WTS Corporate responsibility; TAXES!

by CornerStone 2 Replies latest jw friends

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  CornerStone

  Hello All,

  I was looking at the Freeminds website and noticed a page that listed a mess of the orgs forms that are used to report to the borg, I mean org. That is one heck of a pile that is used by the R&F as well as elders and such.

  I was thinking, (no comments please), that with all the massive paperwork and strict control that members have to deal with, and with the MANDATORY reporting upon PAIN of PUNISHMENT that every R&F have to undergo, does'ent this take the RELIGION clause out of the WTS's religion with charitiable tax exempt status?

  I mean, what "religion" do you know has to deal with piles of reporting paperwork? This is like some big corporation. And they reserve the right to punish you if you don't get the paperwork done, like your working for them! WITHOUT PAY!!!, ofcourse.

  In most churches, you go to worship, donate to the cause, and LEAVE.
  The disparity in the org to other churches is like night and day.

  It seems to me that if all the paperwork the org issues can be documented, audio and visual evidence of paperwork transactions captured for all to see, and written testimony of such transactions given, then this evidence can be placed on the desk of the FEDs, or on their computers, and mabey an investigation can be conducted by some hotshot, (I'm dreaming now), and the orgs status as non-profitable charity religion could be changed.

  I know I'm reaching here, but if just one aspect of their status changes then that may open them up to loosing tax exempt status, like in the case of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries. Then it would be interesting to see the fds 'splain all the cutbacks they have to take being God's will.

  Well, I'm fully Awake! now and back to reality, I think, just wanted to put this idea out.

  CornerStone
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  MadApostate

  Cornerstone:

  Your heart is in the right place, but what you are proposing is for some Taxation arm of the governent to declare that JWism is not a religion, and that is simply not going to happen. Common sense as well as US Constitutional guarantees apply.

  If you have not already read it, take a look at my post in the Swaggart thread. "IF" the WTS does in fact issue to the Congs invoices containing dollar amounts, AND "IF" the WTS keeps "accounts" of Cong amounts owed to the WTS, AND "IF" mags/lit is withheld until sufficient "donations" are received, then I DO BELIEVE that the state taxation agencies would have grounds to force the WTS to collect Sales Tax (the Swaggart issue), since they would be using mere "technicalities" to distinguish themselves from other retailers. However, hard copy documents evidencing all of the above would be needed.

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  EDIT:

  CORNERSTONE, I am replying via "Edit" because I may be getting close to my daily post limit.

  I agree with you that the WTS is the "Amway" of religions, but the difference between the WTS and MS is that WTS is a 120+ year old established religion, with a list of successful USSC cases as long as your arm. They could turn up the current "business-like" factors by 1000%, and the government would still not pay any attention.
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  CornerStone

  Hello M.A.,

  The Constitution does indeed guarantee freedom of religion. And yes, one would be hard pressed to declare Jehovah's Witnesses as not being a religion. My perspective, however, had to do with how close the WT religion "mimicked" a secular institution or organization, like MicroSoft.

  In the same sense that MicroSoft would be hard pressed to declare itself a religion and thus qualify for religious tax exemp status it SEEMS that the WT religion should not qulify for the same status as it gets closer and closer to looking like a for profit corporation.

  "WHEW" I hope that made sense.

  The more the WTS conducts it's "business" as a coporation, with millions in the bank, and the more the "flock of God" are REQUIRED on PAIN of PUNISHMENT to conduct corporate business, the easier it will be to convence the FED's or state governments that the good ol' org owes them money, BIG TIME!

  CornerStone