Hi everyone
I know Gayle has already started a thread on the latest November 15th Watchtower article that mentions the article on donations, but I thought a thread with a more specific title might be in order just to drive the point home for any lurkers. I hope Gayle doesn't mind!
I've been banging the drum for a while now about what I view as the obvious signs that the Watchtower is in a state of decline.
I have written the following blog articles on the subject...
http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/branch-closures-and-fire-sales-a-growing-trend-for-the-society
http://jwsurvey.org/general-information/what-does-the-future-hold-for-the-watch-tower-society
But to summarize, the signs are obvious because...
- The organization has halved it's monthly magazine printing commitments since 2005
- Branches are closing down at an alarming rate. Last year saw an unprecedented 16% drop in branch numbers
- The push to liquidate lucrative property assets in Brooklyn, even in an economic downturn when market values are lower
- The push to install credit card machines, even in Assembly Halls
Now, we have a full page in our latest November 15th Watchtower devoted to highlighting the various means by which publishers can donate.
It reads as follows...
HOW SOME CHOOSE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLDWIDE WORK
As in the apostle Paul’s day, many today “set something aside,” or budget, an amount of money and place it in the congregation contribution boxes labeled “Worldwide Work.” (1 Cor. 16:2) Each month, congregations forward these contributions to the office of Jehovah’s Witnesses that serves their country. It is also possible for you to send donations directly to a legal entity that is used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in your country. To learn the name of the primary legal entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in your country, please contact the branch office that serves the country. The address of the branch office can be found on www.jw.org. The types of donations that you can send directly are the following:
OUTRIGHT DONATIONS
- Donations of cash, jewelry, or other valuable personal property.
- Include a letter indicating that the cash or the items are an outright donation.
CONDITIONAL DONATION ARRANGEMENT
- Donations of cash with the condition that it can be returned if needed by the donor.
- Include a letter stating that the donation is conditional.
CHARITABLE PLANNING
In addition to gifts of money and valuable personal property, there are other methods of giving to benefit Kingdom service worldwide. These are listed below. Regardless of the method or methods you would like to use, please first contact the branch office that serves your country to see which methods are available in the country. Since legal requirements and tax laws vary, it is important to consult qualified tax and legal advisers before choosing the best way to donate.
Insurance: A donation made by specifying an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or a retirement/pension plan.
Bank Accounts: Bank accounts, certificates of deposit, or individual retirement accounts set up as a trust or made payable on death to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in accord with local bank requirements.
Stocks and Bonds: Stocks and bonds donated to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses as an outright gift or by means of a Transfer on Death agreement.
Real Estate: Salable real estate donated to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses, either by making an outright gift or, in the case of residential property, by reserving a life estate to the donor, who can continue to live in the residence during his or her lifetime.
Gift Annuity: Money or securities donated to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses under an arrangement where the donor, or someone designated by the donor, receives a specified annuity payment every year for life. The donor receives an income-tax deduction for the year in which the gift annuity is established.
Wills and Trusts: Property or money may be bequeathed to an entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses by means of a legally executed will or by specifying the entity as the beneficiary of a trust agreement. This arrangement may provide certain tax advantages.
As the term “charitable planning” implies, these types of donations typically require some planning on the part of the donor. To assist individuals desiring to benefit the worldwide work of Jehovah’s Witnesses through some form of charitable giving, a brochure entitled Charitable Planning to Benefit Kingdom Service Worldwide has been prepared in English and Spanish. The brochure was written to provide information on a variety of ways that gifts may be made now or later, as through a bequest at death. The information covered in this brochure may not apply fully to your situation because of tax or other laws in your country. Hence, after reading the brochure, you should confer with your own legal or tax advisers. By using such methods of charitable giving, many have been able to help support our religious and humanitarian activities worldwide and maximize their tax benefits. If available in your country, the brochure may be obtained by requesting a copy from the secretary of the local congregation.
For more information, you may contact the Charitable Planning Office, either in writing or by telephone, at the address listed below, or you may contact the branch office that serves your country.
The above information is preceded on page 8 with an article entitled "Their Surplus Offset a Deficiency", which points to the biblical precedent for donating towards the preaching work. Perhaps this title says it all.
In short, the Society is now getting so desperate for cash, it not only needs to devote pages of its Study Edition to spelling out the ways of donating - it has also released a special brochure that goes into precise detail on how people can donate! This is pretty much unheard of from my younger years. I wonder how much longer it will be before they go the whole stretch and introduce tithing to supplement their dwindling revenues?
Cedars