Experience with Former Elder regarding contributions at Conventions

by Momma-Tossed-Me 28 Replies latest jw friends

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  Momma-Tossed-Me

  I recently had the opportunity to visit with a former Elder who has successfully faded without getting Df'd, but he is completely aware of the sham.

  He was the main accounts guy for the conventions in his circuit. He related a very telling story to me the other day that I thought I would share with you.

  He related an experience at a local convention that I attended as a child. He said that after the contribution collection on Saturday at the end of the session they were in the black to the tune of about $7-8000.

  After relating that to the higher ups and society reps he was instructed to not mention the fact that the expenses were covered in his announcement the next day only encourage the brothers to keep kingdom interest first and contribute to cover the expenses of the convention....which had already been covered. He said that he felt like he lied to all of the attendees.

  He said that it was at that moment he began to question the entire organization. He then paid closer attention to the things that were bothering him.

  I related to him that at conventions now there was some sort of administrative fee stuck into the operating costs to the tune of $5-8000. Nobody knows why it is just in there. Perhaps some here can confirm or deny this claim.

  I feel like this is common operating procedure at these things. Can someone who has worked in this area or been some sort of heavy within the org confirm this practive of over charging the attendees.

  I think it goes without saying, the Society operates their "ministry" at a profit while the rank and file operate their ministry at a defintie loss.

  MTM
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  hoser

  There are other threads on this board talking about this same thing. What I understand is that the "expenses incurred in relation to this special assembly day" have nothing to do with the costs of the assembly(rent, travel for speaker etc). There is some kind of per publisher rate that is levied.

  When the accounts are read, there is always a deficit but at the next assembly there miraculously is a surplus from the previous assembly that the elders have voted to send to the worldwide work.

  Income tax records for charities are open for the public to see in this country. The expenses stated at the assembly are always way higher than what the circuit has claimed on their tax return. I wonder what the tax auditer would think about this?

  hoser
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  Momma-Tossed-Me

  There are lot of other threads discussing the same things over and over, thanks for pointing out the obvious.
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  hoser

  It was because of the previous threads that started me investigating the goings on in my own circuit. I wonder if I should report the discrepencies to the revenue agency?
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  Momma-Tossed-Me

  A worthy cause in these hard economic times as our goverments need the tax revenue, just show up armed with the facts.
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  hoser

  they welcome anonymous tips as well. If they have reason to believe something is amiss, they will audit.
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  Refriedtruth

  Whistle-blowers now get a BIG cut of the discovery and fortune 500 companies especially chemical pharmaceutical companies are scared s**tless of employees/members ratting them out

  Whistle-blower Protection Program

  http://www.whistleblowers.gov/

  
• 

  Refriedtruth

  

  We should ALL be unrelenting dog the Watchtower whistleblowers.

  The Jehovah's Witnesses Watchtower cult is rotten to the core.
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  flipper

  MOMMA TOSSED ME- Goreat thread, thanks for posting it. I'm glad the elder you knew got smart and faded from the organization. It's amazing how dishonest the WT society leaders and organization are. They certainly are rotten at the top and it trickles down
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  elderelite

  100% accurate momma.... And this year the per publisher rate is 4 per pub per congregation assigned to attend in the usa. I asked and gOt a break down for my cuircit:

  " expenses" were over all listed at about 10k (i had exact numbers, im rounding to preserve some semblance of my annomity cause im in a cult)

  Of that 10k, only 1500 were actual expenses related to operation! The richmond assembly hall was paid for long ago (as most are are if they is a mortgage its held by the branch anyway!). So the 1500 was essentially electricity, water and general upkeep items.. Fair enough. 1000 (again general number for purpose of discussion) people for two days use a lotta essentials... So i asked what the hell the other 8500 was.....

  Branch 'suggested' donation. At 4 per person thats $4000. But wait!!! EE, thats only $5500, not 10k....

  Its $4 per pub... Per day. So for a two day event thats 8k, plus the 1500, along with speaker expenses (bethel speaker, DO and CO) of $500 takes you to 10k

  And 8k of it is strait to bethel for no specified reason beyond a 'suggested' donation per publisher. This is a real life example from just a few weeks ago. Dishonest in the extreme to call that an 'expense associated with the assembly'.