Can someone please explain how the society invests

sleepy

Can someone please explain how the society invests.
What I'd also like to know is how much does it invest?
In which companies?
Also what does it mean for a company if you buy shares , are they relient on the share holder , do they have a say in the buisness?
Does all the money they (the society) recives go through investments before it is used?
How will the society owning shares in companies effect the company it self and its relationship to the society?( would the company seek the continued existance of the society in order to stay alive?)
Sorry I know little about these subjects as I am not involved in the buisness world.

larc

A company is not influenced by a stock holder unless the stockholder has a majority share of the stock. Therefore, the fact that the Watchtower owned stock would not influence the company any more than you would influence the company if you owned one share.

What difference does it make as to where they invest their money anyway?

sleepy

So do they hold a majority of stock?
It would make a difference if there was an inter-reationship between companies and the society as interest of other parties would be involved.
I'm just asking the question as I wish to know more.

LB

Sleepy the society always claims they have open books that anyone can examine. I was told this in my old kingdom hall over and over. But I was never allowed to examine the books or get any details. All we knew were the monthly expenses and income.

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

avengers

I don't know if this helps.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=17051&site=3

sleepy

So no one knows?

SEAKEN2001

Sleepy,

I don't know if the Society holds majority stock in any corporations. Is this about their holdings in the Rand Cam company?

I can only speak from the perspective I had as very active proponent of the doctrines of the JW's. When I and my father were considered "examples" it was considerred un-christian (translated: against the JW rules) to hold stock in a worldly company, especially if it was known to be engaged in "un-christian" business practices. Most JW's were completely ignorant of stocks and corporate business. If it were found out that a brother had stock (majority or not) in a worldy company such as Lockheed-Martin (who was well known as a defense contractor) or any company associated with "Christendom" or "Babylon-the-great" they would lose "priveleges" if they didn't correct the situation (sell the stock - major hypocricy here, you figure it out).

This is why I think it's a big deal for some former JW's to hear that the WTS is an active investor, let alone a major stockholder who can be connected by association to a defense contractor.

Of course, none of this has real bearing on how the stock market really works. The WTS, I think, counts on the ignorance of the members in order to do as they please in the stock market, while perpetuating the myth that holding stock in a company somehow makes you culpable and sharer in their bad works (defense, religious affiliation, tobacco, liquor, etc. etc.).

I don't think it's so much that nobody knows but rather that nobody takes it seriously anymore. There is preciuos little leverage to be found in attacking the WTS's investments since the majority of Witnesses these days want the freedom to invest as they see fit without the elders snooping into their portfolios.

Sean

Stephanus

I can't imagine the society would exercise too interventionist a hand even if they did own a controlling majority in a public company. Could you see them running McDonalds into the ground because of blood in the hamburger patties if they had controlling interest? After all, it'd be stupid to run a company into the ground by (albeit consistently) applying their bullshit moralising to something which brings in the dollars. We all know how they regard material wealth (in their hands, anyway).

"Oh God! To hear the Insect on the leaf pronouncing on the too much life among his hungry brothers in the dust." - The Ghost of Christmas Present

sleepy

I was thinking more of are there companies who rely heavily on investments from Jehovahs witnesses and is it in their intrests to do things to help keep the society going?

SEAKEN2001

I don't know the answer to your question sleepy. But, the Society does use a lot of vendors and it is concievable that some companies who do a lot of business with the Society would hurt if they went belly up. I think there are also a few companies that are supported solely by the Society and are used by them in their so-called "worldwide work". I dn't know if there are any outside companies that rely heavily on any investment income from the WTS.

We happen to be one of the vendors that the WTS buys from. But they are a very small part of our business. The WTS likes to buy from "brothers" and treat some high-profile corporate "brothers" like VIPs when they visit the headquarters facilities. They are into butt-kissing but I haven't heard of any investments that have given them controlling interests of the company.

Sean

Can someone please explain how the society invests

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