A little example of how severely the contributions for the Society are drying up
by sir82 86 Replies latest jw friends
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Azazel
Maybe the WTS can dig into their "archive" ( new wt feature) and start selling good ol boy Russells "Miracle Wheat". I kinda would believe that more than some of their other stuff.
Az
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Calebs Airplane
If every JW donated just $3 USD per week, the WT would easily clear $1 Billion per year in revenue...
(7,000,000 JWs X 52 weeks X $3.00 = $1.09 Billion)
and that's just one source of revenue... add to that their Worldwide Casino Hedge Fund earnings, the Brooklyn fire sale, KH sales, Branch closings, etc... yeah, contributions are NOT what they used be in years passed, but they're still raking in the big bucks... let's not kid ourselves.
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jeremiah18:5-10
When I was in, the contributions for "Local Expenses" was usually twice as much as donations for the "Worldwide Work" donations to the "KH Fund" were always under $100 a month. About every 6 months the Local account would build up to a level that the body would make a motion to send a couple thousand to the WW Work. I didn't realize it then, but that seems to be a clear indication of the "friends" being de-sensitized to the "spirit-directed organization". Kinda funny really.
On a side note, in the area I lived there were about 10 KH's with about 20 cong's within a 30 mile radius. The CO came through and said the Society wanted us to poll our money together and help each other pay off their KH's. Our KH was paid for and he "suggested" that we settle on a dollar amount/publisher and contribute monthly toward paying off a neighboring KH. This ruffled feathers on the body to say the least. Of course that was only evident after the CO left. No elder spoke up during the meeting, only complained afterwards.
Shortly thereafter another 3-4 KH's were built in the area and the RBC was always coming around making plans for renovations, whatever they recommended was always done, with a loan from the WTS of course.
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Room 215
$3 per week per publisher... no way! I have a total of 12 regular attenders in my immediate family--- that's $36 PER WEEK or more than $1800 a year in contributions.... as I said, NO WAY!
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Balaamsass
I think after the real estate crash, the Conti loss, and resulting "Freeze" of real estate, the Watchtower Society accountants and tax attornies are exploring the benefits of "Electronic" $$ and Hedgefund trading. Facing massive lawsuits the Borg may decide to donate more money to the "preaching work in the Caymans, Switzerland, and the Bahamas" . Those poor friends need help!!
Does anyone want to hazard a guess on the amount of profit one can earn on ONE BILLION DOLLARS especially if you have offshore inside information on commodities.....and can operate offshore? Ask Hillery and Bill Clinton. Does anyone remember how "LUCKY" Hillery was as a novice comodities trader?
Real estate "flipping", re-zoning speculation, and "forced donations for overpriced remodels" are amateur hour stuff compared to international hedge fund trading with inside knowledge.
Don't count the Borg out yet.
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Billy the Ex-Bethelite
"If every JW donated just $3 USD per week, the WT would easily clear $1 Billion per year in revenue..."
You have to deduct the money that goes to the local congregation and circuit expenses first. From what I've observed, the expenses for the CO and DO are increasing at the same time the income for average JWs is NOT increasing.
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Balaamsass
As the Society sucks up real estate titles around the globe, they can simply do leasebacks to congregations. Congregations will become "Renters" turning in a predictable monthly "Donation". Upping the "Rent" will provide an increasing "cap rate" and value. Nothing local to loose with a lawsuit. The congregation simply pays for a basic insurance policy with standard limits.
They have already Pierced the corporate veil, they might as well go with it. They may even "Sell" halls to straw buyers as R.E.I.T.s to distance themselves. The buyers would have to pay property tax though. Elderly JWs would line up to participate like they do for the "Holy" used C.O. cars.
There are a lot of options when you have a Billion dollars $$, Millions in annual donations, worldwide locations, with in-house accounting and attornies.
The World becomes your oyster....ahhh the good life......
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Balaamsass
Billy...don't forget.... "Simplification"......
In my area the Circuits are being enlarged by about 30+ %. Fewer C.O.s. The last few visits he spent more time ..AUDITING the accounts than asking about the spiritual well being of the friends. Every multinational has to have FIELD AUDITORS, so they are just an needed revenue producing expense...they also fund raise...... they visit the elderly who have asked for return of funds loaned to WTBTS and convince them they can live "more simply" for the benefit of the Borg.
One Billion is simply the Brooklyn Real Estate. Think of all the assembly halls, Bethels, Farms, branches, and Kingdom halls around the world.
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oldlightnewshite
I was from a fairly well-off congregation around 12 years ago. Their contributions were pitiful. I donated £1,000 to the KH when I sold my house, which probably helped out quite a bit. They had a bequeathment from a deceased sister several years before which helped them to tread water for a good few years. Some dumbass kept donating huge chunks after begging letters from the society, and they were nearly at around £5,000 balance by the time I left.
Praise Jeehoober.