What charitable works does the WTBS do in the UK?

by highdose 15 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  highdose

  In the UK they are registered as a charity. Its made clear from the platform that this is for tax reasons, they get a nice tax break from the goverment. But what charitable works do they actualy do?

  Do they house the homeless? Take care of the eldery? feed the hungry? care for orphens? build play areas for children? Help out people other than their own kind when enviromental distarsters happen? Do they raise money for hospitals?

  Could someone please justify why they are registered as a charity? I can think of nothing they do that would fit that description.

  The only further their own religous interests, same as any company furthering a business interest...
• 

  jookbeard

  certainly the most uncharitable organization in the UK
• 

  teel

  I think the answer to the officials is that they provide free education to anyone.

  But true, as you said, it's just like any other company.
• 

  blondie

  The WTS considers preaching and teaching a charitable work.

  *** br84 p. 11 Watch Tower Society Pushes Bible Production and Distribution ***As stated in its charter:

  "The purposes of this Society are . . . to authorize and appoint agents, servants, employees, teachers, instructors, evangelists, missionaries and ministers to go forth to all the world publicly and from house to house to preach and teach Bible truths to persons willing to listen by leaving with such persons said literature and by conducting Bible studies thereon; to improve men, women and children mentally and morally by Christian ministry work and by charitable and benevolent instruction of the people on the Bible and incidental subjects."
• 

  blondie

  The Charities Act 2006 provides the following list of charitable purposes. [8]

  1. the prevention or relief of poverty
  2. the advancement of education
  3. the advancement of religion
  4. the advancement of health or the saving of lives
  5. the advancement of citizenship or community development
  6. the advancement of the arts, culture, heritage or science
  7. the advancement of amateur sport
  8. the advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation or the promotion of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity
  9. the advancement of environmental protection or improvement
  10. the relief of those in need, by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage
  11. the advancement of animal welfare
  12. the promotion of the efficiency of the armed forces of the Crown or of the police, fire and rescue services or ambulance services
  13. other purposes currently recognised as charitable and any new charitable purposes which are similar to another charitable purpose.

  A charity must also provide a public benefit. [9]

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charitable_organization
• 

  fokyc

  Here is an excerpt from a typical report for a JW congregation from the UK Charity Commission website:

  http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/SHOWCHARITY/RegisterOfCharities/PrintCharityDetails.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1066215&SubsidiaryNumber=0

  Activities:

  "Arrange meetings for public worship, which includes Bible education and training in Christian living. Preaching the Christian message to the public within the congregation area. Distributing Bibles and other religious literature; also giving pastoral assistance to the congregation and the wider community. All of these services and facilities are provided without charge."

  Charitable Objects:

  THE PRACTICE AND ADVANCEMENT OF CHRISTIANITY FOUNDED ON THE HOLY BIBLE, AS UNDERSTOOD BY THE DENOMINATION OF CHRISTIANS KNOWN AS JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, INCLUDING THE PREACHING OF THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD'S KINGDOM BY JESUS CHRIST WITHIN THE CONGREGATION AREA AND THE HOLDING OF MEETINGS.

  Note: This report is compiled from public information that the Charity Commission holds on the Register of Charities on 13 April 2010.
• 

  hotspur

  The purposes of this Society are . . . to authorize and appoint agents, servants, employees , teachers, instructors, evangelists, missionaries and ministers to go forth to all the world publicly and from house to house to preach and teach Bible truths to persons willing to listen by leaving with such persons saidliterature and by conducting Bible studies thereon; to improve men, women and children mentally and morally by Christian ministry work and by charitable and benevolent instruction of the people on the Bible and incidental subjects

  That's interesting - I didn't think they had any 'employees' <scratches head>
• 

  The Scotsman

  Their have been some recent developments regarding this.

  Qoute from charity commission as follows -

  Section 2 of the Act (which came into force in April 2008) lays down the requirement that in order to qualify as a charity an organisation’s purposes must be for the public benefit (in addition to being charitable). As a result all charities registered in England and Wales must now annually demonstrate to the CharityCommission that that they satisfy this requirement.

  Charities can no longer relax safe in the knowledge that their intentions will be presumed to be for the public benefit. Prior to the introduction of the Act, there was a presumption that charities dedicated to the advancement of education, the advancement of religion and the prevention or relief of poverty were automatically for the benefit of the public.

  So from now on, saying they promote the "advancement of religion" or the "advancement of education" will not be enough.

  I saw a TV debate about 6 months ago that was discussing this and someone "from the charity commission" said that - it could be argued that not all religions are for the benefit of the public, and that an in depth analysis will be conducted over the next couple of years to ensure all registered charities actually do meet the requirements of the charter.

  I hope the WTBTS (is it IBSA in uk??) get found out and lose the tax breaks they currently benefit from.

  The Scotsman
• 

  cantleave

  Scotsman - is this review going require external representations? If so I think all us Brits here should be writing letters stating why JW's do not benefit the public.
• 

  dissed

  Highdose -

  When anyone thinks of the normal use of the word 'Charity' like you used, the WTS will not ocme to mind. Only on a technicality, can they get this exemption.

  Looking over there financial report for the Charitable Commission from two years ago, it showed they took in tens of millions but only spent 100,000 in disaster relief 'outside' the country. That would represent only a smallest portion of there budget.