Reduced Magazines Etc: Scenario Thinking

by metatron 44 Replies latest jw friends

  • metatron
    metatron

    As Charlie Brown frequently said, "Arrgh".

    As with many religions, there is a problematic difference between assets and cash flow. You might have a gold encrusted Cathedral - and no income. What to do? If you're the Vatican, you can sell trinkets and engage in money-laundering. If you're the Watchtower, things get a bit sticky.

    Yes, they have some very valuable real estate. Keep in mind that property is usually considered capital, an asset, not used for operating expenses. Perhaps some Bethel defector could tell us if they are willing to sell assets to maintain operations. I say the evidence is they aren't. Otherwise, they wouldn't be making cuts as they have for several years. Even when they sold Furman St., money went for a press, etc. Assets cashed out to buy other assets.

    As to property flipping, that's rather exaggerated. They've held Brooklyn across decades. If they sell off Kingdom Halls, how long is that scam gonna last? Juan Viejo above might have a few words to say about that!

    There are many Witnesses who contribute in direct response to how many magazines they pick up. "Oh, I gotta put something in the contribution box". And now what?

    These goons have been so tied to "Armageddon Any Day Now", they neglected to build a supportive infrastructure - and are now tearing down what little they have! They are running out of options - and that's why these formerly unthinkable changes are happening.

    metatron

  • hoser
    hoser

    As for funding their empire on inheritances, that only goes so far. A lot of elderly witnesses only have their government pension and not a lot more.

  • Magi
    Magi

    So a few years back, they dropped publishing of the Awake down from 2 to 1 a month. And 1 watchtower was transferred to a study edition instead. Now they cut the other WT and Awake that are placed with householders down from 32 pages to 16. So, it used to be 4 mags of 32 pages a month, total of 128 pages, that would get put in the hands of interested ones and now its 2 mags of 16 pages a month, total of 32 pages. Yeah, sounds like Armageddon's right around the corner, need to get as much info to the wicked ones to turn their ways. Anyone know if they're cutting down on publishing other materials like brochures and books as such? Are they just going to let the witnesses hand used books around to each other and tell them to waste not, what not? heh.

  • stillajwexelder
    stillajwexelder

    Honesty said - The WTBTS flips property for huge profits. Downsizing a publishing dinosaur is a smart move on their part.

    Totally agree -reduce mags, download from internet, produce cheap CDs/DVDs etc -ask for donations BUT.

    Use all that free labor build Bethels, Branches, KHs , Assembly Halls, wait some time. Huge property boom- sell them - RINSE AND REPEAT - Real Estate built with free labor - far more profitable than publishing.

    Higher ups will get free hotels at DCs- book 4000 rooms - get the publsihers to pay. Hotels give you sayd 50 free rooms for the GB/Branch etc- Sweet, sweet deal for the WTBTS

  • Gayle
    Gayle

    Seems with mags going "half-size" that donations for them will go half, also? Less expense.

    Seems about the DVDs, some may start requesting if they can 'borrow' the DVD. After most see it once, they wouldn't watch it again. Or, they can watch it later on YouTube.

  • Dogpatch
    Dogpatch

    Sapphy hit it on the head. They have lost all interest in the Bible, doctrine, or Sasquatch of Armies. They don't really give a DAMN about the Bible anymore. It is survival of the organization in it's major declining years, which will become even shorter with all the smartphones, Facebook, etc. More countries will ban them until they invent more lies about their policies. Cowards.

    McDonalds is a real estate company with a sideline in burgers.

    The WBT Society is a real estate company with a sideline in religion.

    If suddenly McNuggets stop being profitable, McDs would end that line. The Watchtower and Awake have become unprofitable so the society is cutting production. Unfortunately they cant stop production because they believe they are a religion first.

    The Watchtower is an entity, an organization. Always first priority is the survival of the organization, at all costs.

    They have come full circle and are halfway down the other side of the mountain. (upstate New York)

    They have no charismatic leaders.

    They appear all completely stupid except the attorneys.

    Obviously they are getting LOADS of practical advice from intelligent businessman (obviously NOT themselves).

