canned goods, water) for use by whoever would benefit. I know of several others who did as well.

Even if one were to submit an article about witnesses helping others, it would be torn to shreds by various viewpoints. Personal experience is enough to know that witnesses help others, just as Jesus did. What good is it to help only those of your own? Is that what the good samaritan illustration is all about? As far as being forced to contribute, that's not the case either. No collection plates are ever passed around, and persuasion is not used to donate. Scriptures indicate that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 5:7) - Giving doesn't have to be of money - it can be of your time and resources, energy - such as those people are doing in helping rebuild in Mississippi.

This is in reply to Stephen Accomando and for us all.

As we ALL know, we can NEVER be perfect ... well not yet anyway.
Do you all remember Peter ? One of the appostles ?
He repeatedly got himself in trouble and even denied Jesus THREE times, but he was given the keys of the kingdom.
Too many people today have high expectations of what THEY think is right.
Any one reading these comments should make their minds over through God's word, the bible and not Man's as you see here.

These articles started off just to say thank you to the people that helped, not to minimize the help that was given !

Stephen, I have fallen on bad times, even to the extent of letting my own anxieties of this world get the better of me. But sometimes we all forget things;
After reading these comments, I well remember the help that I have had in the past, form God's people and Jehovah himself.

Life has dealt you a blow and all we do is sit
and worry. Have we forgotten that God is there
to take all our burdens and carry them for you?
Or do we just enjoy fretting over every little
thing that comes our way?

Don't wake up one morning and say,
"Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think
I can handle it from here." Why do you think
you are feeling stronger now? It's simple.
You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking
care of them. I also renew your strength
and cover you in my peace. Don't you
know that if I give you these problems back,
you will be right back where you started?
Leave them with Me and forget about
them. Just let Me do my job.

Remember Job ? Who did he have ? JEHOVAH !

The time will come when we will ALL know the answers, untill then, may the UNDESERVED kindness of Jehovah be with us ALL. My love and hope to you all in finding the truth, becaus eit WILL set you free !

A response to CJ Ronto's comment about this "cult destroying countless families". What a sad and untrue comment. This group of Christian people has not destroyed any familes - but helped them to be happier, healthier people. There are individuals in many families today, both among Jehovah's Witnesses and all other religions, who destroy their families by being involved in drugs, illegal activities and immoral lifestyes. The ones who bear the guilt of destroying their families are the family members who want to live destructive lives. It is not possible for clean, healthy teachings to destroy a family. Reasonable people will not be misled by unreasonable comments like that. That is like saying AA destroys families because some of the alchol-dependent people who attend AA meetings destroy their families. Don't blame the organization trying to help.

Being one of Jehovah's Witnesses is a lot like working for a world renowned company say for example, Wal-Mart. Rather than being born into this religion, as some are to theirs, you must qualify (i.e. live your life by scriptural counsel)over a period of time before becoming a member. Should you choose not to remain a member, that is your choice. As with Wal-Mart, seldom, if ever, do 'former' employees/members have anything kind to say about the organization. How many divorced couples have glowing things to say about their exes? Same principle.

Just to set the record straight on whether Mrs. Alice will be "persuaded" to pay up for the work on her house...the Witnesses repaired our home after Hurricane Ivan last year. We had to ask several times in fact about an estimate of the costs involved. We were given a list of the supplies that were used long after the work was completed, and there was never even a mention of how much the entire job might have cost. No one ever asked or "persuaded" us to repay anything at all. We made a donation that we thought was appropriate but I know that if we couldn't have donated a dime it wouldn't have made a difference. The work will go on as long as people need help.

Jehovah's witnesses do not accept or expect donations (not even insurance money) for their roofing work. This is all done out of love for our neighbor.

For all you naysayers: You say Witnesses only take care of their own, even in times of disaster. How dare you speak of what you do not know, or what you refuse to see through your bitterness. Do you even hear your own tone? Witnesses take care of their own FIRST, because they are FAMILY. Wouldn't you take care of your family first before getting to others? Don't you ensure of your own family's welfare before extending help to others? Of course you would. In times of disaster, for example, they will seek the welfare of their own flesh and blood, Witnesses or not, then that of their "spiritual" family. How good of a spiritual witness would it be if their own neighbors were in need of something? Didn't Jesus state that clearly in the illustration of the Good Samaritan? Totally different people, but one helped the other. Get it straight - witnesses do help others not of their own, and they don't break up families. A Witness does everything in their power to keep the bonds of family together, even when the other members don't believe the same. The reason a family would "break up" is because the non-Witness members ostracize and persecute the one who has become a Witness.

I know some JW's who build and rebuild and repair Kingdom Halls and help those who are not witnesses.
The ABSOLUTELY do not take peoples money or insurance money. Everything is volunteer!
That is amazing in this era we live in where everybody is out for the $$$$!

Those who volunteer to help in disaster areas who are Jehovah's Witnesses are never paid. Even travel to the area and back home is paid for by the volunteers. No one is forced to help, or donate for any of these causes, they do it out of love for their fellow humans. They leave their families, their jobs, and the nicities of life to help others in need. They dont care what color, race, religion, or anything else you are, if they find need they try to help. Where can you find such caring, giving, and loving people in this rotten world run by Satan. If you want to bad mouth people like them, go ahead, you are only making a fool of yourself. Besides they are not here to please men, only to do the will of the Father, who's favor is the only thing that really counts in the end any way. Go see for yourself then make your comments. Thanx, Bob P.

