Where do the funds go?....Ministry Watch.com

by restrangled 10 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  restrangled

  I watched a special on 20/20 Friday night. The above website checks into all religious corporations and where the money goes.

  They rate each religious charity on how they spend their money and if they will even answer.

  Interestingly enough JW's are not listed, but many of the Televangelists have been exposed and suddenly sold off personal assests or altered the way they do business.

  I would love to see the WTBTS questioned but don't have enough time to research on how to get this done.

  Anyone else up for contacting this outfit? Has anyone else heard of this? www.ministrywatch.com and the following link is how they base their ratings.

  http://www.ministrywatch.org/mw2.1/pdf/tg3.pdf

  This in itself is a ministry, but thought it was very interesting.

  r.
• 

  Junction-Guy

  Thanks for sharing this. I will do my best to get the WT Society on that list.
• 

  restrangled

  Thanks JG....the fact that they were investigated by 20/20 probably makes them very legitimate. The head of the outfit said that so many of the religious/publishing organizations told him to in his words "Go to Hell"...They ask for IRS filings etc.

  r.
• 

  anewme

  RIGHT ON RESTRANGLED!!!!!
• 

  Junction-Guy

  I wonder what they would think if they were to read the WT Society's forms. A billion dollars a year, and yet they only spend a paltry amount for charity.
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  restrangled

  JG, its not only for charity but how the funds are spent, in other words, for money spent on housing, care, transportation, meals, etc., for those in charge.

  If they refuse to forward the IRS forms, and answer various questions, they are listed as do not donate and why.

  A very popular female televangelist, was forced to admit she had 2, over 1 million dollar mansions and a private jet.

  They also track where these private jets land, how long they stay, who's on it and what they did.... etc. After she was critiqued by this outfit, she sold almost all of her assets and put it back in to her ministry.

  I think the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society needs to answer a few questions, such as, how much is spent on attorneys, any aircraft owned and where it goes, who is on it, etc, etc, etc.

  r.

  r.
• 

  rebel8

  Go to the home page (www.ministrywatch.com) and click on the "contact us" button at the top. You can send them a note suggesting they add the wts to their list.
• 

  Pahpa

  I think the reluctance of financial disclosure in the Watchtower Society goes back to Russell's time. He hid his assets in the Watchtower and several other corporations he formed. It was said he did this so as to avoid support payments to his wife. Only a very few individuals at the very top knew that financial status of the organization in the U.S.A. This still remains a policy of the leaders. However, financial disclosure is a requirement in many other countries where the Watchtower operates. And this information is available to the public.
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  Borgia

  I found this line very interesting..... The American Competitiveness and Corporate Accountability Act of 2002, otherwise known as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, was signed into law on July 30 2002. It requires that nonprofits have policies in place to handle employee complaints and offer protection for whistleblowers. Doe sanyone have more info on this act and the way it describes how whistleblower protection policies should be in place?

  Cheers

  Borgia
• 

  rebel8

  Borgia, I just checked Google and there are tons of hits for it. Are you thinking whistleblower protection should prohibit disfellowshipping of volunteers? Interesting premise.