What many observers of the Watchtower fail to note is that they have not really been making money from selling books and magazines for many years. When they stopped presenting the magazines for a suggested price and had to go completely to "donations," income immediately switched from public contributions to member donations.
I understand that some countries may still allow the magazines to be "sold" for specific donations, but in the USA this is illegal and also has negative tax ramifications (state and local taxes on gross sales of magazines and subscriptions). Basically, it is the JWs themselves that are donating the cost of the magazines, plus their time, gas, and cleaning bills to place literature in the hands (or dump on the porches) of householders.
The Watchtower's switch to Internet delivery of materials using PDF, eBook, and some POD (print-on-demand) reproduction will dramatically lower their costs of production in all categories. In the near future they'll need fewer volunteers running presses and working the mail rooms, minimal paper and ink, and the ability to sell off most, if not all, of their printing presses, trimmers, and bindery machines.
My guess is that they can easily reduce their ongoing expenses by 50% or more by making the switch to Internet publishing. Not to mention that they get a much more effective worldwide delivery system. They probably regret not going this way about fifteen years ago when the Internet was just beginning to hit its stride - instead of demonizing it.
The danger in all of this for the Watchtower is twofold: (1) More exposure to the Internet may cause more JWs to find reasons to leave the religion or not to enthusiastically preach the WTs defective and unsupportable doctrines; and, (2) Once the R&F realize how much money the Watchtower is saving, they may cut back on donations to the worldwide preaching work. Both possibilities have to put fear in the hearts of the NY and PA corporations and the Governing Body.
If folks like us can somehow get the message out to average JWs and their families that other than for local Kingdom Hall expenses, the donations they send to WT HQ is even now not going for new printing presses and publishing supplies, but rather for lifetime tax free incomes and first-class world travel expenses for the Governing Body and the upper management of the Watchtower publishing company. If the average Witness who is struggling to survive and support his family finally understands that the leaders of the Watchtower don't really care about him, his family, and the rest of the rank and file - but only see them as sheep to be herded and sheared each month - then maybe average JWs will think twice about dropping their grocery money in the boxes and donations will drop off substantially.
This is a message that we need to emphasize. Let the average JW understand that their only role within the society is to supply an endless supply of money to Patterson, Wallkill and Brooklyn. Remind them that the one message that is repeated at every assembly, convention, special meeting, and several times a month at their Kingdom Hall is the need for more donations to be sent to the Watchtower HQ. Local JWs build and pay for their Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls, but the Watchtower ends up owning them free and clear and pays no taxes on the properties. The locals pay for all the monthly expenses, utilities, insurance, and upkeep.
There is a reason that the Watchtower is building new Kingdom Halls as fast as they can - even in areas with well-kept and satisfactory Halls in place.
We now have an opportunity to get this message out. Everytime a JW goes to the Internet to access JW.org we want them to stumble across another website that educates them about the facts and exactly what they have gotten themselves into. Whenever a non-Witness wants more information about Jehovah's Witnesses, we want them to find 100 other sites that tell the real story and blast them with facts.
I am feeling very optimistic right now.
JV
