Reasons for concluding that Watchtower is in (serious) financial trouble

by slimboyfat 151 Replies latest members private

• 

  Corney

  Let me ask some questions.

  1. You have written: "When "The Society" made its move and set up the "Christian Congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses", it was the beginning of the attempt to make the religion self-sufficient." In fact, WTS NY and WTS Pa was already recognized as churches/religious organizations. So, should your words be read as "it was the beginning of the attempt to make the third (quasi) separate religious entity self-sufficient"?

  2.
  

  When the CCJW became semi-independent in 2000/1, they no longer could show the revenue sources that the WTS has had coming in for those decades (and not all of it was donations). At that time, they had to establish their own revenue stream.
  

  Are you sure? Can you substantiate this claim?
  

  3. You also have written that the aim of alleged funding change was to retain "their" tax free status. Do you mean WTS's or CCJW's tax exemption?
  
  
• 

  OrphanCrow

  You know, Corney...I dunno how to "exactly" answer your questions

  The tax returns and financial setup of the Beast/WTS/org/CCJW, etc etc isn't exactly public

  Give me access to all that and I will gladly do my best to answer you. Until then, all we have is speculation and tons and tons of legalese and details to wade through that never answers the vital question of how the finances are really handled

  We don't know. The org does not reveal their financial secrets
• 

  slimboyfat

  Two more lines of evidence to add:

  19. WT delaying printing the revised NWT in Spanish, French, German and other major languages apparently due to cost. Instead they are printing the Bible in minor languages only, because the costs are smaller. There are rumours that the Spanish and German translations have been competed for years, but WT can’t afford to print the new Bible. How short of money must the organisation be that they can’t even print Bibles?

  20. Gary Breaux presented a video in May 2018 on the the management of KH mergers. He urged all publishers to cooperate with the arrrangement to make efficiencies and save the society money. This is in stark contrast with the programme of major KH building announced only four years ago. The focus is on managing decline and securing funds. Explored more fully on this thread:

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5998744769134592/kingdom-hall-consolidation-video-managing-decline-collapse
  
• 

  Corney

  Instead they are printing the Bible in minor languages only, because the costs are smaller.
  

  SBF, what about the revised NWT in Italian that was released 6 months ago? As I remember, there are more Witnesses in Italy than in German speaking countries. And what about Korean, Portuguese and Russian editions?
  
• 

  slimboyfat

  Ah, you may have a point there. I wasn’t aware, or somehow overlooked the release of the revised NWT in Italian. Even so, it would be the only major exception I am aware of. The Portuguese and Korean editions, crucially, were released prior to the financial panic of 2015. As for Russian, I think we came to the conclusion that the revised edition hasn’t yet been released in Russian. Plus I would be very interested to know the extent of the release in Italian. A Dutch poster on this site mentioned that the revised Bible in Dutch was only given to baptised publishers and they were only allowed one each.

  In any case, the extreme delay of the revised NWT in the major languages, Spanish, German, French, Japanese, and so on, contrasted with the quick released in dozens of very minor languages, looks like a financial decision. I have heard rumours that the German translation was competed a couple of years ago and another poster reported the same about the Spanish version. If the translation is ready, why delay other than cost?

  Plus it stands to reason that if they had to cancel the yearbook that they’d also struggle to produce millions of new Bibles that are more costly than yearbooks to produce.

  But the release in Italian is interesting. There may be a story behind it, although we may never find out. Possibly each branch was asked if they could afford to fund the release and for some reason Italy had more money on hand. French and Spanish of course are global languages and would be much more costly to finance.
• 

  Corney

  As for Russian, I think we came to the conclusion that the revised edition hasn’t yet been released in Russian.
  

  Yes, you're right. But in 2014 the 2007 Russian NWT edition (translated from the 1984 English one) was reprinted as "silver sword" Bible (the photo is not mine).

  
  

  If the translation is ready, why delay other than cost?
  

  "IF")))

  Really, I don't know the answer. Maybe you're right. Or maybe there is lack of printing capacities, maybe only few facilities can produce such Bibles. I don't know.
  
• 

  slimboyfat

  I see, it’s quite a complicated situation then. If the new format Russian Bibles were produced in 2014, that’s still before financial crisis hit WT. I wonder how many Bibles were printed in this format and where they were printed.

  I guess we will find out in the next few years if WT release the revised Bible in the big foreign languages. Spanish will be the most costly by far. I think there are around 3 million Spanish speaking JWs. Is it conceivable WT may begin contracting out publishing again? And even charge a price for Bibles? Or wind down operations in a more significant way, like the Worldwide Church of God.
• 

  Corney

  If the new format Russian Bibles were produced in 2014, that’s still before financial crisis hit WT.
  

  I recheked this info - these Bibles were produced in late 2013.
  

  I wonder how many Bibles were printed in this format
  

  I only know there are 350,000-400,000 Russian-speaking Witnesses (in Russia, Ukraine, other post-Soviet countries, Germany, the US etc.).
  

  and where they were printed
  

  In Japan, unlike other literature for Russia that was printed generally in Germany and (as in the case of many old format Bibles and hard-cover books) in the U.S.
  
• 

  Crazyguy

  Bottom line is if they produce a Spanish version bible theyll have to print a crazy amount to satisfy the want. These poor brothers don’t have the money to cover the costs of printing and shipping so that probably not going to happen anytime soon.

  If you think I’m kidding then remember that not to many years ago the WT closed a branch in Africa right where all the growth is coming from yet there’s no money to be made from these people so pull the plug.
• 

  Vidiot

  "...These poor brothers..."

  Yeah, sorry, not feeling the sympathy.