Did U ever wonder - if the end was so close - why were we building Kh's?

by AK - Jeff 33 Replies latest jw experiences

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  AK - Jeff

  I always wondered why we were not spending the money to build halls in remote and poor areas that needed them - but instead we would build new halls and sell old ones in places where we were seeing little growth.

  Every congregation in this area has built a new hall in the past 20 or so years. Yet the congs are the same basic size they were before. Most have had a least one major remodel since building new. I have read all the theories on why it is encouraged in terms of money in the hands of Crooklyn.

  Did anyone else ever question this while in - I did, and openly, to the gasps of the congregation while discussing spending a hundred grand [in 1986] to build a hall we didn't need in the first place, and then later for the remodel another 150 grand.

  Did this bother you? That our 'brothers' in places far away were meeting in open fields and jungles and walking for two days to get to a meeting, and we were building a new building that was not needed?

  Jeff
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  upside/down

  Makes you kinda wonder huh?

  I was on a building committee... it's all a crock. Funny how our brothers in god foresaken parts of the planet STILL don't have Halls, yet we did a remodel of about 1million in SoCal. I was told that a KH in Guatemala cost $6K... total!

  The WTS is like the Red Cross... they have blood drives and get their "commodity" for FREE... then turn around and sell give it away for a donation.... and of course make a tidy little "profit"... although being a non-profit entity.

  The WTS loans money at, I believe, the "generous" rate of only 5% interest.... yet it's all donated money (I thought da bibble said you weren't supposed to lend to your bro on interest...) it's quite the scam...

  u/d (of the they're having a quick build remodel in my town today class)
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  ljwtiamb

  When I was involved in the WT construction work, they explained that these buildings 'could' become central organizing centers to help in rebuilding the new system.

  Don't underestimate the jw mind's ability to rationalize ANYTHING that is sponsored by the society!
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  garybuss

  I could understand building the Kingdom Halls. What I can't figure out is the 40 year shingles.
  
  
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  Elsewhere

  What I can't figure out is the 40 year shingles

  lol... I was about to say the same thing! If then end was so close, then why the 30 and 40 year shingles on the new KHs???

  Maybe they weren't so sure the end was so close... maybe they just wanted everyone to use their own money buy property and build expensive buildings that would be signed over to the WTS? The real kicker is that the WTS charged these people interest on a loan for a building that would be given to the WTS. That isn't just double dipping... that is tripping dipping!
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  garybuss

  I know one town that wore out two Kingdom Halls and they're working on wearing out their third. All three Halls were built on the same lot.
  
  Oh, why do they put a "sound" system in a hall only slightly larger than a phone booth?
  
  
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  iiz2cool

  One Bethelite who was an elder said that the most important building in our area was not the fire station, hospital, or police station. It was the kingdom hall, because it was the center of "true worship". He also said that they would be important in the "new system", and Bethels would be government buildings.

  I'm starting to feel nauseas.

  Walter
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  Ellie

  They are trying to buy some land in my town to build a new kh, my sister was telling me about it and she said the land they wanted had fallen through, then she tryed to justify it by saying there must have been something wrong with the land and it was against Jehovah's will for them to buy it, they are having real problems finding more land but that is also because its not the right time and Jehovah will find them land when hes good and ready.

  My sister isn't stupid but she couldn't see that the reason they can't find land is the same as the reason for everyone, there just isn't any available.
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  iiz2cool

  Just this week they tore down the kingdom hall that's just a few blocks from me. Now there's just a big hole in the ground, and I was kind of getting my hopes up that it was gone for good. Now I found out they're building a new double hall there. I don't know why. There's never been any growth in this area.

  Must be nice to have money to waste.

  Walter
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  Quotes

  LOL @ garyb's 40 year shingle comment!
  
  My $.02: building a new hall causes buzz in the local congregations; sort of the same function that a field-trip serves for school kids. It's fun, and makes everyone forget how boring everything else is.
  
  It also gives, to those not closely involved (i.e. everyone on the planet outside the local congregation doing the building) the impression of growth. I.E. when you leave the old hall, you let the neighbours know that you're moving into a much bigger, newer, more $$$ hall. So the old neighbours are impressed with your growth. You then move into a new double-hall, and the new neighbours are impressed by the massive size of the new edifice (and impressed with the 40 year Armageddon fire-and-brimstone-proof shingles). So they are impressed too.
  
  Like shuffling papers around your desk, shuffling KH's can fool some people into thinking real work (or growth)is happening.
  
  Also, I think the double-halls might some economies of scale which saves the WT money (or leaves the local cong with more money to send to Crooklyn). Same reason why you never see a small Wal-Mart corner store: big box economics.
  
  One more thing: WT criticises other churches for their size and ornate look, but many of those were built once, hundreds of years ago, and maintained and improved over many, many years. But I'll bet those other religions spent much less money than WT does on its "Disposable Kingdom Hall shell game".
  
  ~Quotes, of the "Three Card Monty" class