So When and Why Did They Stop Feeding People At Assemblies? (page 2)

Jez

Yes, unions concessions demanded the right to sell food to JW's at the assemblies in Vancouver BC as no other group coming to the arenas had the right to 'not allow' concessions to open.

What did the society do this summer? Cancelled all assemblies in Vancouver and moved them to Kamloops. Kamloops was the hot BC spot for assemblies bec the arena they use (Riverside) bowed to the society's wishes. Imagine living in BC's largest city, Vancouver, and having to drive 5 hours to Kamloops, get a hotel etc for the assembly???? Bet there were alot of stay at homers this year.

WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL about concessions anyways????? Gawd!!!! Nit-picky tiny insignificant mindless battles that the society loves to engage in, why? C O N T R O L

Jez

1914

My observation was that it stopped shortly after the food going to a donation basis. I saw bunches of kids eating all they could get their hands on. Did their parents know? Not only that, imagine the financially strapped (as most dubs are) trying to afford the convention and then only having to donate for food.

cynicus

If I remember correctly food was sold at conventions for a price higher than costprice, in other words they made profit, especially if you consider that labour is free to them too (I for sure never got anything valuable in return for my sweat in the kitchen). And making a profit is an excellent way to arouse the interest of the taxbureau into your state of affairs, something that needs to be avoided at all cost.

Why they just didn't want to sell for costprice I don't understand: the only thing I can think of was shame, since it would become apparant for all how much of a profit they had always made. The weasel-way-out was the temporary donation arrangement, which obviously didn't work out, so they cancelled food service all together. Do you really think they forgot that even Christ himself made arrangements to feed his audience when they were convened in large numbers? Hell no, but Christ's example applies as usual only to humble footsoldiers, not to the officers.

(c)

wednesday

I believe the 2 previous posters and Elsewhere are correct. Really, all the changes i have seen the WTS make have to do with legal reasons, money issues.

coveirng their arse

not paying taxes

getting more donations,

most likely when they went to donation, people were not donating enough and they were losing, so they stopped it and "covered" by saying it was for spiritual reasons.

In everything i see them do, i see a lawyer, tax consultant behind it.

Kenneson

As a side note, I attended a district convention in Houston, Texas sometime before 1966. Someone shot and killed a Witness while robbing one of the stands that was outdoors. Created quite a stir. I wonder if this was just an isolated incident.

SAHS

?Jez?:

why? C O N T R O L

You said it!

?SAHS

core

I think the reason was....money.........in the UK the Society were faced with having to pay VAT (value added tax) on food served/sold with a potentialy massive back-tax bill for previous years

Health & Safety were factors but I recall a leading bethelite commenting that we did not want to have to pay the government anything out of the proceeds - so move to "free" (donate but donate more) I seem to recall some experiements of free food being served ( I know it was tried in Germany were a similar sales tax rule applied) When the brothers at the top saw that they could get the donatioins with little work they "simplified" things (except in the Administration Suites werew goodies still were readily available.)

So When and Why Did They Stop Feeding People At Assemblies?

Jez