TOTJO Donations

As newly appointed treasurer I have been scratching my brain on the neglected issue of TOTJO running costs and donations which for the main part Br. John has been carrying.

Looking at the perspective of the visitor or general member however there has been no apparent indication that in reality this place actually costs anything, never mind there being actually a possibility of contributing.

Now I know money is a very touchy subject, it is after all not for nothing that it is counted among one of the main factors for the break up of many marriages. I am also very much aware that this is a place where people are free to give or not, just as I am very much aware of the fact that many members find themselves in great financial difficulty. NO ONE SHALL BE FORCED IN ANY WAY NOR EVEN ATTEMPTED TO BE GIVEN A HINT OF A GUILTY CONSCIENCE! So what I trying to do with the following proposal is only to give those who do wish to or can donate a chance to do so, our Temple not only some relief but a chance to grow in its possibilities with extra funding, and also relieve Br. John.

I have therefore set up a donation button (paypal) on the left below the user menu, which is an easy and safe way. All donations will be kept on record and unless otherwise wished names and amount donated as well as the monthly running costs will posted here on forum at the end of each month when payments are due.

MTFBWY

Its important to realise (for everyone) that this temple whilst being 'online' has very very real running costs.

Im not talking about time and energy from the members - whilst this is 'free' its also priceless.

The host servers of this site however require 'rent' - without this rent this site would either be 'homeless' (non existent) or at best on a free host site with lots of advertising, limited bandwidth and functionality and little in the way of mods etc the admins can use.

The fact is that every little really does help - even the occasional $1

so please - at least consider a small donation and before anyone asks 'Do YOU contribute?' not every month no - but I have and will continue to do so when I can.

No one is asking you to not pay your real world bills/debts etc and gibe TOTJO the money - but if you get as much as I do from this place - then (as an example) forgoing a CD and donating the $10 is surely worth while.

Folk pay monthly for online gaming - so why not give a little for something positive

MTFBWY - A

The fact that Jon explained that no one will be pressured to donate and/or pay TOTJO is very meaningful to me. Moreover, it has proven, once again, that the order is the perfect place to study Jediism and better myself without "enlightening" my wallet.


Before I began studying Jediism on this website, I tried to find spiritual activities that would help me gain peace of mind and self betterment. I found a Transcendental Meditation Website that offered to teach me how to TM meditate here in Hawaii - in person. I was happy and enthusiastic, so I called them and actually got as far as to schedule an exact appointment. Less than a week later, they call MY PARENTS (they didn't even have the guts to call me) and asked when they would get paid. The price for 3 class sessions: $750.

I was disappointed. I was upset. Here was a website that offered a spiritual skill and praised how "TM helps people in all types of countries, including India and China." Yet they demanded that I pay a sum far greater than a common Indian or Native Chinese could pay.


The main point: I hate it when people SELL spiritual skills and self-betterment methods for EXTREME PRICES. I mean $20 or so would be a reasonable price - to keep the classes running. Heck, maybe even one or two hundred. But SEVEN-HUNDRED and Fifty dollars?



Thanks to TOTJO, I was able to find a method teaching me peace of mind and self betterment without it feeling like a robbery and scam.