When selling was preaching ...

by Hecce 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Hecce

  I am going way, way back. History reveals that in the beginning the WT was just a publishing house, selling books and magazines; over the years it evolved into what it is today.

  The placement of the original publications was mostly done thru sales people masquerading as preachers. I don’t know the English name for them; in Spanish they were called “repartidores”. These workers were getting a commission out of selling or placing their inventory; they had an account with the Central Office and submitted a report on a weekly basis with their sales activity.

  Later on during the Rutherford years this privilege was extended to the flock and the report slip became an integral part of the publisher’s life. For many years the most commented field in that report was the placement of books, subscriptions and magazines. As an incentive and with the excuse of covering cost there was a discount given to the publishers.

  As an example, for many years:

  Books: $00.50 to the public, $00.45 for the publisher and $00.10 for pioneers.

  Magazines: $00.05 to the public, $00.04 for the publisher and $00.01 for pioneers.

  There were also discounts in booklets and subscriptions. I hope that if I made a mistake with this figures some of the old timers will correct me.

  The congregations and publishers had accounts where a record of their activity was kept including credit and how much they owed. If they were not careful and didn’t keep the accounts current, their supplies were cut off.

  During so many years the main experiences at meetings and conventions were related to the placement of publications and some of the brothers were really proficient at this. It might not seem like a lot but for a regular or special pioneer placing a large amount of publications it was a very profitable deal.

  All of this was changed over the years, due to the economy and Government regulations but for many years the business model of the Watchtower was that of a Publishing Company posing as a religion.

  Excuse if this subject that has been treated before. I am new and I think that it might of interest to anyone who learned the “truth” in the last 20 years.

  Thanks for reading.
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  wearewatchingyouman

  This was just discussed in part the other day - http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/experiences/268805/1/This-weeks-LIE-in-the-brochure#.UsG_fkko6M8

  Welcome!
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  Hecce

  OOPS
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  wearewatchingyouman

  lol... nothing to "oops" about.... Posting new topics on topics that have been discussed at nauseum is the norm around here. Always good to get slightly different perspectives. There must be 20,000 threads on 1914
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  Bruja-del-Sol

  I remember those days Hecce. And all of a sudden we were told that we were no longer 'selling' the magazines and books, no we gave them away. Well, no... we weren't allowed to tell the householder that it was 'free' or 'gratis', no we had to say that we gave them 'free of charge' (I don't know how it was called in English, in Dutch it was called 'kosteloos', which literally translates to 'free of charge'...).

  And from that moment on publishers were no longer allowed to keep the money the householders gave them. No, everything was 'for Jehovah', so in the KH you had to pay (if you were honest :D) for the magazines, then give them away in FS and if you got paid by householders you had to give that money too... In my opinion this was double BINGO for the WTS, I didn't understand it and it always felt like a rip off for the publishers. So to be honest, after that change I never paid anything anymore for whatever book, magazine or whatever they came up with.
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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  HECCE SAID: in Spanish they were called “repartidores''

  or adquisidor, vendedor de puerta en puerta

  English Translation: Colporteur ....a peddler of religious books

  After 130 years, it still is a publishing house of books, magazines, and tracts. The only difference today is that nobody gets paid. When was the last time anyone was sent out and just preached about the Bible? Why is the ''Watchtower Magazine '' still being read? Why were the old 185-195 page books always offered? .......Maybe because they had too many collecting dust in a warehouse?
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  Hecce

  Thanks for the assist.

  The whole money grabbing mentality is the same; the only thing is that the means to do it are different, more sophisticated.
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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  Jehovah's Witnesses and Jimmy Swaggart From The Watchtower - May 15, 1960, page 295: "The Scriptures justify the 'war strategy' of hiding true facts from the enemy." Few Jehovah's Witnesses know the truth about The Watchtower Society and Jimmy Swaggart's day in court. Why did the Watchtower Society change its literature distribution program in 1990, eliminating set prices for literature items? JWs believe the Governing Body instituted a "simplified" arrangement. Few know the change really took place because Jimmy Swaggart lost his case in court. In a February 21, 1990 letter to congregations, the Society explained the new policy this way: By adopting a method of literature distribution based completely on donation, Jehovah's people are able to greatly simplify our Bible education work and separate ourselves from those who commercialize religion. However, this is what really happened: Early 1980 State of California informs Jimmy Swaggart Ministries that tax is due for religious books and tapes sold in the state since 1974. Swaggart eventually pays the tax--$183,000.00--but sues for a refund. The case begins moving toward the U.S. Supreme Court. February, 1989 U.S. Supreme Court rules it is illegal for Texas (and 14 other states) to exempt religious books from sales tax. Some states had been taxing religious books all along. Summer, 1989 WT Society gives away "free" books released at U.S. conventions. Witnesses are instructed to place donations in contribution boxes to cover the cost. June 22, 1989 Watchtower Society, files amicus curiae ("friend of the court") brief with U.S. Supreme Court in Jimmy Swaggart case. Others filing similar briefs include National Council of Churches and Society for Krishna Consciousness. January 17, 1990 U.S. Supreme Court rules against Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, declaring that the sales tax must be paid. February 9, 1990 WT Society writes letter to congregations announcing that literature will no longer be sold at Kingdom Hall and no price will be set in door-to-door distribution. February 25, 1990 February 9th letter from Society is read at Sunday meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses across the United States. March 1, 1990 New policy of distributing literature without naming a price goes into effect. The March 15, 1990, WATCHTOWER magazine and March 22nd AWAKE!--printed earlier--still say "25 cents (U.S.) a copy" and "$5.00 (U.S.) per year." The April 1, 1990, Watchtower no longer carries a price. March 11, 1990 Announcement is made at Kingdom Halls in the U.S. that food will be available at no cost, on a freewill donation basis, at JW conventions.
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  Hecce

  Probably that court case was the only thing that stopped the publications as their main source of revenue. To their infamous credit they discovered quickly other ways to milk the dubs.
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  SadElder

  Somewhere I have a copy of the Field Service report, or whtever it was then called, that has a column or line for "Sales". If I still have it I'll scan it.