Ding -- was it Menlo Park, Ca? I think there was a lawsuit over that congregation and the property was worth a substantial amount. I think the WT won. Religion and their crazy rights in this land -- the courts have to uphold the laws.
There is something I don't understand about the selling off of Kingdom Halls
by Tameria2001 30 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Perry
I believe there was an incident in Bonham, TX where the elders tried to separate from the WT. I believe they were successful in keeping the property. The WT then paid for a new KH down the street.
It was in 1986 or '87 I believe. I had recently moved to Dallas and was invited to help with the retaliatory "Quick-Build". Hundreds showed up to work. Everyone wanted to show the evil apostates that their resistance against the WT was futile. -
truth_b_known
It's worse than it seems.
First, the congregation takes out a loan...from the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society. Even if a lower interest rate can be financed through some other banking institution, the congregation must pay for its new Kingdom Hall by borrowing money from the WBTS. Part of the loan agreement is that the WTBS becomes the sole owner of the property. THEN the property is developed by volunteer labor from the local brothers who will use the Kingdom Hall.
All of this so that, a few years down the road, the WTBS can profit TWICE from the local members - first, from the interest on the loan and second, from the sale of the property. Sometimes the sale is because the WTBS instructs those same members that they need a new Kingdom Hall and the process begins all over again.
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Tameria2001
Now I see why they want to keep their members dumbed-down. It is to keep the rank and file JWs from realizing they are royally being screwed over with their money and time.
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Spiral
Tameria, a lot of the JWs don't understand that if title to the KH is held legally by the WT Society (as it often is), it doesn't matter how much time, effort and money you've donated. Legally whoever holds title calls the shots and gets the proceeds when the property is sold. If the WT holds title and the congregation is making payments indefinitely (not linked to a note or mortgage that can be paid off) it's really just perpetually leased property. No end of payment in sight.
And, again, if the JWs were more educated, they would understand this.
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days of future passed
The other problem with this, is the regular JW's view on this. One JW I know, when I commented on this said "Well it all goes to Jehovah" So they equate all the money they've lost, as merely going to "God". Which it does. Guardians of Doctrine
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_Morpheus
Its trite and i suppose some find it funny to make fun of the average dubs intelligence, to suppose that they dont understand that a kh can be taken from them.
They understand. As a whole they are not idiots and they completely get it. Thats why situations like melano park came up when this sell a thon first came around.
The real tragedy is that, knowing it can and does happen, they accept it.
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Tameria2001
I guess I must have been one of the dumb ones then I guess, but again this was before I understood how it all works. I remember the last congregation I attended when I was still single was an older building. Then later they built a new one, this was what got my interest in the building projects. I didn't even realize that the money that they got from the sale from the old kingdom hall didn't even go to the new kingdom hall.
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_Morpheus
It depends on how long ago it was. The money very well may have gone to the new hall. It still does under the current system. Whats happening, however, is that new halls are not being built. They are consolidating congregations, selling halls, not building a replacement hall and pocketing the money.
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EmptyInside
The Watchtower claims the profits are going to help build halls in other countries. And merging congregations helps build stronger congregations. They just count the empty seats. If a hall has too many empty seats for too long,it's time to close.
Sadly,even if,the publishers have concerns,they push it to the back of their mind.
Plus,when there is low meeting attendance,there is not enough people to pay the bills.