Posts by Hackman

16

Where does WT get their money for its operation?

by ukescott in

as ex-mo, i know the mormon church makes millions of dollars each year by having its faithful members pay tithings and running quite a few businesses.

i am pretty sure wt as a corporate makes millions of dollars each year.

otherwise it wouldn't build thousands of kh's across the world i guess.

Hackman

Hi jwfacts

I can see that you are well informed about the economy. Maybe you can tell me how the WT can gets around the contradiction that they claim to be a filantropic organisation (and free of paying taxes), and at the same time is a real hardcore business that's making a lot of money?

I will anticipate that from a certain level and upwards, the leadership is working for normal salaries. In our country, the witnesses are trying to give the impression that there is no one on the payroll, everyone from top to bottom in both national and international parts of the organisation is said to be working without any wages (other than they get paid for expenses and maybe a small fee). I don't believe this. It's not possible to run a big organisation without an educated and skilled leadership - and that will cost a lot of money.

Someone here mentioned that the WT organisation has 100+ lawyers on the payroll - this alone will cost a fortune (if they are supposed to be good). Or just think of their financial department (dealing with stocks etc.) - or the real estate department (managing thousands of building) - or the worlds largest printing house (producing close to 25 million magazines per month). They must have huge budgets.

I know that the lower levels of the internal workforce is only paid with a 'raincheck' (that they will live through the Harmageddon), but I don't think they can pay the higher levels or the leadership with that.

I hope someone can clear this up.

Have a nice day everybody

16

Where does WT get their money for its operation?

by ukescott in

as ex-mo, i know the mormon church makes millions of dollars each year by having its faithful members pay tithings and running quite a few businesses.

i am pretty sure wt as a corporate makes millions of dollars each year.

otherwise it wouldn't build thousands of kh's across the world i guess.

Hackman

I have just looked for the article about the Watch Towers revenue in 2003. The article is no longer on the Newsday.com where it was published some time ago.

For those of you who read French, there is a note here: http://www.brooklyntower.com/page12.htm There is also a note about the Watch Towers shares in a weaponproducing company (Rand Cam Engine Corp.) - even though they are against weapons. I've also heard that the own shares from Phillip Morris - even though the are against tobacco. But as they say in the article: Money is money.

Yes - the are claiming that they are charitable - but in fact, the Watch Tower is a pyramid company. The company has all the characteristics - except that the 'salesmen' in the lower levels don't get paid for finding new customers.

Hackman

16

Where does WT get their money for its operation?

by ukescott in

as ex-mo, i know the mormon church makes millions of dollars each year by having its faithful members pay tithings and running quite a few businesses.

i am pretty sure wt as a corporate makes millions of dollars each year.

otherwise it wouldn't build thousands of kh's across the world i guess.

Hackman

I think that the revenue $951,000,000 is seen on the Forbes list where WTS is number 40.

Hackman

22

Do JW's stay In the Organization to avoid embarassment?

by moshe in

i just read this behavior study- called the asch study.

it seems to explain why jw's agree with obviously false wt teachings and ignore warnings inside the organization.

it is all to avoid embarassment from peers, friends and family.

Hackman

I guess you are right Moshe. Religion often has a political goal. I have never been religious - but as a Dane I've been member of the Folkchurch in many years. 15 years ago I finally dropped out and saved the 'churchtax' which was approx. 1% of my earning.

But tell me someone, because I can't figure it out, from WHERE does The Watch Tower get all their money? I mean, they are not selling any products to customers. Are the money only coming from gratitude and from selling of magazines to the members to give away in the streets?

Another thing that puzzles me is that the leadership of the Watchtower is preaching that Harmageddon can come any day - and, at the same time, they invest all their money in real estate. You know, it would be stupid to invest in houses and buildings if most of the worlds population will disappear over night. It lookes to me like the 'governing body' is not believing their it's own 'dogmas'.

Have a nice week-end

Hackman

22

Do JW's stay In the Organization to avoid embarassment?

by moshe in

i just read this behavior study- called the asch study.

it seems to explain why jw's agree with obviously false wt teachings and ignore warnings inside the organization.

it is all to avoid embarassment from peers, friends and family.

Hackman

Thanks Moshe

Yes, I understand that everyone might want to have religion in his own way when finally out of JW. However, as far as I understand, the problem is to say goodbye to relatives and friends and go out in the 'wicked world' completely alone.

In my country, I've often heard about youngsters who can't handle it. Therefore they need long time therapy to get rid of the Harmageddon-myth and other JW-stuff. For that reason, I would imagine that it will help a lot to go out as a group of people who can support each other in the first lonely years.

This is maybe already happening in my country. I saw a statistic that stated that twice as many are going out of JW than going in.

After a few calculations, I can see that it must be pretty expensive to be a witness. I can see a revenue close to 1 billion dollars (exactly 951,000,000 dollars last year). Divided by 6.5 million members means a revenue of 146 dollars per member with all expenses paid. All the huge buildings, all the thousands of meeting halls all over the world. It must be an enormous bill every year.

Recently JW sent out their 'treaty' here. False religion will disappear - so they say. In Denmark nearly EVERY religion has disappeared over the last 100 years. We have a 'Folkchurch' and nearly 85% of the population are members - but less than 5% are going there for the weekly services. Only 'cultural events' like namegiving of children, the half of the weddings and most of the funerals are taken place in the churches. The results is that 3 million (out of 5 million) people are ateists - but still members of the 'Folkchurch'. Strange situation - don't you think?

So I don't think that JW will harvest much here.

Hackman

22

Do JW's stay In the Organization to avoid embarassment?

by moshe in

i just read this behavior study- called the asch study.

it seems to explain why jw's agree with obviously false wt teachings and ignore warnings inside the organization.

it is all to avoid embarassment from peers, friends and family.

Hackman

Good to hear Mosh, that you got out in one piece.

I have often wonderet why the unsatisfied people doesn't go together in a mutiny. Why don't they get rid of the oppressors and make their own Kingdom Hall (or whatever they would like to call it)? They can continue with the same beliefs in a more humane way? I also guess it will be much cheaper too.

I have never been inside, but I have often heard about the problems for persons that are kicked out. By going out as a group they can avoid all these problems. Maybe several others from the same comunity will follow later - and suddenly they have their own 'church'.

Can you tell me why this is not happening? Is it because of the informing that nobody dares to start talking about it?