scams scams and more scams

by zev 34 Replies latest jw friends

zev

Ding....
A bell went off. I wonder why it took me so long.
VeniceIT posted a link in her story on her sight to this article, which I scanned into text and repost here. The point being, that this is one scam to make money by the borg. Only evident after a recent announcement that we won't have to pay for parking any longer. I wish to uncover another. Heres the story...
Stealing The Collection Plate
Jehovah's witnesses Take Tacoma to the Cleaners
By Brian Winchell
Excommunications, end of the world prophecies, strict orders that mandate members shall not make friends outside of the organization; this is what the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society commonly known as Jehovah's Witnesses is all about. When they flock to the Tacoma Dome this weekend for the fourth in a series of conventions, the Watchtower Society will run away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in parking fees that, if they abide by their contract with the Dome, should stay here in Tacoma. The situation has caused a crisis of conscience for 51 year old, Bruce Baker, a lifelong Jehovah's Witness, For the past several years, Baker served on the Watchtower Convention Commit tee (WCC) which oversees the functions of the Watchtower Convention at the Tacoma Dome. In early June, Baker was excommunicated for raising concerns about the organization's financial practices and several of its beliefs, particularly the one that defines the Watchtower Society as the only conduit to God's true message. As a result of the excommunication, Bakers oldest daughter and son-in-law can no longer speak to him and he has lost touch with his19 month old granddaughter. Many of his friends are likewise no longer speaking with him, for fear of being excommunicated themselves. "This is a big boat to rock," Baker said. "I've discovered a tot or things about the organization on the Internet and from being one of the higher ups in the area." Just what did Baker find out that resulted in his excommunication? Last January, at a pre-convention meeting, he was told by Mark Lahfdany, another leader of the WCC, that the contract with the Dome specifically states that the Watchtower Society cannot charge for parking. Yet at assembly halls, Baker says Jehovah's Witnesses are frequently told that to not pay the parking "contribution" would be a sin. A February letter from the Watchtower Society in New York to the Tacoma chapter refers to a "per-day suggested parking contribution" yet goes on to refer to a ticket that can be acquired in advance for all three days. Does a contribution require a ticket? Perhaps most telling about what the Society really expects from its members is this line from the letter: "Parking Department attendants should be on hand in full force when the lots open each morning. Otherwise delegates park and do not contribute, which is unfair to those who come later and make a contribution." If the parking "contribution" is not a requirement, as the contract with the Dome states it must not be then why do attendants need to be out In "full force" to ensure that everyone contributes? With over 10.000 attendees at the three-day convention, the Watchtower Society collects over $120,000 from the parking "donations" of one convention, money that usually goes into the pockets of the Tacoma Dome. Last Friday, Baker sent information to Mayor Brian Ebersole, city Manager Ray Corpur and City Council member Kevin Phelps urging them to take action against the organization. None could be reached for comment. What may stop them from raising the issue, however, is the fact that the Watchtower Society fills the Dome for a month straight during the down season, thereby contributing money to the local economy. And, as Baker points out in his letter to the three politicians, the New York headquarters for the organization has "strongly intimated that if the Dome tries to flex with pricing at all they wilt pull out and go somewhere else." Which leads to the question: Would we really miss them?
Ok....heres my question...
How many of you present active j-dubs and now ex-j-dubs, happened to notice that expenses for the assemblies SKYROCKETED, AFTERthe borg stopped providing food and meals at the assemblies?
Things that make you go....HMMMMMMM
Ours for example, TRIPLED after we had the food issue removed. You would have thought, no food, expenses go down. Not here. Maybe it was just a local thing, but thats why I'm asking.
Thanks for the information VeniceIT, and for telling us your story.
__
zev
Sitting on the Wrong Side of the Fence Class
Pathofthorns

I scratch my head at figures of $5000 (canadian) for a two day assembly at a paid-for, tax-exempt assembly hall with no food expenses. Many others wonder about these figures and where the money goes, considering the assembly hall is used nearly ever weekend of the year, $5000 worth of operating and maintenance per week seems excessive.
The figure has dropped from about $12000/ weekend when we had the food service on a donation basis, so I can't say cost has gone up, but I still can't see why it is so high.
Path
somebody

good afternoon zev,
As you know, I've haven't been to an assembly in years and years. Since I was 18 and living at home with my parents, actually. This is probably niave of me to say, but I didn't know people PAID to go to assemblies. ( besides for food back then, and whatever contribution my parents may have put into the contribution box, and the price of whatever book was being released. ) My parents never told us that the had to pay.
I know that you have to pay for a 2 night stay in a hotel room,but what else is included in the thousands of dollars that you said that the assemblies cost? Is there anything else you would add to the list below?
The cost of a 2 day assembly is staggering! I have my own suspicions, but I don't want to say, till you break it down for me, if you can.
Food
Hotel
Gas
Liturature released
Contribution
peace,
somebody
PS...how many assemblies are held per year?
zev

good afternoon zev,

hello there
As you know, I've haven't been to an assembly in years and years.
Since I was 18 and living at home with my parents, actually.

yup, know that quite well.
This is probably niave of me to say, but I didn't know people PAID to go to assemblies.
( besides for food back then, and whatever contribution my parents may have put into the
contribution box, and the price of whatever book was being released. ) My parents never
told us that the had to pay. I know that you have to pay for a 2 night stay in a hotel
room,but what else is included in the thousands of dollars that you said that the
assemblies cost? Is there anything else you would add to the list below?

