I do not believe the story was false at all. Different things happen in different places. We cannot extrapolate from 1 experience that the same thing is happening across the country, whether it be a good or bad experience. The OP was asking if any others had that experience, a valid question.
WTS requesting insurance checks? Verification?
by EscapedLifer1 57 Replies latest jw friends
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Dogpatch
sent anonymous:
Watchtower Disaster Relief – Donation or Profit?
The Watchtower disaster relief is filled with information you do not know. At a recent announcement that was given to all congregations it was directed that donations to assist victims of the Katrina Hurricane was to be placed in the general contribution called the “Worldwide Work” of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The WWW is a general donation fund that is distributed at the sole discretion of leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The WWW is used to buy paper to make literature, build new branch offices as well as fund the defense of child molesters within the organization. A portion of this money is also used for disaster relief for members that are affected by natural disasters. The question remains how much money is actually spent on the victims? When Regional Build Committee (volunteer building group of JW’s) comes in to rebuild a home of a member the owner signs an agreement. That agreement states that any insurance payment check will be signed over to “Worldwide Work” of Jehovah’s Witnesses when received. RBC comes in and rebuilds a home with volunteer labor and some donated materials at a fraction of the cost and then the owner is required to send the full rebuild insurance check to WWW. All homes are required to carry insurance so it results in a very profitable enterprise for home office. Then there are Kingdom Halls, they too carry insurance that pays for the damage that is rebuilt with volunteer labor and often donated materials. So when a KH is destroyed who profits? Home office again. If there is a rebuild with additional costs the home office will not rebuild for free they make a loan with interest at 3% and then when the loan is paid off the KH belongs to home office. So how much WWW money is actually used? Very little.
It is a great generosity by local brothers and sisters that pitch in and do the work, it is a great kindness for them to donate thousands of dollars in funds, materials, clothing, food, and effort to support the friends. No one can depreciate that wonderful effort. But the facts show when the organization raises money for a disaster they make a tremendous amount of profit that is never spent on those in the disaster area. In most cases with insurance payments they make a killing. As you will note there are no statements provided or other information about how WWW money is spent toward the disaster or anything else in the organization.
The Red Cross on the other hand provides a financial statement that shows in detail how every penny they take in is spent. You can access it from their website as they make it available to anyone that wishes to know. You in the end will be able to know exactly how many dollars they spent on Katrina as they will be happy to let everyone know the tremendous amount of money and volunteer effort that was expended to help others. They do this for every disaster they serve.
So the question remains if the Watchtower organization makes several million dollars that ultimately end up in general funds when members donate to a disaster could it be considered dishonest? The Red Cross has helped billions of people around the world whenever disaster strikes. When people are moved by the suffering of others they donate to help those in need that are part of the disaster. If an individual wishes to contribute to a charity or religious group knowing that money will not benefit those hurt by the disaster that is their prerogative, but if you specifically want to help victims of Katrina make sure your money is designated for that specific endeavor. Profiteering off a disaster is the ultimate in dishonesty. If this is not the case then we would suggest a full financial statement of money received for Katrina and how much was actually spent on the friends to be provided by Jehovah’s Witnesses. This of course is impossible as all members have been instructed to donate to the WWW contribution box marked for general funds so now it is untraceable. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHERE THE MONEY WENT….Ever wonder why members are always told to donate to a general fund when a disaster occurs? THINK…. Make sure if you are moved to help victims of a disaster that every penny of the money will actually go to help those victims. It will make profiteering from the suffering of others much harder to do as well as make sure your money is used to help and not based on trust.
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EscapedLifer1
Thanks DP, very interesting...
When Regional Build Committee (volunteer building group of JW’s) comes in to rebuild a home of a member the owner signs an agreement. ;That agreement states that any insurance payment check will be signed over to “Worldwide Work” of Jehovah’s Witnesses when received
Ok, Wow! Can anyone verify this, that the RBC's have a form you have to sign in order to get your home repaired? I used to be very involved with the RBC's, but since I'm a well known apostate in this area, there's no way I can make any contacts and verify this. Anyone out there had to sign one of these? Still got a copy?