Those who badmouth Jehovah's people are completely ignorant of all the good they do. They are diligent tax payers, care givers of both tine and material things. Their time is volunteered with no thought of money in return - in fact we (I have been a Witness for over 75 years) spend more time and money on helping all - Witnesses and non-Witnesses - than any other organization. Moral cleanness is a definite requirement to represent Jehovah, and if anyone is 'removed' from this organization, it is because he/she refuses to clean themselves up so they can represent Jehovah with a clean conscience.
Which organization can say as much?

These comments - above - are interestng. Especially those who berate Jehovah's Witnesses for their many charitable activities. Please remember that it was the then religious leaders who cried out for Jesus' death! And now they are against Jesis' followers. We do not have to defend ourselves - our many activities speak for themselves. I have been a Witness for over 75 years and pray to continue in that path for the balance of my life - doing good to Witnesses and non-Witnesses.

Why does one need to be a member of the Watchtower organization to do God's work or to love your neighbor or to love God? There are so many good and loving people out there helping the hurricane victims. Jehovah's Witnesses are but a few among many. The Red Cross is doing a hell of a job.

Yes, Chuck D. has got to be the most insensitive person to post something like that as well as a few others who say witnesses only assist "their" own. What a lie that is. Witnesses have helped non-witnesses in tragedies worldwide from 9/11 to the asian tsunami to Katrina and Rita and so forth. So chuck get a life and stop lying.

I grew up a JW but left the faith a while back, so I've seen both sides.

Yes, the JWs are very organized and do a lot in disaster relief. They primarily do repairs/reconstructions for their own members, but despite what some have said, they do help non-members as well, when able to without overtaxing their system.

The average, everday JW are good people. They want to please God, they want to help people, they want to be moral.

What the average JW doesn't know is that they are trapped in a borderline cult.
They believe the end of the world is immenient and only they and they alone will survive Armageddon.
They are not allowed to think for themselves, they have to accept the full range of teachings as prescribed by their leaders, the Governing Body.
The average JW does not even know that, under their own doctrine, that Jesus is NOT their mediator, he is mediator only for those going to heaven, 144,000 strong.

No, no collection plate is passed at their meetings, but in their publications, the JWs have been told that when they donate to the Watchtower Society for disaster relief, to NOT label it for disaster relief, that way the WTS can use it however they want to.

I applaud individual JWs for their disaster relief work and am glad that they have a support system to rely on to help each other in times of trouble.

I would, however, hope that anyone who is helped by them who is not a JW and then is love-bombed in trying to get them to associate with them will look deep into their doctrines and practices before becoming involved with them.

Well, I was a Jehovah's Witness for 20 years, and during that time the only times I ever saw the Witnesses help anyone, including their own, was when there was a possibility of media coverage. I knew one witness woman, a pioneer, end up on the street when she lost her home due to illness and unemployment.

Mr Smith and Others,

With respect, assume that the house in question was owned by a person who had been excommunicated from the JWs because, for example, they ***complained*** about the Society's policy on pedophiles. Would the JWs have repaired that person's roof?

On the other hand, if the roof was to a house owned by a JW who had been discovered to be a child molester and who had claimed to have repented, then would the roof have been repaired? Assuming, as is often the case that young JWs, would be involved in the project, would their parents be notified that the person they were helping was a sex offender? Would the offender have been reported to the authorities if the elders knew of his offense or would it have been kept in the congregation so as "not to bring shame on Jehovah's name."

More info at: http://www.silentlambs.org/

Bob King

Why don't people look around? In this treibble world is it so wrong to want to help out your fellow neighbors? Jehovah's Wittnesses are purelly motivated by love in everything that they do. I too have had the pleasure of helping to build 4 Kingdom Halls all on my own time, not getting paid.

It's funny, JWs can fix a house, but destroy families with their practice of excommunication and shunning. If one of those families were of ex-JWs, or an excommunicated person they wouldn't lift a finger to help them. JWs wouldn't even be allowed to talk to them.

Love indeed.

I TOO RECOMMEND ANYBODY OUT THERE TO DO PROPER RESEARCH INTO THE JEHOVAHS WITNESS ORGANIZATION. BY DOING RESEARCH YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY THOUSANDS TRAVEL TO HELP ANYONE WHOS ASKS OF IT. TOO FIND OUT YOURSELVES THAT JUST MABYE IT IS OUT OF TRUE LOVE AND NOTHING MORE. IT SEEMS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY ANYBODY IN THIS WORLD TODAY WOULD DO SUCH A THING (HELP OTHERS OUT OF LOVE) THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE SUCH A LOVE FOR OTHER HUMAN BEINGS THROUGH OUT THIS WORLD THAT ARE NOT PART OF THE WITNESS ORGANIZATION, THEY TOO ARE TO BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR ACTIONS. BUT THE JEHOVAH WITNESSES DO IT AS A REFLECTION FROM GOD AND HIS NAME, AND THAT IS ALL. MAYBE NEXT TIME THEY COME TO ANY OF OUR DOOR WE START RESEARCHING WHY THEY ARE THEIR AND WHAT MESSAGE THEY HAVE JUST MABYE WE CAN SEE THAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE THIS SUPPOSED WHY BOTHER ATTITUDE SINCE THEY ARE THERE ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND KNOCKING ON SOMEONES DOOR AND WHILE WE ARE ALL HERE TYPING ARE EMAILS THEY ARE ON TOP OF SOMEONES ROOF RIGHT NOW HELPING ALL THEY CAN AS THEY DO EVERY WEEKEND. I WILL DO RESEARCH TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT THE TRUTH--ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.