Watchtowers Investment in Warfare Technology

carla

http://www.geocities.com/wtgreed/article.htm just a reminder and for newbies

avidbiblereader

Good info, but it doesn't surprise me at all.

abr

DannyBloem

That they have some stock in some company related to warfare does not surprice me. It is hard not too maybe.
their way on handling questions about it is very typical...

anyway it is not a very big deal IMHO.

who does not own some stocks in companies related to warfare? Almost all here I guess, in some far and hidden way without our knowing...

DB

Gill

Danny - There's a big difference in holding a few shares here and there in a private portfolio, to owning 40 - 50 % of total shares in a company.

A JW would be DF'd if he worked for a firm that made ANY parts for military machines however, the GB does not see fit to DF itself from the WTBTS.

If a JW joined the army and was sent to a war zone, they would be disfellowshipped, or considered to have disassociated themselves, if their congregation found out. Yet the Watchtower are making profits out of companies that manufacture compomnents for war machines, and nothing is said. I have no doubt that if any JW asked too many questions about Watchtower involvement in these companies, they would be in trouble with their elders.

DannyBloem

Danny - There's a big difference in holding a few shares here and there in a private portfolio, to owning 40 - 50 % of total shares in a company.

I think something like that could happen. Maybe they got the share as inheritance from dub who died. Or whatever. Maybe it slipped it, not realtizing the connection in that diagram. Whatever. Can understand it. Could not even blame them.

They way how they try to cover up, not open about the truth and lie about it... That is the scandalous part about it IMHO.

A JW would be DF'd if he worked for a firm that made ANY parts for military machines however, the GB does not see fit to DF itself from the WTBTS.

I think it really depends, on how many parts the company makes not for military. What is your work there. I could have been df-ed if they took it strict. But I never was, it was never an issue, even though I have worked for companies that also made things for the defence agency..

greendawn

Their real face is beginning to show they are all about making profit and they don't really care about principles even the ones they supposedly embrace. I think they also hold tobacco shares. After all this is a commercial enterprise masquerading as a religious one.

iamfreenow

I think they also hold tobacco shares

Yes Greendawn, they do. I could'nt believe this until I was shown the evidence of that involvement, at this link:

http://www.pepheugasjehovahswitnesses.com/sm.html

The Henrietta M. Riley Trust.

The H M Riley Trust is a U.S. trust that has the Watchtower Society as the sole beneficiary. Basically, it is a vehicle to make income for the Watchtower, using assets left by Henrietta Riley. The income generated by the trust is transferred to the Watchtower by means of a "donation". For the year ended April 30, 2002, the trust generated income of $1,740,127 and donated $1,945,645 to the Watchtower. In comparison, for the 2001 year the trust generated $2,939,731 in income, and donated $3,285,050 to the Watchtower. The difference between income and expenditure is made up by realising gains on the assets held.

The income of the trust is from two main sources. The majority is from "oil and gas royalties." The trust also has almost $2 million of investments in various stocks and other vehicles.

Figure 3: Extract of investment listing of HM Riley Trust, April 30, 2002
full size

One name that jumps out from the list above: Philip Morris Companies Inc, one of the world's largest manufacturers of cigarettes and tobacco products. Philipmorris.com states:

The Philip Morris name has long been associated with high quality tobacco products and globally recognized cigarette brands. Today the name is proudly carried by the leading cigarette manufacturer in the United States, Philip Morris USA, and by Philip Morris International, the world's leading international cigarette business with products sold in 160 countries worldwide.

Thus, the trust has made an investment in a cigarette company, with the object of generating income which will be transferred to the Watchtower Society.

III: Conclusion.

The initial quotes showed clearly that the Watchtower regards smoking as an unchristian activity. Indeed, smoking is a disfellowshipping offence for a Jehovah's Witness. A Jehovah's Witness is also not permitted to be employed in the tobacco industry, even to the extent of working at the cigarette serving counter of a store. There can be no doubt that if an individual Jehovah's Witness invested in the cigarette industry, the Watchtower would consider this an unchristian type of investment.

Yet, a trust which exists for the primary reason of generating income for the Watchtower, invests in a cigarette company. While the amount of the investment is small, it is not the amount that is the issue, but the principle: The Watchtower Society will benefit from an investment made in the tobacco industry.

They will do this knowingly, because if I can get hold of this information, do you really think that the Watchtower Society doesn't have a copy of these very same documents? And while the objection could be made that it is not actually the Watchtower Society itself making the investment, but just receiving the cash, is this a valid defence? If they know that the money is from a source they have condemned as unchristian, are they not hypocritical in receiving it? Remember that the sole purpose of this trust is to generate income for the Watchtower.

In fact, here is another example of the Watchtower's hypocrisy in matters of principle. That which they condemn other religions for, and restrict their individual followers from, becomes acceptable when it results in $$$ for the Watchtower Society itself.

From their own lips:

g70 2/8 23 Churches in Business
After listing some of the many companies in which the Vatican has substantial interest Mr. Lo Bello observes: "The foregoing details provide an uncomfortably sharp realization that the Vatican and its men have indeed carved a niche for their firm in the world of big business."

The vast business holdings of the and of other religious organizations bind them inseparably with the business world. How unlike the true Christians concerning whom Jesus Christ said: "They are no part of the world"

The religious organization that truly is serving God, in harmony with the example set by Jesus Christ, concentrates on preaching and teaching the liberating truths of his Word and does not become involved in commercial businesses. Following the Bible’s instructions, it does not involve itself in “the commercial businesses of life." 2 Tim. 2:4.

Kaput

If a JW joined the army and was sent to a war zone, they would be disfellowshipped, or considered to have disassociated themselves, if their congregation found out.

I guess if JW's invest their own bodies in a war effort, that's O.K. Either that or maybe their congos didn't find out they "served where the need was greater". Check out who's listed under 'Religions' in this Vietnam War casualty report.

http://www.archives.gov/research/vietnam-war/casualty-statistics.html#religion

Atlantis

iamfreenow:

You can also scroll down to # 42 here:

http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders/statistics/pdf/10_top50_tg/1999/mi_99.pdf

Nevada-

Watchtowers Investment in Warfare Technology

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