Bingo DS
Kingdom Hall remodel - scam
by Dagney 84 Replies latest jw friends
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Sic Semper Tyrannis
That's the problem. Virtually no one dares to question these expenses, and the ones that do are labelled as troublesome. I remember all the letters from the Society about donating to the worldwide or KH fund, and they would simply ask if there was any motions and seconders, and finally any "nay" votes. Out congregation would get charged this every month and then the poor sap who did the accounts had to go up every month and tell us we had a huge deficit. Welcome to the machine indeed!
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outsmartthesystem
Yes....the society LOANS the money to each congregation WITH INTEREST in order to complete a remodel. But let's not forget that the same money that was loaned to US with interest from the society......was....years before.... RECEIVED as a DONATION by the society.....from US.
They are taking YOUR donations and then lending them back to you with interest.
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wha happened?
OSS, It's a model that's found in many situations. The banks are doing it now with the govt. Because it's really a business
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sir82
the society LOANS the money to each congregation WITH INTEREST
Not true. They stopped charging interest on loans about 6-7 years ago.
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Amelia Ashton
I thought the bible condemned charging interest.
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neverscreamagain
A little over 30 years ago was at a KH in northern California, and we decided on a remodel. We all had the needed skills locally to do the work. I think the total costs was around $7500 dollars, we added bathrooms, walkways, stairs, new carpet and flooring, all finished and done professionally in about 6 weeks time. The cong pooled the funds together locally, and was paid for. Work would have if hired out, cost 60 or 70k to have done.
Hall was recently tore down, new hall built, nothing was wrong with old hall. Only difference is that local bros now do not own hall, and have large ongoing monthly payment. Was no need for new KH, no growth in area.
Heard of a KH in the Houston TX. area that spent well over $150k for a parking lot. No rumour, straight from one of the members. We are both in the building industry, and I told him that there was no possible way that the materials could have cost even a quarter of that amount. Where was the free labor?
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iclone
Darth frosty...Our last Circuit Assembly there were about 800 people and the total costs incurred were close to 10k for a paid off assembly hall! Many people say it goes into reserve for upgrades, renovations etc.; B.S. they campaigned for $$ when they built a new steel perimeter fence and other improvements. It is such a scam-how shameless!
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Dagney
The big eye opener for me was my old hall's first remodel. The society told the brothers to get 3 competing bids for the work. The society took THE HIGHEST bid, and that is what they charged our congo for the remodel. The brothers were SHOCKED. Even though our territory was in a well to do beach community, our hall was VERY conservative in the way it was run. They were not petty as far as money goes, just conservative.
Since it was their first remodel, they were naive about the way the WTBS did business. We went for years and years and years with very humble surroundings compared with almost any other hall. Old drapes behind the stage, the bathrooms looked like diner/cafe restrooms, hard cold tan folding chairs in the B school...I guess it looked like it was in a 50's time warp. But the brothers did not feel it was really necessary to burden the congregation with debt; it was good enough with only one congo in attendance.
So actually, the remodel 10 years ago was deserved. But now, AGAIN? Couldn't they just replace carpet and repaint, replace some hardware? But a complete reconfiguration of the hall area moving the stage and seats? Really? REALLY??
That is interesting about the CO being the driving force of these remodels. Makes sense.
@ Flipper: (hi there!! :-))))) I remember. We have the same connection. Mine is soooooooooooooooo busy in the RBC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOLOL. **sigh**
@designs: remember our hall looked the same as it looked when you went there, not even as fancy as the one up the street! Oh gosh, those were the days...good and bad eh? The picnics were good. ;-)
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Dagney
Annnd another thing.
My JW gf was complaining last night about how demanding the brothers are of her husbands time. He's strong, capable and a general contractor. He has his own job/commitments that they expect him to make secondary. He feels torn/pulled from both ends, tired, mom in the hospital, everybody is p****d. No happifying anywhere.
Again, my biggest complaint about this "organization" is they could just give a s**t about the flock. So let's just add another facet to the "sacred service" and keep the brothers even busier with this worthy "cause" (scam) of cyclical KH remodels. Then they will have even less time to question, think, take care of their own.
That is the bigger royal scam.
(ok I have to work now.)