Printing /Jehovah Ain't Paying!

by metatron 13 Replies latest jw friends

metatron

Here are some choice phrases quoted from the letter (dated Oct. 28) sent to congregations about changes in printing:
"saved us millions of dollars" , "additional savings" , "consolidated savings of money
and manpower", "less personel and more savings"
Brooklyn will remain the center of the organization but lose printing, binding, and
shipping. A new factory addition to Wallkill will add printing capacity there.
Also, the GB is looking at worldwide paper purchases to save money. The set of buildings
owned in Brooklyn will be "adjusted".
I can't quite understand why savings would be seen by moving all printing and shipping
out of a huge port/business center like New York city. However, perhaps if they plan to
subcontract book production to commercial firms, then shipping doesn't matter.
This could be a way out for them - if you want a CD or bound volume, perhaps they steer
you to an outside company WITH PRICES GIVEN.
Would this be a reason for announcing new publications by letter instead of the KM?
In any case, what I see here is firm evidence that Jehovah, the Creator of all the
gold and silver in the universe, isn't paying their bills. This desperate scrunging
to save a few cents per ream of paper is the WORK OF HUMANS, in a human ( and occasionaly
unhuman) organization - whose superfically fanatical members won't open their wallets
to fund this waste of activity.
Remind me how wonderful their statistics are.....
metatron
AGuest

Would this be a reason for announcing new publications by letter instead of the KM?

No, actually, fulfillment of Revelation 13:16, 17 would be the reason: KMs can easily be reproduced, that pretty much anyone can have access; however, letters to the congregations, not so easily (or at least they think...).
As for why all the change... I 'hear'... and now say to you, by means of the spirit grant me by my Lord, the Son of God, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH...
"Settlement agreements". Several... and for great amounts. You will not hear of them, however, as one provision of such agreements compel silence on the part of awardees... that they received any amount whatsoever... as well as how much. Failure to heed that provision will result in default of such agreement... and therefore, restitution to the WTBTS of any award(s) granted. That was the only way the "Borg would agree to pay, versus years of long, drawn out lawsuits, with accompanying legal bills, for the plaintiffs. Very legal... and happens all the time.
Peace to you!
A slave of Christ,
SJ
out4good3

announcing new publications by letter instead of the KM

Wheww !!!!!
They're really tightening the screws and battening down the hatches in JW land aren't they? NO more subscription service....downsizing and consolidating operations......15 minute publishing.....turning time in to BS conductors...special effort in searching out inactives....and now this. I read somewhere on this forum where it's been said pretty soon you wouldn't know where or when a meeting was going to be unless you went to the previous one before. At the rate they're consolidating control over the R\F, that's just around the corner.
Voyager

I read the information you posted, and no matter what kind of dollar saving system they come up with, their actions say loud and clear, that they are paying at lot of law suits, and losing a lot of money. They are their own worst enemy.
proandcon

Met...like most large international organizations today, the WTS is looking for ways to become more efficient and cost effective. Many companies are also seeking to shed assets and locate to areas of lower cost...just for survival. The WT is the same. They could make millions selling the prime real estate they have in Brooklyn (some recently refurbished or built). Additionally, they could better utilize the many acres in Wallkill mort effectively, especially since they ceased farming there and are now purchasing most of the food products from distributors. As far as shipping is concerned, they will still only be about 65 miles from the port or major airports. Also, Stewart Airport in Newburgh NY has freight service and is only about 10 miles away. They are under cost pressures like most everyone. Their revenue streams are less predictable. They have some real exposure with lawsuits for sure (but likely have some insurance coverage). Like others, they surely have seen large declines on their marketable securities and are receiving a significant reduction in interest income given today's low interest rates. From a strictly financial perspective, they.re trying to "stay alive".
outnfree

Proandcon,
But, but .... isn't Jehovah blessing the worldwide work anymore??? Haven't the publications time and time again touted the expansion in numbers and facilities as evidence of Jehovah's blessing? Surely Jehovah is not a penny-pinching God! Surely if Jehovah wanted the work to be successful the brothers would only have invested in stocks and other assets that would be money-makers despite anything Satan's old economy was doing, no?
outnfree (with tongue firmly planted in cheek)
twain30

Dear Met: What you said about the possibility of being steered to an outside firm to purchase bound volumes and CDs seems to be a very real possibility. A WBTS Representative recently told us that he can't remember the last congregation he was in whose contributions were equivalent to the literature received, and this is at the prices given 11 years ago prior to the voluntary donation arrangement! He added that "We're not getting free subscriptions anymore and maybe that's the reason." He then proceeded to comment about how best to use our material resources and ended it by saying, "But the Society will never beg for money."
metatron

