A thought about corporate reoganization

by JeffT 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  JeffT

  It seems there have been a number of changes in the WTBS corporations over the last few years, as well as changes in meetings etc. Maybe somebody has already thought of this and I missed it. This thought was sparked by the thread about them going after another website quoting their material.

  I think the Watchtower is about to divide its religious and secular functions completely. I'm not sure their attempts to control quote type websites will withstand a serious legal challange. They can do it right now because they haven't run up against somebody with the money and guts to fight back. When that happens they are going to be in for a fight, and one they may lose. They are also have legal problems over the pedophile problem, and tax issues. Putting some sort of wall between the religion (The Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses) and the publishing company (WTBS and related entities) would make a lot of sense. It separates the two functions and shields the assets to some degree.

  What I can't figure out is how they intend to retain control of the publisher once they've made the separation. Failure to do so correctly would not shield the assets, but maybe some smart lawyers can figure it out for them. I think the changes in the meeting schedule may tie into this, again I'm not sure where they think they're going to go. It will be hard to have sales rallies for a product line that is no longer yours. Field service is already useless, they can find some other useless activity for everybody, or who knows maybe they'll mainstream and go to work on real charity activities.

  Just my .02
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  dissed

  I know nothing about corporate liabilty, but it does look like they are trying to cover their ASSets.
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  yknot

  They more or less did this already when the GB stepped away from Presidential positions within the WTS.

  The only taxation the WTS is now facing is social security in Spain (so is the RCC).
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  teel

  As I see it most of the more recent moves can be traced back to money. First they went from hardcover books to paperbacks (that was around 2000 in my country), then they dropped the magazines to 3 per month, then 2 per month and a member only issue. Having one less meeting is cheaper (and people can work more to have money to donate). Here more recently people were constantly reminded not to give magazines to just about everyone, and mention that we accept donation as much as possible. I don't know anything about how big corporations work, but I wouldn't be too surprised if they make some corporate adjustments that others know little about, only to save some more. To be honest I would expect even that the fixed price for the literature comes back - in retrospect the fact that they went to fully donation based support seems to not be a very smart move. There's even the other thread about the new leaflets - money must be running short these days.
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  cantleave

  It would seem a logical approach, but for one thing. They are a registered charity and have had support from tax-payers bucks in many of the countries they operate in. Whatever assets they have on their books are not theirs to to make a profit on. So creating two entities would have very little benefit and probably would create more disadvantages then advantages.

  But we can rest assured whatever they do will have jehovah's backing and will result in a theocratic increase during these last minutes of the last days.
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  cantleave

  It would seem a logical approach, but for one thing. They are a registered charity and have had support from tax-payers bucks in many of the countries they operate in. Whatever assets they have on their books are not theirs to to make a profit on. So creating two entities would have very little benefit and probably would create more disadvantages then advantages.

  But we can rest assured whatever they do will have jehovah's backing and will result in a theocratic increase during these last minutes of the last days.
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  Heaven

  As my father says "There must be a need or they wouldn't do it."
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  Satanus

  Charlie russel had a 2 entity org. His religious part of the org, which distributed the books, had a contract w the printing part of the org.. The printing part was privately owned by charlie. It made him some good money. This is referred to in wt writing.

  S
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  JeffT

  As Teel says I think they may end the donation arrangment. What they may end up with would be almost like a true MLM. The R&F would buy books and then sell them to the public as independent contractors, which would get around a lot of tax problems. Could be interesting.
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  RR

  I discussed this a few years ago. If you remember when the new corporations were incorporated some years ago. The members of the Governing Body weere no longer board members of ANY of the corporation. It was stated that they were going to focus more on spiritual things and leave the day to day activities of publishing in the hands of the "other ssheep".

  The question asked and never answered is is there a corporation for the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses? How do they actually "control" the borg? Each corporation has its own board members, none of the board members overlap into other corporations, as in the past the GB were the board on ALL the corporations. What's keeping the board from NY from separating from the board of PA? Or the CC of JW from separating? Who owns the all the assests?

  In Russell's day, the Society was nothing more than a publishing house, a business. the congregations were all separate and autonomous, the Judge took over and took control of those congregationss and individuals willing to give up their Christian freedom. The rest is history.

  Is it possible that some day there will be a schism between the Watchtower Society and the Christian Congregation of JW's? Who knows!

  RR