The Watchtower & the cigarette company

by expatbrit 207 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  outoftheorg

  I can understand your feelings here, Porkchop.

  This issue does lack the "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" of the wbts INTENTIONS.

  But since the wbts Is so quick to judge jw's for the most meaningless of mistakes or conduct and df people knowing full well that they will probably cause them great harm and demand 100% loyalty and agreement that they are GODS only organization, that we must obey their every order and never question them or their conduct or decisions.

  This does show they are also UNABLE to be 100% clean, totally doing Gods word, without blemish.

  The wbts at the least is no better than anyone of us. At the worst they may fully know about this investment. This would make them hypocrits and liars.

  Many of these posters, me included, have been severly damaged by the wbts.

  Is it so hard for you to see the how we would love to find this out? How we feel it is important for others to know about?

  While it may not be a matter that would convict beyond a reasonable doubt, It most certainly is another disclosure to add to the growing list of decietful actions, that all grouped together can become a matter of evil conduct beyond a reasonable doubt.

  I know it will be hard for you to really accept the totality of the evil, damaging, conduct of the wbts. I found myself having feelings of doubt about all the accusations against them.

  Believe me, when I say, if you hang in there and learn of all that has been done to people and the concealed action of the wbts, you will be astounded at their conduct.

  Outoftheorg
• 

  waiting

  reporter:

  Did you win anything?

  No. My Bible Trained Conscience™ wouldn't permit me to keep the stupid thing. I offered it to a non-JW co-worker. He didn't win anything with it either.

  Love, Scully

  Well, in our neck of the woods, this kinda thing happened to me too (quite a while ago). The Really Mature Christian Thing To Do If One's Conscience Is Biblically Trained..............would be to destroy the ticket. I am quite surprised that a jw would give a lottery ticket to another person. Why? Well, if a Christian gave the ticket to another person - wouldn't that be enabling that other person to sin by gambling? Yes indeedy! And could a jw be then caught in Satan's Evil Web of Sin by being a Bad Influence? Yes indeedy! I tore mine up - I was a Mature Christian. Like not taking ANY BLOOD......better spirtually safe than spiritually dead. lol.......even if you ended up all dead. We were taught ALL OR NOTHING. Not one cig, not one gamble, not one $.25 vote card, not one speck of blood (well, whole blood, well, human blood, well, parts of blood, well.......read new changes next week) etc. The WTBTS has not held to their own enforced bible standards......once again. waiting - who was apparently very braindead.
• 

  ARoarer

  Ha! Great thread. I haven't been here for awhile. Lots going on in my house right now with some construction. But checking in to keep up with the latest evils of the Watchtower continues to remind me how glad I am to have seen through its lies. This is just another example. Unfortunately most members will stay in denial. But keep this thread going because there are those in doubt lurking here and are willing to research and prove to themselves the falseness of this Organization in being "clean". Their "love" of money has made them evil.

  ARoarer
• 

  wednesday

  EX'

  i admit i have not read all the replies and all, but in here somewhere di u say whether the WTS is being confronted with this and when or how?

  weds
• 

  wednesday

  btt
• 

  Pleasuredome

  i cant believe it. over the past year i must have been making more contributions to the WTS than i did whilst i was in it. i'm quitting.
• 

  shamus

  BTT.
  I read all the replies forever, and have nothing really to add, but wow!
• 

  Gerard

  If subsequent tax returns show that the WT is still a shareholder, even if indirectly, I'm prepared to add this to my list of WT flaws. But for now, it's possible that they were unaware of the holdings. >>>gcc2k

  The WT is anything but "UNAWARE" of donations and its own holdings. They have a tight system set up:

  PLANNED GIVING

  http://www.jw-media.org/region/europe/russia/english/moscow/wtpubs/e_w961101.htm

  In addition to outright gifts of money and conditional donations of money, there are other methods of giving to benefit Kingdom service worldwide. These include:

  Insurance

  : The Watch Tower Society may be named as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy or in a retirement/pension plan. The Society should be informed of any such arrangement.

  Bank Accounts

  : Bank accounts, certificates of deposit, or individual retirement accounts may be placed in trust for or made payable on death to the Watch Tower Society, in accord with local bank requirements. The Society should be informed of any such arrangements.

  Stocks and Bonds

  : Stocks and bonds may be donated to the Watch Tower Society either as an outright gift or under an arrangement whereby the income continues to be paid to the donor.

  Real Estate

  : Salable real estate may be donated to the Watch Tower Society either by making an outright gift or by reserving a life estate to the donor, who can continue to live therein during his or her lifetime. One should contact the Society before deeding any real estate to the Society.

  Wills and Trusts

  : Property or money may be bequeathed to the Watch Tower Society by means of a legally executed will, or the Society may be named as a beneficiary of a trust agreement. A trust benefiting a religious organization may provide certain tax advantages. A copy of the will or trust agreement should be sent to the Society.

  Those interested in any of these planned giving arrangements should contact the Planned Giving Desk at the address listed below or the Society's office that serves your country. The Planned Giving Desk should receive a copy of relevant documents pertaining to any of these arrangements.

  The Society has prepared an English­language brochure entitled Planned Giving. Those in the United States who are planning to make a special gift to the Society now or to leave a bequest at death may find this information helpful. That is especially true if they wish to accomplish some family goal or estate ­planning objective while using tax benefits to minimize the cost of the gift or bequest. The brochure is available upon request, whether in writing or by telephone.

  The Watchtower 11/1/1996 p. 30-31
• 

  waiting

  "The Society should be informed of any such arrangements." - Gerard

  Thank you. That's my opinion too. The WTBTS has always been seemingly scrupulous about their money. They taught us to be scrupulous about their money too.

  The WTBTS might dummy up on this as usual................but then the WTBTS is the dummy.

  waiting
• 

  SixofNine

  The question isn't whether the society was aware they had the trust, nor is it if they were aware of the stocks in the trust at the time they recieved it. Of course they were.

  The question is whether they were aware that the trust fund director, who btw buys stocks for probably hundreds of trust (or may even turn that over to a company such as Fidelity), was going to purchase Phillip Morris. Of course they did not.

  Another valid question is whether or not they had informed the trustee that they did not want any cigarette co. stocks in their portfolio. If this was a your-life-is-on-the-line-so-get-it-right bet, personally, I'd bet they did make their wishes known to the trustee.

  I just don't see how Jehovah lets things like this slip thru