Who really OWNS each Kingdom Hall?

gaiagirl

Are the KH's owned by the local congregation, the trustees of the local congregation, WTBTS, etc?

No one person "owns" the KH. They are set up as non-profit organizations with 3 trustees who have to be elders from the congregation that holds the territory the KH is on. So even if 3 congregations share a KH, only that one forms the non-profit corporation. If a congregation is dissolved by the WTS (the parent non-profit corporation), the property reverts to the WTS. But until that time, control over the KH and property rests with the trustees but they do not "own" it.

Nathan Natas

I think that to answer that you just need to think about where the money goes when a Kingdom Hall is sold.

Hint: It does not get distributed back to the congregation members.

Eyes Open

So, in theory, the WTBTS could decide to sell every single Kingdom Hall on this planet and they could legally keep the profit?

JK666

Wasn't there a KH in Texas or somewhere, that everyone decided to leave the Borg, and they had to fight them to keep the building? My memory is the first to go.

JK

blondie

The WTS is also a non-profit corporation and no individual or individuals own the assets any more than the trustees own the property. There are strict laws regarding the selling and acquiring of property. It could be useful to read up on the internet what the laws are in the US and the tax laws that govern such corporations.

www.irs.gov

Nathan Natas

Hi JK666,

Here are some earlier threads discussing Bonham, TX. I still would like to know more about the nature of the "apostasy" that took place there.

06 Sep 01 - http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/11218/1.ashx

23 Dec 02 - http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/11/42995/1.ashx

23 Oct 03 - http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/11/60871/1.ashx

10 Mar 05 - http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/86616/1.ashx

OnTheWayOut

While I fully understand the reasons why everything Blondie is saying are correct,
the bottom line is that WTS could dissolve any congregations and take the money
from the sale of the land.

WTS owns the Kingdom Hall. They let the tenants feel like they own it, but they
cannot even redecorate without approval from the landlord. They cannot sell without
approval from the landlord. The landlord has his agent, a Circuit Overseer, examine the
property every visit and include that in his report to the landlord.

TopHat

Now you got me wondering....IF the Catholic churches are owned by the Vatican.

blondie

I have seen congregations stone wall the WTS about selling property and using their savings in a WTS "suggested" way, OTWO. I supposed the WTS could have "punished" that congregation(s) but they didn't. Dissolving congregations for any reason is very disruptive to their control over things. It takes some time for things to settle down. So while the WTS could be highhanded about it, I haven't seen it done too successfully. I have found that local elders are very protective of their turf, whether it be the CO, DO, or any other representative of the WTS.

Blondie

Who really OWNS each Kingdom Hall?

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