The Watchtower & the cigarette company (page 8)

hawkaw

This is way to funny.

Well as the saying goes ... smokem if you gottem, cause we're in for a long night .....

Thanks for the excellent comments waiting ... as usual

DevonMcBride

This topic is very important and should be kept alive.

I too am a stockholder with Philip Morris, which is now called Altria Group (symbol: MO). In addition to owning Philip Morris tobacco products, they own Kraft Foods and other well known brands. Their tobacco products make up less than 25% of their industry. For more information see their web site at www.altria.com

It would be impossible for the Watchtower to NOT know about owning this stock as some have suggested. For one, when the trust was inherited, Watchtower lawyers and accountants would have scrutinized the inheritance to determine how much it's worth.

Philip Morris/Altria does pay quarterly dividends so the Watchtower would receive them and their accountants would be aware of this. At the end of the year, I have to pay tax on the dividends. Whether religious organizations are tax exempt or not, I do not know but they would still have to file tax forms.

I receive annual reports with a voting proxy. All stockholders receive this including the Watchtower. Whether or not they read the reports and vote is irrelevant. The fact is this information is sent to them.

coffee_black

Wow, Pork Chop,

Have you been paying attention? How much evidence do you need? "Jehovah's clean organization" can do better than being in bed with the very ones they condemn. This is hardly the first scandal of this nature. It's just another issue in the long line of policies and actions that provethem to be nothing more than a greedy corporation. What would Jesus say to them, do you suppose? Your attitude says volumes about jw logic. In case you missed them, here are a few of the recent scandals the society has been involved with, along with their excuses.

NGO issue...."Oh, we needed to use the UN library."

Pedophile issue..."Oh, that's just apostates lying, and trying to make us look bad."

Rand Corp. issue..."OH, someone just left us some stock."

Cigarette issue..."Oh, it's just a trust."

Most jws have no idea about these scandals. If they do get wind of such, there are the above excuses used to deflect further questions. The above will satisfy most jws because they want to believe the society. After all there's a lot at stake. However, for any thinking individual, those excuses raise serious questions. I might ask you, Pork Chop...Is that the best the society can come up with? The other alternative would be for the society to do the right thing, tell the truth, and take responsibility for their actions. I don't think anyone on this board is holding their breath, waiting for that to happen. By the way, money from "unclean sources" can be refused. Then again, the society turn down money?? I'd buy tickets to see that!

coffee

FaithOnTheMarch

Thank you for the information. It never ceases to amaze me the number of ways one can be deceived. I am truly saddened for the many years I allowed my brain to be sidetracked from reality. I thought the books by Bro. Franz were totally an expose' and I bet even some of the things that have emerged in the past year have surprised even the unsurpriseable!

coffee_black

Welcome Faithonthemarch.

I read that book many years ago.

Coffee

Pork Chop

You guys are really desperate aren't you? This is complete nonsense.

jwsons

I only sitting down here, at this headquarter, just to count the money coming for "Kingdumb Hopeless" and don't care from where the money coming. I really don't care boys, eventhough it comes from a brothel or from "Proctor and Gamble" as Ex. showed before picture 3

As part of the annual return of the trust, schedules are attached giving details of the trust's investment income, and investment assets held at the year end. There are a variety of corporate stocks that have been traded and held, in such companies as Exxon Mobil, Coca Cola, Barclay's, JDS Uniphase and (ironically) Proctor and Gamble. It is a long list. However, here is an extract of the 2002 listing of stocks held:

AND to the defenders: by their own mouth to be careful and cautionuos attitude they taught the widows"

4: Quote regarding not investing in "unethical" enterprises

*** g00 10/8 pp. 25-27 Is It Wise to Invest in the Stock Market? ***

By considering the background of a company, an investor can also ensure that his money will not be used to support an unethical enterprise.—See Awake!, February 8, 1962, pages 21-3.

and Enough is Enough

jwsons

waiting

1. The WTBTS profits by thousands off the sale of cigarettes.

2. The JW smokes those cigarettes - being forewarned by the WTBTS that smoking is a "serious sin."

3. The WTBTS da/df's jw for smoking those same cigarettes & brands the person a "serious sinner."

Can the WTBTS legally still kick out a person for smoking when the WTBTS is a stock investor in smoking?

Legally? Probably.

Ethically? Hypocritical.......but then a lot of religions are. Just another case where the JW now says "Hey, we're still God's Only True People.....and we're no worse than those other religions."

coffee_black

Pork Chop,

You guys are really desperate aren't you? This is complete nonsense.

Is that the best defense you can come up with? Go ahead...stick your head in the sand if you want to. It doesn't change the facts.

Coffee

Aztec

You guys are really desperate aren't you? This is complete nonsense

If you could come up with a valid defense you wouldn't have to make blanket statements such as above Pork Chop. I'm not desperate at all. I've read enough things to make me doubt the WTBTS is anything other than a misconceived, mind-controlling, fundamentalist cult. This just proves they are hypocritical as well.

~Aztec

The Watchtower & the cigarette company

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