Posts by JeffT

There are any number of books about the start of WWI. Read Europe's Last Summer by David Fromkin. I read another one about the same time, I can't find the title right now. They all make the same points: 1) the common narrative about WWI is that nobody had any idea a war might start until the assassination of the archduke lit the fuze and the world blew up and 2) no serious historian believes that narrative.

The British and Germans were locked in a naval arms race that consumed large chunks of their national economies. The Germans had been working on war plans for decades, and acting on those plans. They built huge railroad platforms in every city so they would be able to load troops on trains quickly when the war started. The put together elaborate timetables of which units would go where and when. The built the largest siege guns in the world with the specific intention of using them to pulverize Belgian forts when they violated that country's neutrality.

Meanwhile, the French and Russians were drawing up coordinated plans to invade Germany from two directions.

This is not a picture of world that has no idea there's going to be a war.

Top all that off with the fact that what happened is nothing like what the WTBS said was going to happen.

6

Hodgkins Lymphoma Returns

by azor in

my sister was diagnosed with hodgkins lymphoma earlier this year.

we thought treatment worked as she finished her chemo treatment a month ago.

i just got a call from her that she has lumps on her legs and she has been extraordinarily tired.

JeffT

I'm sorry to hear this, at least part of the problem is so unnecessary.

What is the Watchtower's current position on stem cells? There are some options involving high dose chemo and stem cell transplants. But I don't know if that's also forbidden.

If you want more information, I have some resources I can send you.

31

Warwick Project Update Email

by wifibandit in

fwd from anon:.

dear brothers,.

we are happy to provide you with a brief progress update on the warwick project and explain how you can assist with a major adjustment recently approved in our construction schedule.

JeffT

Large construction projects are built in phases, this is especially true with multi-building projects. My guess is that they just decided to not build something, and then declare themselves done. Whatever it is they're skipping will be built later.

12

Report of the Trustees and Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31st August 2013 for Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain

by OrphanCrow in

downloadable as a pdf here.. i did a search and couldn't find this posted on the forum.

if it has been and this is a repeat post....i apologize.. there is lots of information in that pdf that may be of interest to our members who like numbers and money and misc info pertaining to wts organizational structure, etc..

JeffT

Finally, a set of real financial statements! It's late and I'm busy. Some time in the next couple of days I'll take a look at these and see if I can distill it into a reasonable summary.

42

2015 10-20-BOE!

by Atlantis in

2015, 10/20/boe.. .. re: making wise use of printed magazines.. .. page 2: .

this postscript should neither be read to the congregation nor be posted .

on the information board.. .

JeffT

I suspect this has to do with employment law and liability. It the activity report goes to the branch, the branch is responsible for what goes on (slip and falls, auto accidents, eyeing little girls with bad intent, whatever). If it doesn't, the publishers are strictly volunteers at the local level. If this is an attempt to push liability onto the congregations the real fun will start when the local elders discover they're being hung out to dry.

2

List of Watch Tower (Watchtower) Corporate Entities

by OrphanCrow in

downloadable as a pdf here.

does anyone know anything about the "association of jonadab class"?.

JeffT

I'm guessing that a lot of the ones with a state name are just registrations allowing the WTBS to do business in that state. In theory every Kingdom Hall in the country is owned by some entity that probably has "Watchtower" in the title. I say in theory, because the WTBS has final control of the property.

35

A question

by JeffT in

jw
friends

has anybody ever written bethel and just flat out asked for an accounting report on the society's finances?

we all keep batting around speculation about the wtbs and money, and actual information seems non-existent.

what would they do if somebody asked for a financial statement?

JeffT

I gave fifteen years of my life to this religion and didn't even get a T-shirt.

"We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization with which we may he associated"

Do you believe those words? I do. I'm still examining a religion with which I was associated. So far it's been found wanting. If the WTBS is acting honestly there is no good reason for them not to release their financial information.

I'm an accountant. SOX has nothing to do with the Watchtower, why bring it up?

35

A question

by JeffT in

jw
friends

has anybody ever written bethel and just flat out asked for an accounting report on the society's finances?

we all keep batting around speculation about the wtbs and money, and actual information seems non-existent.

what would they do if somebody asked for a financial statement?

JeffT

slimboy Start with the Roman Catholic Church

http://www.wsj.com/articles/vatican-releases-financial-statements-1437046714