Then there are Kingdom Halls, they too carry insurance that pays for the damage that is rebuilt with volunteer labor and often donated materials.
Doesn't the Society "self insure" the KH's?
Thanks,
Brandon
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garybuss
Hi Randy, Thanks for the update.
In real estate brokerage, we don't really get too concerned about what is done. We get concerned about HOW it was done. Was there disclosure? Were all the facts known before the contract was signed or the agreement made? Money obtained under false representations or pretenses is fraud.
Before I give to a charity I know if there will be a financial accounting made to me. I have never seen nor have I heard of anyone who has received a financial accounting from the Watch Tower Group, so I believe it's safe to assume all donating members are aware of this. If they are aware that there was no financial accounting in the past and expect there will be no financial accounting in the future, they donate with that knowledge. I see nothing wrong with that.
If a gift is conditional, then it's not a gift, it's a barter.
If my aunt Martha donated to the Watch Tower Society because she likes what they do and she doesn't get an accounting and never has gotten an accounting, and she's happy with that, I'm happy with that too. If she agrees to take donated labor and materials to repair her house and agrees to donate the insurance check to the Watch Tower Corporation, I have no problem with that if: 1. There was full disclosure before any agreements were made, 2. She receives good labor and good materials, and 3. She is satisfied.
I'm still trying to see fraud or extortion. If it's here let's lay it out with names and dates and addresses and take it to the State's Attorney. Otherwise all I'm seeing is a construction company doing construction work and at most they might be avoiding contractor excise tax if that even exists in the affected states. Donated labor and materials and a free gift of an insurance check may well be exempt from tax. I have a feeling the Society's attorneys have looked at that. -
Doubtfully Yours
Cruzanheart,
Considering the fact that they did such great work, fast, with good quality materials, and we were asked to donate way less than it would've costed if we were to hire a contractor, we didn't mind one bit making our donations.
Like I mentioned before, there were many without insurance that got the same work for nothing.
As I've always said, it's a business... a religious business.
DY
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metatron
This sounds a lot like the rumors over the past few years about the Society putting the squeeze on brothers NOT to request
a return of their "conditional donations" wherein they get to use your money until you need it back - in theory. Some efforts by
the brothers can be very selfless but there is also a lot of quiet corruption in many circuits. Keep in mind the incidents in which
the Society demanded payments for literature when contributions weren't up to their liking - or when they billed congregations
for assembly hall use when the take wasn't high enough.
metatron
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DannyHaszard
I made big bucks in the union construction trades and never owned a car worth over $1,500 i have given the Watchtower tens of thousands of dollars in direct cash donations to the KH building fund.
I have spent mega bucks more on everything JW related i did this on the condition of the Watchtower's (Jehovah's) promise that i would never grow old in this system and require it for my old age.I gave starting with my paper route and egg money from my 20 hens as a small boy.
They defrauded me and my father and grandfather the same way.
The greedy fraud for God Watchtower charlatans are rotten to the core if they were a fortune 500 company instead of a religious racket they would all be in jail.
Shame on the Jehovah name that they exalt.
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undercover
Thanks, Gary for bringing us a spirit of wisdom in this matter but, seriously, you are have an excellent point.
I can't help but think that somehow the WTS is making a profit from this and spinning it to make themselves look more charitable than they really are. That's what makes it tough to just let it go and not worry about it. But, like you said, if both parties are happy, fine. I'm sure there are instances where they really do help some families get rebuilt much quicker than waiting on others. I guess we should be glad that at least they're willing to help their own, that's better than doing nothing at all.
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EscapedLifer1
DannyHaszard,
Unless things have changed since I was active in my RBC (3-4 years ago), they are NOT supposed to put up a website like that.
I had developed a great site for our RBC, with online project schedules, maps, document sharing between department heads, online construction drawings viewable with only Internet Explorer, etc., etc.
Our RBC committee got a call from Headquarters, then an official letter following it up, telling them in no uncertain terms to shut the site down immediately. That only the FDS and the WTS could set up such sites, if and when they deemed it was necessary.
Man, were there lots of disappointed RBC workers!!! If mama's not in complete and absolute control, she can't stand it!
Brandon