    Still encapsulating it in "new light."

    The public is going to reach a point where most people see them as comedy fodder more and more. Their tactics are so 1940s. Should we do a new video contest for them resembling Saturday Night Live? Look what attention Rick Fearon stirred up! Although he appears to be more intelligent than they are. And it was mostly bogus. But that's what gets the traffic.

    No one misses a parody on 19th century carnival shows like this. Monty Python would be perfect - what was the episode where 80 year old men commanded skyscrapers as battleships?

    Nothing is more powerful to derail a cult than not taking them seriously, and making parody. They hate it and then react and then make themselves out to be fools. It has killed many a cult. South Park has ruined careers with parodies of idiots.

    Brooklyn Park would be a good title (no one knows where anything is in upstate New York). Anyone with a sharp wit and sense of humor want to do an ongoing comedy short series via Teamviewer or the like that becomes an ongoing series? No anger, just mockery. This would breing them down to peanut farmers quicker than all other efforts put together! Use South Park as a model, only short clips, 5 minutes per week. I'm hosting and giving away $50 prizes to the best writers and Youtube video makers of each month. (Anticipated appearance of 13seconds.org in the Fall, after finishing AJWRB.ORG.).

    We will give away $100 in prizes a month to the best of the best entries. The judges will be ONLY those enrolled in the class, which will require each member to come up with articles or videos regularly, or will no longer be on the judging panel. People will think twice about knocking another's work, because theirs can be knocked down just as easy. No 75-pixel hit and runs like so many anon idiots on this forum. You diss someone, you are the next parody. :-)) Just kidding, but of course it will happen. With light moderation.

    No talking heads. No bad volume or dumb premises, and no preaching or emphasis on dissecting doctrines. No anger. No copyright infringements. Testimonies okay if they are not preachy. I assume there are still a few on this forum who have a sense of humor and not just ugliness.

    In my opinion, this approach will bring down David Miscavige, head of Scatology. (Sorry, sp, that was Scientology.) WAH! He has lost all his friends, including his beloved Tom Cruise. Go sock yourself in the face, oh great poobah.

    No more high leaders to beat up and slap to the ground, making his grunts sadistic torturers or receive it themselves. No one is going to defend losers who beat their own followers. They just scatter into squirrel organizations that like near-dead lions with no teeth evolving into grass-eaters for the new system.

    I would rather the WT stick around another 100 years! They would be like Christian Science and Mary Baker Eddy who have old money but who would dare enter their stupid reading rooms? Why kill the WT if they can make us laugh at them (and ourselves for being duped)?

    Many will still believe WT teachings for years to come. They just won't ever attend meetings.They don't give money as it is - they are generally the cheapest people in the world. Just watch their tips at a restaurant.

    "Oh, Death, where is thy sting?" Internet TV.

    Dogz

    This is not a joke. Email me if you are interested. ([email protected]). Only brand new material.

    I have already begun construction of the site on Freeminds.org.

    We also pay $50 a shot for articles I request from good writers. Once or twice a month. Several of you have already benefitted from that.

    We will have the most entertaining show on cults on the internet.

    Guaranteed.

    KEEP THE WATCHTOWER

  • mP
    mP

    dog

    why hasnt tom or travolta left sci?

  • wha happened?
    wha happened?

    I was going to say the same thing, Sapphy nailed it. If this "religion" wasn't so hell bent on killing it's members, I wouldn't be so bothered by it.

  • NOLAW
    NOLAW

    Billy the Ex-Bethelite:

    Cheap productions. Nothing worth watching-even when they are assigned on the Service Meeting. I do not get into the trouble. So boring. Especially those about our early history: they even spoil your mood.

  • Aussie Oz
    Aussie Oz

    These are my thoughts...

    The Corporation no longer needs the religion as a product to generate profit. It still does, but maybe not as much as it once did...

    It probably makes far more in all its investments and real estate deals.

    If the product no longer makes enough to justify speding too much cash on it, company's downsize enough to contain the bleed off and maintain a semblance of status quo. The WT still needs the religion product to keep the tax free con going. Thats one thing McDonalds don't have going for them!

    oz

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