It may be that the SOME members of older governing body were pretty modest. But I don't believe for one minute that the present group is either modest or humble.
Thanks em1913 for that digging the information on the presidents' finances.
If the WT is a "money making machine"...who gets the money?
by NikL 38 Replies latest jw friends
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wannaexit
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dogisgod
off shore accounts. Holding Companies. Lots of ways to hide money.
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joe134cd
Sparrowdown = the question you have to ask yourself is. Why would she want to make that up about their humble surroundings if they were in fact living in opulence splendor. What's her reason for doing so.
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SAHS
“scratchme1010”: “
- Power over other people
- Power over a community (being political or any other type of influential position)
- Feeding their egos
”
You hit the nail right on the head! Although money and wealth are often a large integral part of the modus operandi of religious cults, regardless of any monetary advantages there is always an ever present psychological and anthropological need for such folks to procure power over others, which in turn is a most ego-feeding proposition, for sure.
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SAHS
And don’t forget, the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has had at their disposal a private jet for some time now. For more on that:
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/127566/does-wts-have-private-jet
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fulano
You are talking about a Piper worth a 200.000, donated by a rich brother to make preaching easier in Alaska.
GB members do live humble it is like Richard said, every member has a humble room in Patterson (I staid for two week in Barr's room, old fashioned cheap furniture) and they are guest-rooms when they are not there.
That some have nice rooms or had, in Brooklyn had to do with seniority.
I don't know why some here just don't believe people that have lived and worked at branches, missionary-homes and the HQ. Is it so difficult to accept that it is not about money nor easy life? Who would like to be in the shoes of any GB member at their ages? Getting up every single day at 6, and travelling around the world?
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sparrowdown
Joe - I don't think she would be lying just that her information is limited to the publice official version of GB.
Who is privy to personal private info of how the GB live? My guess not garden variety bethelite.
But I am just theorising here myself so I do not claim to know anything.
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darkspilver
TBH I believe that the 'organization' is financially effectively bleeding itself dry - and that is were the money is going: The day-to-day running or operating costs are overtaking the income.
"They live humble lives in Bethel?" Maybe, but remember, although a 'humble' cheap cut of meat and two veg might cost less to buy than an expensive posh cut of steak - they both need to be prepared by someone, to be cooked in an oven, to be served by someone, to be cleared up by someone, to have the plates washed by someone - and both need kitchens that are lit and use gas/electricity.
Really, whether you have extravagant gold-plated taps or cheap stainless-steel taps in your bathroom - the operating cost of the hot water running out of them to fill your bath still costs the same.
Bethel workers are extremely hard-workers - I could not do what they - but there's a lot of Bethelites who's job is basically looking after other Bethelites - be it in cleaning, feeding, accomodation maintance, laundry, security - and then those Bethelites looking after the first set of Bethelites need looking after too. And suddenly Bethel starts to become a very service oriented set-up. In the beginning, the 1910s and 1920s, this was probably a very economic and cost effective set-up - but economics change over time, and I believe the breaking point was reached a good few years ago, it's just that the WT, being as big as it is, has been late (again!) to adapt and change with it.
Remember too the US$236 million-a-year cost that WT says is spent in caring for special pioneers, missionaries, and traveling overseers.
And are the rank and file donating? I think that the fact that the WT has been goading congregations into doing a regular 'congregation monthly donation' by resolution is very telling....
Previously, every two weeks, you would pick up a pile of new magazines from the KH - oh, remember to put some money in the contribution box - did you feel guilty about that pile of magazines building up at home that you haven't placed, don't worry, put a bit more in the contribution box, ah don't feel so bad now!
And now? They pick up a couple of single sheet tracts, a couple of very thin mags at the KH before they go out on ministry - not really worth contributing for, do it next week they think.... next week, and oh wait, they're not going out on mnistry this weekend, so no need to pick up tracts, oh and then they forget to contribute for last weeks....
Conventions? New book? Contribute for it! - Oh wait, video only last year, oh, download yourself, oh, forget to contribute.
Watched this month's JW Broadcast? - that'll be a dollar please! each! - do the R&F really contribute lke that? hmm, maybe that's why they kinda need reminding....
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slimboyfat
Sorry wrong thread.