I think you may be misunderstanding me. Let me clearify what I was refering to.
The amount of money I'm talking about for the assembly is the amount of expenses
the circuit or district expends for the rental of the building, parking and other needs.
I wasn't specifically talking about the amount of money that I pay out of my pocket,
or anyone elses. We are supposed to help cover the cost of these expenses incured
by making a contributiion. What ever that amount is, is something personal between ourselves
and the, well whatever. The amount of money I personaly expend is not important to
me and i wasn't refering to that at all in my disscussion. What I was elluding to
was the fact, and I know both my wife and I noticed this, is that AFTER the food arraingment
was done away with, there was a marked INCREASE in the expenses they were anouncing to the r&f
at the assembly as to what it cost. In my mind, take the food away, you take and expense
therefore costs should go DOWN, not up. With the news of this parking scandel {I hadn't heard
about it before last week} I started thinking. I guess what I'm getting at is we {the r&f} are
paying for the profits derived from these assemblys by means of our own wallets. I dont object
to the fact that it does indeed cost money to run these thing. No argument there.
But this is supposed to be a NON-PROFIT orginization. Guess someone forgot that.
The cost of a 2 day assembly is staggering!

Undoubtedly, just don't ask the rank and file to pay for it and make a profit from it too.
I have my own suspicions, but I don't want to say, till you break it down for me,
if you can.

share those thoughts with us please
Food
Hotel
Gas
Liturature released
Contribution
peace,
somebody
PS...how many assemblies are held per year?
one major 3 day district
one two day circuit
one one day circuit
In total three per year.
__
zev
Sitting on the Wrong Side of the Fence Class
RedhorseWoman

But this is supposed to be a NON-PROFIT orginization. Guess someone forgot that.

Non-profit? Not likely. Initially, I was astounded to read about the true costs of publishing WT literature (I think the info is on Randy's site), and producing the CD-Roms, as opposed to the amount of "donation" that is expected.
Considering the fact that the most expensive parts of publishing are labor and advertising/marketing costs, and these parts are taken care of through volunteers, there really isn't much expense involved at all.
I've heard that the expected contribution for a CD is between $50 and $100. That is absurd. The cost for materials is nil, and they certainly don't have to pay design teams or programmers to create the info. It all pretty much a straight copy onto a $.50 CD.
Even retail programs begin selling for less than $20 after the initial R&D costs are covered.
expatbrit

Non-profit, or not-for-profit can be a very misleading term.
An organization can be not-for-profit, but still make an awful lot of money. This is simply referred to in accounting terminology as "having an excess of income over expenditure". It's not "profit", because the org. is not (on paper) a commercial enterprise.
Any org. that's expenses exceed income won't be around very long. Of course, the whole area is open to abuse by those who see it as an method of tax evasion.
Expatbrit
stephenw20

well then
who are the annuities for
http://www.ins.state.ny.us/cdcha.htm
scroll down to w
HalfWayThere

RedhorseWoman,
in Australia, before the change of policy to give donations instead of paying a set fee for literature, the Watchtower Library CD cost AUS$15, which would have amounted to roughly US$10 at the time.
Owen (HalfWayThere)
VeniceIT

Things that make you go hmmmmm ohh ya!!!
Thanks again Zev,
Venice
somebody

zev,
yes, I did misunderstand. I thought you were saying that it cost about 4G to attend for one weekend! Hey, I'm not part of the dumbass class for no reason ya know.
At approx. $12.00 a publisher, the society ain't making out too bad.
I didn't realize that Ministerial servants could view or "know" any finacial matters of the the assembly costs. What is the job/privelege that MS's hold? Is it their resposibilty to take care of paperwork and records reported to the society?
RHW,
I've heard that the expected contribution for a CD is between $50 and $100. That is absurd. The cost for materials is nil, and they certainly don't have to pay design teams or programmers to create the info. It all pretty much a straight copy onto a $.50 CD.
I read that somewhere too. I think it was in a kingdom ministry. not sure...I remember the gyst was "encouraging" r&f to "donate" 50 to $100.00 for the CDs. I'll have to search for the kingdom ministry and read it again.
peace,
somebody

scams scams and more scams

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