Was the CA expense ever justified to the elders?

by AK - Jeff 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  AK - Jeff

  At every single Circuit assembly I attended, there was always the inevitable 'accounts report'. It was pretty much always the same;

  "Our expenses for the operation of this fine spiritual meal is estimated to be $18,000. At the time of our 'Business meeting' this morning with the elders, our contributions were only $12,345 leaving us in need of $5,655. We know you brothers will, as directed by Jehovah and his Spirit, take care of this matter. Contribution boxes for this purpose have been located conveniently throughout the Assembly Hall for this purpose."

  I don't recall ever hearing;

  "Our expenses for the operation of this fine spiritual meal is estimated to be $18,000. At the time of our 'Business meeting' this morning with the elders, our contributions were $22,345 leaving us a surplus of $4,345. We know that you brothers, as directed by Jehovah and his Spirit, have taken care of this matter. Refund slips are provided for this purpose have been conveniently distributed for this purpose. We will add to the refund amount any further funds that have been collected since, and the contribution boxes have been removed to eliminate the temptation to donate any further. Please pick up your check as you exit the Hall this evening"

  First - does any former [or current] elder recall a line item expense report that gave specific operational costs? Or was it just an average of some sort? I find it extremely difficult to believe that it cost anywhere near the 'estimated costs' that they mentioned. It seems like it was always somewhere around 18-20 grand for our CA's. Making an annual expense of nearly $1,000,000 to operate a facility already paid for and built with volunteer labor, maintained with volunteer labor and probably volunteer materials often.

  Face it - the only costs accrued was some heating and water costs most of the time. Insurance of course. But the building is only heated and lit for parts of two days each week.

  Were we just all being scammed? Thoughts.

  Jeff
• 

  dinah

  Never been to an assembly in CA, but here in Alabama we always got that same report.
• 

  AK - Jeff

  Cute Dinah. CA = Circuit Assembly.

  You are one funny cat.

  Jeff
• 

  dinah

  Nope, Jeff. That was what I refer to as a "brain fart". Oh well, I had just read the congregation roll-call thread and was concentrating on state abbreviations. LOL
• 

  SirNose586

  "Our expenses for the operation of this fine spiritual meal is estimated to be $18,000. At the time of our 'Business meeting' this morning with the elders, our contributions were $22,345 leaving us a surplus of $4,345. We know that you brothers, as directed by Jehovah and his Spirit, have taken care of this matter. Refund slips are provided for this purpose have been conveniently distributed for this purpose. We will add to the refund amount any further funds that have been collected since, and the contribution boxes have been removed to eliminate the temptation to donate any further. Please pick up your check as you exit the Hall this evening"

  The Borg? Give back MONEY? AHAHAHAHAAAAAAHHAHAHAHAHAA!!

  I really, really wish I knew the publisher multiplier for my circuit. There has to be a formula. And if it could be calculated before the "expense" report was read, wouldn't that be a hoot?
• 

  purplesofa

  Twenty something years ago, I remember there being a surplus announced at a Circuit Assembly in Memphis....If I am not mistaken there was a vote to carry over the surplus to the next Asseblies expenses. I mean I think it was like only $5,000 to have this one day assembly.

  I can also remember certain congos I was in with large amounts of money in the accounts after montly bills were paid.

  I was out for ten years, reinstated and every place I went was scraping for money to get the bills paid.

  I don't know.....just something I thought about as I am typing.

  I noticed alot of differences in congos after being out for ten years.

  purps
• 

  Liberty

  The whole arrangement is a scam even if the expense accounts were 100% honest for each assymbly because the Watch Tower Society always makes money on the literature that is moved at one of these things and it is really a "whip up the sales force" event anyway. Why are the publishers a.k.a. the salesmen paying to participate in the first place? It is the Watch Tower Society that benifits the most from these things money wise and asking for more donations is just gravy money. When I go to a buiness related convention my employer pays for everything since it benifits them in the long run so how is the Watch Tower Society any different? The attendees should be paid for showing up, and not asked to foot the bill.

  As I recall they did make money when they sold concessions since the labor was free and the food was cheap and bought in bulk and I'm sure they only stopped this because of sales tax issues. They also make money on parking. I'm sure they get kickbacks on the hotels that they make arrangements with. They also get discounts on the venue rental since they provide free clean up crews and security. The expenses are cut to the bone as it is so how could they keep coming up short?

  In short, I am skeptical that these accounts reports are accurate in the first place. But even if they were, it is still a scam. The whole damn cult is a scam, the literature, the Kingdom Hall and other cult owned real estate, the free labor, the contributions to the "world wide work" are all misrepresented and shell-gamed to the Society's advantage.
• 

  JK666

  Circuit Assemblies and District Conventions are WTS cash cows in the western world. Just another way to shovel cash to Brooklyn!

  JK
• 

  sir82

  "Circuit Assembly Expenses" are calculated as "$X per publisher in the circuit". If there are 2000 publishers in the circuit, and the "per head" amount is $5, the "expenses associated with this circuit assembly" are $10,000.

  Absolutely no information is ever given on how the "$5 per publisher" amount is derived.

  Obviously some of tha amount goes to pay electricity and water, some goes into a fund to pay for maintenance & repair items, some to pay CO & DO expenses, but there is certainly no accounting made evident to the lowly R&F.

  "What? Surely you don't doubt us, do you? If Jesus trust the F&DS with all his earthly belongings, surely you can trust them too? You don't think you're better than Jesus, do you, brother???"
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  A circuit I was in would give a complete breakdown of all expenditures over $500 (I believe). They would list
  security radios and C.O. expenses and what-not. If somebody wanted to sneak things in, they would have to
  stay under the $500, and that did happen. You could list several different items that each listed as $300 or
  do things like that. But generally, the elders were all aware of what they were spending and even the items
  under the radar were available for scrutiny if you bothered to ask.

  The kicker was the standard donations to the Assembly Hall operations and to the Mother Borg.
  If we had a surplus at the meeting for the elders, we would split up the moneys and more anticipated moneys
  for standard donations to Mother and Assembly Hall. That way, the Accounts Brother could always go out there
  and announce a deficit. It had to be a deficit before the audience. There was never a surplus. If there were, you
  simply increase the amount Mother is getting.

  What they needed to do was tell the audience how much Mother was getting, how much beyond operating costs
  was given to the Assembly Hall, and how much they went beyond costs to create the deficit.

  The announcement could read:
  We had an operating cost of $2000 for this assembly, of which all funds were on hand were on hand in the bank
  after we sent $3000 to the Society from our last assembly and $3000 beyond operating costs to the Assembly Hall
  for expansion and whatever they do with it. So far at this assembly, we have collected $3500 which would more than
  cover the expenses for our upcoming one-day Special Assembly- approximately $1200 and leave moneys for the C.O.
  and D.O. expenses- approximately $300, but the elders have decided to send the remaining $2000 to the Assembly
  Hall for expansion and whatever else they do with it, and have voted to send $3000 to the Society. That means we
  have a deficit of $3000 up to this point and we are confident that you all will look back into your pockets for another
  large bill. There are many lawsuits to pay for, so the $3000 is a must."

  Okay, I could have left the last 2 sentenced off. That's what it should say though.