Money

by Heartbreaker 14 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  Lady Lee

  gfenster

  Raymond Franz seems like a nice fellow, but if those leaders had a sincere era, I haven't found it.

  You can be sincere and still be wrong. Sorry if my point wasn't clear about that.

  Don't forget that a lot of money has gone into building WT Farms (in the past) and now Patterson.

  They are busy renovating properties in Brooklyn only to turn around and sell them for the big $$$. I doubt they are doing this because they are cash strapped due to the many court cases they are settling. I think they are trying to hide the money.

  There are many organizations, including religions, that contribute a lot of money to charities. More and more the wealthy are disclosing what charitable works they are involved in. Some may say these are publicity stunts but heck they are doing something good. And speaking about it encourages others to do their bit.

  The only organization the WTS contributes to is itself. It doesn't offer aid to their own. It leaves elders to swing if they are taken to court for a WTS-sanctioned decision.

  They double-dip for literature and Halls.

  • JWs are told to "contribute" for the literature when they pick it up AND contribute the money received from people.
  • As soon as one hall is paid off they are encouraged to renovate or rebuild which only increases money to WTS coffers. JWs contribute for the world-wide building work. They they have to borrow the money from the WTS and then repay it and if the cong is dissolved the ownership of the hall goes back to the WTS although in some places the hall continues under the ownership of the WTS even though cong members paid for it.

  They insist all contributions be for the more generic "world-wide publishing work" rather than to help JWs in disaster areas. There was talk about them receiving funding from the govt to help flood victims only to turn around and ask for insurance money back when the JWs received their claims. (What kind of charity does this?)

  They offer no real social support to their own members who suffer from following all the WTS' rules and "principles".

  • Your house burns down? Too bad.
  • You get sick and can't pay your rent. To bad.
  • Or lose your job and can't feed the family? Too bad
  • You spend so much time in service that you got sick in the first place. Tough.
  • You worked in Bethel for 30 years and get sick? Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

  So where does the money go? Like all true tyrants - it goes into their own coffers.

  The game is not to teach people about God and Christ. The goal is the amassing of fortunes here on earth and protecting what has been taken from the "have-nots".
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  wantstoleave

  I would say for a couple of reasons,

  1. They believe what they teach and

  2. They love the hope of everlasting life it provides.
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  musky

  The fact that the Watchtower makes a big income does not matter to me. I would be angry if the money was being spent on extravagant lifestyles for a few in the top ranks. If the money went to make conditions better for all the witnesses, then fine. But as Lady Lee pointed out, there does not seem to be much individual financial help to the average witness in need.
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  TheClarinetist

  I think the situation is similar to 1984. In the book, the leadership was just as brainwashed as the lower class. They too loved Big Brother despite knowing his nature (got to love the doublethink)

  After reading Crisis of Conscience, I kind of got the impression that the Governing Body really believes in what they are doing for the most part. They are already pretty much at the limits of what power, influence, and money a person can get. The money grubbing is not out of some conscious master plan to gain even more wealth, but instead due to the inertia of the group thinking of the Watchtower corporation. No one really stops and thinks about whats going on. The corporation and organization goes on almost of their own accord.

  Anyway, just a thought...
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  diamondiiz

  I don't understand this issue as well. From what RF says, they believe they own crap but why would they dismissfacts like 607 vs 587? How could they ignore Malawi while reasoning that Mexicans were ok to bribe officials for military cards? But with the system set up the way it is I don't see how they can benefit financially from money coming in. I can see them enjoying life like Russell but not to the same extend, they can't run things like Rutherford so they seem to be stuck in some area of hoping for the end and looking at an exit stratagy? Is that possible? How could they exit with cash? It is very bizarre. Would it be reasonable that if the end doesn't come within a certain time frame as it's already running late on their time line they will disbanden at some point while having cash stashed somewheres? But they're old farts now so that doesn't make sense.

  If they blindly believe their own crap then they will run things until money starts drying up so they will have to start selling buildings and continue renovating buildings downsizing until they're forces to pack more congregations into single buildings, and keep downsizing until their ranks decrease and few hardline followers remain and the religion will be an internal cult structure with no or just quarterly magz. This process could keep them around for many decades if not hundreds of years as a sect with nothing to offer living a dream surounded by hardcore believers.