I appreciate your technical points - but my wonder still remains. Shipping costs
, in volume, are always a concern for a large company. I can't see how shipping from
the backwoods of NY compares with volume costs of being IN a port.
I'm not sure about real estate in Brooklyn, either. While the buildings are in excellent
shape, the question arises 'who wants to buy an enormous factory in Brooklyn, NY?'
Remember, that they bought some of these properties from other companies looking to
escape FROM NYC - and the fixed costs of using such large properties (Squibb).
Who needs rustbelt property in excellent shape? Similarily, I know LOTS of folks
in NY state who will never get the value out of their beautiful homes - because real estate
prices are held down by long term loss of employers.
Maybe the residential property has some value - especially to a special buyer if they
have Olympics or a World's Fair or something. Keep in mind that many of these 'hotel'
properties were in crappy shape when they bought them - because the commercial owners couldn't
keep them up with free labor.( Towers was full of prostitutes).
NYC is headed for huge tax increases - anybody know how 'hot' the Society's properties
are?
metatron
Utopian_Raindrops

I realy don't think it is financial reasons thier doing any of this....not at all.
I realy think that they feel TRIBULATION will be here soon and thier setting up for it is all.
They've never realy worried about money.Sheep like ones are not stingy...even the poorest. I am one of the few people I know that hardly ever donated. I was just never in a position too give much money.Al though I did give some,of course. Most JW's I knew had a set amount they gave each month based on what the origanal "Voluntary" donation was set on per publication. Each year they would bump up thier donation based on how much they felt costs had rised.
I actually had an M.S. give me an old Watchtower COST LIST...so I would have an idea on what to donate so as to pay my fair share.
It's from Sept.1,1989...Have it right here....I remember feeling grateful recieving this until I opened it.
You see I had always been taught that all donation prices were at cost...no mark up......or at least that is what I was lead to believe.
Of course the MARK UP doesn't seem much realy....just I was taught at cost and so this bothered me. When I asked why...The M.S. said it was so pioneers could suport thier work. I felt semi-better, but still felt odd that the pioneers might be getting some of the donated money because, once again I had been taught that they suported thier own ministry by getting secular work.....like Paul was a Tent Maker.
Anyway in this COST LIST everything is modest of course but, when you think in numbers....how many placed and actual donation given per person...it could realy add up!
Under Bound Books:
The Truth Tat Leads To Eternal Life................ 50cents Pio. $1.00 cong and Public
Same price for "Is This Life All here Is?","Good News-To Make You happy", Etc.
Bibles(Controled Stock Item)...........................9.20 pio and for cong and public
Brochures Like"Enjoy Life On Earth Forever!","Look I Am Making Things New"...were 15 censt for Pioneers and 30 cents to the cong and public.
I think the most expensive thing in here is Watchtower Edition Large Print Bible (4 Volumes).....It Is Only $ 22.00 For Pioneers and $28.00 cong and public.
I think I reconcilded this by the LOW size of set "Donations"although it did for a time bother me that the cong payed the public's set "Donation" or that anyone had a different set "Donation" at all.
Anyway, I realy don't think law suits or money trouble is what is behind any changes the GB makes. I realy believe they think they are annointed and that they will believe that strongly of themselves unless Jehovah And Jesus Tell Them other wise. They are not afraid of man....or economy....or news teams...law suits...none of it. If they had any fear they'd have oppoligized to many people...admit mistakes and move on in serving God because with fear would come relization of mistakes in treatment of the sheep. But they feel JUSTIFYED in all they do.Or ALLOW done by elders whom are under thier direction.(They would argue that each cong is independant....but if so why then can people get dissed for thier teachings?? why does each cong have to teach only what they publish?? another thread though.)
And money.....they are rich! There is no real squeeze on them....they probly have money none of us realize.Investments...propertys...etc. Just they don't seem to live high on the hog...which I find puzzling cause where's it go??
As a convert one of the things I learned from them was how WEALTHY chritendom was and how they allowed the poor to do with out...even right infrount of thier churches. Well looks to me in the name of spiritual food 1st...WTBS has done the same....if not worse because they have NO PROGRAMS for the everyday needy...NONE. They have relief work that gets done infrount of NEWS CAMERAS at disasters.....and Kingdom Hall Quick Builds...done in 2 days...aslo with At least LOCAL News Coverage. But as for charity to the fatherless boys and widows and poor familys...that would get done on a more quite and secret level...That few would see except the ones recieving and Jehovah And Jesus....none. and that is "The Truth" about "The Truth"
Well...my 2cents worth.....no refunds mind you!
agape,
bye bye 4 now
Utopian_Raindrops
metatron

I used to do accounts and the 'voluntary donation' arrangement just about put the
Society into full panic mode.
Contributions plunged to about of what they used to be - less if you count inflation.
The KM's around that time EMPHASIZED contributions in meeting after meeting.
They can rationalize all they want about how this downsizing won't effect the preaching
work. Subscriptions got into places they couldn't reach door to door - and the large print
stuff was appreciated by those with poor eyesight - no more!
They hope dumping subs will bolster meeting attendance - more likely it just means
less reading/attention paid to the magazines with more reminders that they're 'piling up'.
Even the Governing Body doesn't keep up with the reading!
metatron

Printing /Jehovah Ain't Paying!

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