by maksutov 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I believe they are just "moving" their money around so as to appear financially insolvent when the new lawsuits come rolling in.
I'd say "FOLLOW THE MONEY" but that would take a court order since they are not required to disclose anything publicly.
Doc
Mak, they have ab initio equated their income with divine blessing. This notion is built into the governing body DNA.
Due to the world market decline from 2008, possibly by bad investments, bad publicity and potentially crippling court cases; the income has dropped. It is probably significant that the regular contributions from the rank and file have diminished greatly due not only to the aforementioned troubles but also from a new wave of scepticism from within the congregations. I see this as an automatic response to doubting the authority of the leadership...withholding contributions to an already very rich religious organisation with Armageddon after all “just around the corner”...why would they need so much money? Rank and file drop in contributions must signal alarm to the GB.
Nevertheless after a very cursory investigation on this site, it looks like the JW org annual income is around 1.5 to 2 billion Dollars. Such an amount would give a lot of creditworthiness with any bank and therefore flexibility in difficult times.
Let’s hope the punters keep reducing the contributions and the expenditures rapidly increase! The scenario will be played out as a sign of the imminence of the end as encouraged by Brooklyn... but where can they go when this stunt is also proved to be false? Only if they have squillions of Dollars in property and in the bank, and with an effective propaganda machine, can they live to fool the flock again...and hence I think the reason for their ruthless money grabbing.
They won't go bankrupt, but if they come upon increasingly difficult times financially they'll be likely to start downsizing and selling off KHs to take the money while simultaneously continuing their recent pattern of shamelessly asking for money in every way they can come up with. I expect that both of these will shake a few loose of their grasp. Hearing ever increasing demands for money and getting nothing in return for your contributions as your KH is sold out from under you and you're required to drive long distances - I expect many will reach a breaking point. Maybe they don't wake up right away, but this could be enough to cause many to stop attending and give them the mental space needed to start to see other flaws and overcome their phobia of "apostate information" and wake up.
I don't expect this cult to disappear anytime soon, but anything that gives another opportunity for the r/f JWs to wake up and get out of this abusive cult is a good thing.
Considering it is a Pharisee-like organization and it is Jehovah God who will ultimately manipulate their downfall or expose them for who they really are, which I believe is happening right now, nothing can stop their downfall. The governing body will scramble like little lab rats trying to cover their rear-ends (Morris finally cutting that mane) trying to move and save as much wealth as possible (power no longer there, money takes over). It reminds me of Ray Franz whom the governing body gave $10k to, when he resigned from the board. Anyone know of someone getting such as nice sendoff?
The members will temporarily be left without a central authority i.e. governing body, leadership and eventually the Christian model will return to the congregations with elders taking the lead on a local level. Just like in Biblical times.
IMHO.
If they went bankrupt they will have been very foolish with their funds...but if they did, they may not even tell the bros. They have vast assets which they can use as collateral to borrow money and if that does not work out they can sell off property to reduce or pay off debts. The key thing for them is to keep the faithful in the fold and paying money into the coffers but even here many will suspect what would be going on and pull away.
The trend in religious membership is to be “spiritual”. This late 20th century phenomenon is part of the personal and self regarding approach to faith which disregards authoritarian dogma. It is in evidence here on this site where believers report that they go along to the meetings but do not accept the Borg mentality and regulations... and it probably is part of the reason why WTBTS funds are dropping.
The beliefs could well remain if the org collapses. Already the doctrines of JWs are evident outside of the WTBTS, especially in Africa, (BK is JWism on steroids) they will splinter more rapidly if the money fails and the centre does not hold so the fear and threats from the anxious GB would increase, losing many believers in the process and the remaining flock would have to adopt a siege mentality... very unhealthy!
Well that’s one scenario!
OK, so on this thread at least, most people seem to agree that they won't go bankrupt any time soon. But that wasn't what I was asking really! The question is a hypothetical one - what if they did? What would happen next? I'm not normally one for speculating about things that are not likely to happen, but I find this particular question intriguing because for some groups/organisations/companies, bankruptcy is game over - but not, I think, for a religious cult as large as this one.
They would simply spin it as Satan attacking them via persecution but the point we are all making is the question is indeed hypothetical but pointless as they will never go bankrupt.
The bigger questions they need to answer is how to justify to dubs they are the FDS and that we are in the last days when we are getting further and further away from 1914 with each year...at some point they will need to remove 1914 from the picture and how do they do that without a massive wakeup call to the dubs.
The JW cult is going no where. It will remain, more than likely, smaller in size. I agree with what someone else posted earlier, their doctrines will be exposed more on the internet and you will see no growth. Any hope of survival will on the backs of the born ins but I am sure some will decide to jump ship there too.
As frustrating as this is, I always remind myself that they will NEVER receive another cent or 1 second of my time ever again.
Bankruptcy = no money.
No money = no Watchtower.
Tenacious: it is Jehovah God who will ultimately manipulate their downfall or expose them for who they really are
Would that it were so, but I'm far from convinced!
Half banana: they may not even tell the bros
Interesting thought - it would be a matter of public record though, so the rank and file would probably find out anyway (the media would report on it, surely). I think more likely that they would spin it as an attack from Satan.
Vidiot: Bankruptcy = no money.
No money = no Watchtower.
Does it though? Perhaps no printed magazine, but an online Watchtower is still feasible even without funds isn't it?
