Paying Legal Fees Illegally?

by Charles Gillette 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Charles Gillette

  Paying legal fees out of the world wide work fund is it legal to do it? First we need to know what the purpose is for having a www fund.

  I'm not computer savvy or an "IT" when it comes to putting information together to show here like so many others here can.

  Will someone explain how the watchtower society can legally use the www fund to pay out monies, legal fees and court directed payments to the one who have been sexually abused by pedophiles from the watchtower organization.

  Again what is the sole purpose in establishing the www fund?

  Is it not for Kingdom interest world wide and not to use it to pay out their guilty criminal activity. Is that misappropriation of funds, pilfering those funds.Using those funds for a dishonest use? Actually stealing Kingdom funds to settle their sexual child abuse and pedophilia criminal activity?

  I do want the victims of sexual child abuse and pedophilia to receive whatever the courts have imposed levied against the watchtower society.

  However for the watchtower to use www funds to buy its way out of prison and or jail time even though the courts are only imposing monetary fines is to me illegal.

  Does the watchtower legal department have loopholes they are jumping through to do this?

  After all is not that money donated by the rank and file { including me when I was a watchtower slave for 33 years] for the sole purpose of Kingdom interest worldwide?

  Blueblades
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  Slidin Fast

  You make a good point Chas, I have noticed that in recent years all contributions have been generalised and specific contributions for say KH building, bringing missionaries back for conventions or disaster relief etc. etc. have been consolidated to one WWW fund. This is so the WT is not bound as to how to its use. I would imagine that the rules of this fund are as amorphous and all encompassing as possible. There will be careful legal definitions used ensuring there is plenty of room to drive trucks through.
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  sir82

  Is it not for Kingdom interest world wide

  "Kingdom Interests" is an extraordinarily, and intentionally, vague term.

  "Kingdom interests" could be paying for 1st class air tickets and 5-star hotel accommodations for Bethel heavies, it could be paying for a world-class corporate headquarters, it could be settling out of court for "troublesome" legal issues, it could be paying for manicures for GB wives, etc.

  What is a "Kingdom interest"? It is whatever the 8 demi-popes in Warwick say it is.
  
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  Charles Gillette

  sir82. Is there anything written in the literature i.e. "Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom" as a heading on the top of the Watchtower magazine that specifically mentions the purpose of the wwwfund. I remember that they did have a special contribution box in the back of the kingdom hall for this.

  Slidin Fast. Loop Holes big enough to drive trucks through. Like they say, you gotta read the small print.

  Blueblades
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  sir82

  Here is a blurb from their "God's Kingdom Rules" book, released about 5 years ago.

  As you can see, it covers "expenses incurred in carrying out the worldwide preaching work".

  Those "include" things listed below, but there is nothing indicating the list is exhaustive.

  I.e., an "expense incurred in carrying out the global preaching work" can be anything the 8 demi-popes decide it is - airline tickets, hotel accommodations, food, manicures, fur coats, or court settlements.
  

  Worldwide work. Funds are used to cover the expenses incurred in carrying out the worldwide preaching work. These expenses include the cost of producing literature for global distribution, constructing and maintaining branch offices and Bethel homes, and operating various theocratic schools. In addition, funds are used to care for missionaries, traveling overseers, and special pioneers. Our donations are also used to provide emergency relief aid to fellow believers in times of disaster.
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  OrphanCrow

  "Our donations are also used to provide emergency relief aid to fellow believers in times of disaster"

  I guess that is where the court expenses and child abuse payments are justified.

  A time of disaster.
  
  
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  Charles Gillette

  OrphanCrow, Times of disaster or is it a time of disaster for them. Giving no consideration for those ones who have been abused. As if money absolves them of their responsibility. Money paid by the rank and file.

  sir82, Thanks for the blurb. I don't see where it covers acts of criminality, or is child abuse not a crime.

  Blueblades
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  OrphanCrow

  Charles, it is a time of disaster for the org. And yes, the funds come from the r&F's ice cream money.
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  JeffT

  I don't think "world wide work" is a legal organization or a restricted fund. Under US tax law they are allowed to spend money on administrative costs, which would include legal fees and court settlements.
  
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  neat blue dog

  Yes it's legal. But what would be great is if they were REQUIRED to announce to all congregations when a major expense was necessary, such as a legal judgment or an out of court settlement. Imagine how the contributions would drop if the R&F knew about all those tens of millions!