Branch Closings Puts It On the Line (page 2)

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

The branches were built with the expectation that things were going to grow, and grow, and grow, and armageddon was coming very soon. Although they report growth, it's only just about keeping up with general population growth for years now. Donations have decreased. Fewer magazine issues printed now. Fewer campaigns for different publications. It's all downsizing.

20 years ago, Patterson was building and Brooklyn was expanding. Canada got a great big addition. Additions were planned for Wallkill. Everything was booming... until it stopped booming. The Canada additions mostly sat empty and unused. The great downsizing was begun and Brooklyn real estate began selling. More operations were moved up to Wallkill, and now more to Canada. Where's that fabulous growth that keeps the presses running around the clock?

They can squeeze money out of their real estate. But for how long, and at what cost?

agonus

The WT stands to make, what, BILLIONS from their Brooklyn properties once the papers are signed? So why are they shutting everything down?

Something in this gumbo tastes damn fishy!

"Swiss bank accounts" comes to mind for some reason...

DaCheech

they are planning on getting cash flow from renting the rooms ala hotel style

LV101

With billions (from sale of property), free labor and stealing of estates off the aging baby boomers --- can't they last? Even with God's gift of truth of the internet, adherents won't leave their life-long friends and fantasies - right.

Any positive views that it will crumble --- any REAL HOPE?

NV1

metatron

There is a degree of mystery in these moves. They have some growth and enthusiasm in the Caribbean and Central America and so on and yet they shortchange them? Really? Why? To pull cash back to the US while screwing over the locals?

The real estate market in the US is poor - but isn't dumping Brooklyn property the better choice? Or dumping the Awake?

or are they simply that mercenary and cold hearted about it? Hold Brooklyn until the price goes up, we don't care about 3rd world growth - with their mere pennies while millions are to be made here. Sorry, Brothers, we need the cash and you don't count.

metatron

LV101

Metatron --- I've always enjoyed your posts when i've time to check out this site. THEY GIVE ME HOPE! I hope they have to liquidate Brooklyn in this pathetic market but with billions to maneuver surely they can hang on. Maybe they'll choke w/the cash flow situation.

NV1

jwfacts

I have always felt that the Society is an Organization built for a 10 year push stretched out over 120 years.

Great comment Sab.

cameo-d

LV101: "Any positive views that it will crumble --- any REAL HOPE?"

Pyramids crumble when the cornerstone of its foundation falls out first.

What is it's foundation? Membership? Real estate?

Looks like both of those things have tanked.

It's on the way out. It won't be much longer.

After all, Armageddon is a "spiritual battle": it's a war for your mind.

Sure, there will always be a few loyal die-hards who will never leave. But we are promised that everyone will have had the opportunity to know the Truth before the end comes. Having the opportunity and pursuing it are two different things. Those that remain will be those who "did not love the truth" and instead followed the dictates of man.

Truth is not something that will ever be published in a magazine with an agenda of control, power, and greed.

agonus

Someone mentioned on another post that the "control ratcheting" in the literature usually preceded an exodus, i.e. 1975 and 1995. If there's another exodus it'll probably be the last one before they shutter the shop.

metatron

The other odd aspect of this concerns their authority to do it, both legally and in practical terms. I thought that , years ago, Maximus said the Branch structure of the organization was changed significantly, so that they could be sort of independent. So, the Watchtower Society in the US owns these outright? And can dump them with no one local to say 'stop'?

Secondly, how do they order up a kamikaze mission? "Dear Brothers, pack your bags and shut it down, then send us the check after you sell it off. Don't worry. "Jehovah will provide" We appreciate your decades of fanatical service, blah, blah, blah, f**k you, Your brothers, the Governing Body.'

And this after all of the backchannel accounts of laid off Bethelites suffering in hopeless poverty, after what the Governing Body did to them.

I wonder how that works. Like the song says, "there's something happening here - what it is ain't exactly clear".

metatron

Branch Closings Puts It On the Line

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