The con is completed - comments from the US branch's LDC chief

by sir82 73 Replies latest jw friends

  • undercover
    undercover

    Maybe this is a non sequitur, but the other day, it dawned on me that with the new WT TV on JWdotorg (I refuse to accidentally create a link to it), that meetings in physical buildings are, in a way, no longer needed. Everything you need spiritually is a couple of clicks away. (God's pretty hip to technology, I'm sure his spirit can hitch a ride on WiFi )

    Maybe, just maybe, the power behind the throne, so to speak, at WT hq has a long run game plan. As the youth desert in ever growing numbers, all that's left are the old timers, and the not-so-bright. Over time, the plan is to become a straight up Internet religion. You allow the numbers to dwindle to the obsessed believers only, fleecing them for the money for upkeep on the shiny, new cult compound. The need for Kingdom Halls decreases over time, as the publisher numbers decline, but it doesn't matter. Door to door is dead, they'll abandon the carts somewhere down the line. All they need is for people to send them money so they can live in a lap of luxury in upstate New York.

    This won't happen overnight. Until such a time when KHs are no longer needed, they'll still fight tooth and nail for every bit of power, trying to keep the apostate minded at bay, so they don't overly influence still believing family and friends. But sometime down the line, they'll finally flip the switch, and they'll open the symbolic door, allowing the disenchanted to escape, while at the same time closing the physical door to the KH. Only true believers need apply online...

  • poopie
    poopie

    Theocratic warfare

  • Londo111
    Londo111

    I believe it has been shown that they have offshore bank accounts that have much less oversight that in places like the US.

  • neverendingjourney
    neverendingjourney

    One of the most powerful pieces of information I learned during my gradual exit from this religion was the Assembly Hall Deficit Scam where the elders would agree to send the WT money that would create a deficit and would in turn prompt the attendees to cover the shortage.

    It's not that the sums of money were that consequential considering the fact that there were usually over 1,000 people in attendance. It's the fact that they treated the flock with such disrespect. They couldn't let them know what was going on. They had to set up a ruse and keep it among the privileged elder class.

    That's essentially what I see this as, just on a larger scale. The flock can't be trusted to peek behind the curtain and make the decision to contribute on an informed basis. No, instead you have to set up an elaborate con and keep the true motivations limited to a privileged inner circle.

    If the CO or Bethel speaker had been frank and given some insight into the financial condition of the Watchtower I would have been inclined to give even more. I think that would be the case for most people. They're shooting themselves in the foot by carrying on this way, but I don't think they can help it. To the extent that I've had access to people at the higher levels of that organization, it's become clear to me that they viewed the rank and file with contempt. They set up these scams not because it will result in the most money, but because the flock can't be trusted and don't deserve the truth.

  • FedUpJW
    FedUpJW

    And this is why FedUp contributes not one penny anymore. Also when approached, beard and all, and asked if I wanted to "volunteer" to attend the training session for kingdom hall maintenance (that's now mandatory) I emphatically said, "NO! I don't need told how to clean a toilet. And I will not be doing any janitor work on the kingdom hall in the future!"

  • FedUpJW
    FedUpJW

    LOL JWs will pretend that they never said their was a huge need for Kingdom Halls in the US,

    Already happening. Some of the locals I am still on speaking terms with have said that there never was a claim for the need for thousands of halls, in spite of what one of the last broadcasts said.

  • sir82
    sir82

    Already happening. Some of the locals I am still on speaking terms with have said that there never was a claim for the need for thousands of halls, in spite of what one of the last broadcasts said.

    Note this quote from the March 29, 2014 letter to elders:

    The need for Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls is greater than ever before. At this time,
    over 13,000 Kingdom Hall projects and 35 Assembly Hall projects are needed worldwide.

    Granted, the Assembly speaker was talking about US building projects and the letter refers to a worldwide need.

    But still:

    With approximately 15% of the global JW population, it is reasonable to conclude that 15% of the Kingdom Halls "needed" would be in the USA. If 15% that would be 1,950 for the USA.

    Even if the "need" were more pronounced in other parts of the world...even if, say, just 3% of the new KHs were "needed" in the USA, that would be 390 new KHs.

    But he specifically said (this is a direct quote I remember) "We won't be building hundreds of new Kingdom Halls in the USA".

    The dog & pony PowerPoint slide show rolled out to all BOEs 3 years ago specifically mentioned numerous areas where dozens of new KHs were "needed".

  • stuckinarut2
    stuckinarut2

    Yes, Lack of transparency and Lack of accountability is the hallmark of the society!

    They can demand answers from a publisher for any number of things, but never will they answer to their members for any decisions made with their money or assets!

  • LevelThePlayingField
    LevelThePlayingField

    Sir82 thank you for bringing this out. Wouldn't it be fantastic if one day we were to find out where all that money has gone and is going?

  • sparrowdown
    sparrowdown

    Even if I played a recording of the whole talk to prove the comments were the speakers to the local braindeads they wouldn't believe it.

    Though, I can't say I am at all surprised they have needed to cut their losses and get out of the KH business for a while now.

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