Help Me Undertand...

by DarioKehl 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  dubstepped

  I have two words for you:
  BAD INVESTMENTS

  What in the world could you invest in so poorly at to ruin the millions of dollars they have coming in at will? They have a lot tied up in real estate, but that can't all be bad. It seems like they would have had to tie up a tremendous amount in something that quickly went south. My friend seems to think that the sexual abuse payouts will cripple them, but I don't think it is but a drop in the bucket, so there would have to be some huge mishandling of money.

  I don't doubt you if this is indeed the case, I just can't imagine what investment would be so horrid so as to cripple the finances of a company that is just given tax free money at will. It certainly wouldn't be very "discreet" to invest so unwisely.
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  Crazyguy

  I think these new tactics are designed to make them look broke. But also let's not forget the numbers they report maybe artificial and there's no where near 8 million. Even if there is 8 million publishers take away the kids, teenagers, and most people in developing countries and you don't have a lot of people left to donate. Of the million or less that can afford to donate how many actually do. Stealing all the money from the khs was a tell tale sign that something is up. We know their bleeding numbers we know religion as a whole is loosing members we know that since 2008 many don't have enough money to feed themselves let alone donate.

  So maybe there getting all the cash they can now and all the property and now are just going to ride the bull till it has no more to give, then close up shop and call it good. Like a homeowner that's house is about to be foreclosed on and he knows he can make up the money owed, so he moves out and rents the place to a tenant, then pockets the rent money until the bank finally take the house away.
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  cognac

  Dubstepped - I think it was multiple investments.

  Also, I agree with you, the child abuse lawsuits probably wouldn't be a drop in the bucket.
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  Sabin

  Their investments are in the people they control, there is a lot of rich JDub`s that donate a lot of money & a lot of oldies that leave everything to them when they pop their clogs. The money is banked over seas in off shore accounts. It`s not as hard as you think to buy off the right kind of people. The GB are only the figure head of the ship, the people behind them who are involved with the finances know exactly what they are doing, they are not stupid, that's what they are betting on us to think. They will play the innocent card just as they have with the child abuse issues. How can you believe they don't have the money, they are hiding it, it`s business as usual. They did this in France a few years ago, their not allowed to own property there when they were required to pay tax they moved everything from the rented bethel accommodation to U.K. & got out of it. Simple.
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  cognac

  Totally disagree with you Sabin. Not that easy to hide it when people are looking.

  Also, their growth is mostly with very poor people or born-ins that rarely get a college education. Not like years before when people coming in had a college education.

  And, yes, very educated people have lost a lost of money in bad investments, it is possible.
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  Pete Zahut

  I believe this is 100% intentional. It will spook the average JW into thinking, "holy shit! we need to fork over even MORE $$$--they're obviously in trouble" when they're actually back stroking in cash like Scrooge MacDuck.

  In my mind, just the opposite could happen. All those having doubts prompted by the recent doctrinal changes or financial grabs or those who view any success the organization experiences, is related to Jehovah's blessing, may begin to smell a rat and feel justified in withholding any financial support until everything is sorted out and explained thoroughly to them.
  
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  Fisherman

  They are in the top 40 riches companies in the world.

  You are right. And the work, and a lot of materials are donated, and besides that, tax exempted, and the money from the sale of the Brooklyn properties alone, and besides that, investments to generate more money. WT has the money to complete its projects. These projects are done very cheap. Even locally, there are always individual JWs with $$ that will finance KH building if necessary.

  Squibb building was built on quicksand and it was sinking into the Hudson but volunteer engineers and workers got that major problem solved very cheap.

  But the bigger the machine, the more energy it needs to work. Book publishing ain't what is used to be, -but "it ain't over until the fat lady sings."
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  LisaRose

  I would be tempted to think they are hiding money if they hadn't abruptly stopped building projects that they started only a year ago. Unless it's some big charade to shake people down for more money, it's just not cost effective to abandon half built projects and it makes them look like they don't know what they are doing. It makes you wonder if their is some scandal that is going to come out shortly that might cause people to leave and/or stop contributing and they are conserving cash to ride it out.

  Maybe they sent all their cash to a Nigerian Prince.
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  Diogenesister

  Dario I go with you 100% unless Cognac is right, it's the only possibility for a 'firm'that big. The paedo cases are a drop in the ocean, surely.
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  Vidiot

  lisarose - "Maybe they sent all their cash to a Nigerian Prince."

  Maybe the Nigerian Prince became a Jehovah's Witness.