Jgnat, in the U.S., nonprofits can and do invest in riskier instruments than mutual funds. In the IRS link you provided, it says that in many states a "prudent man" test is used (Often called the "reasonable person" test). Guess what that prohibits? Almost nothing. Maybe investing in a Nigerian Prince or something, but not much beyond that. If the government wants to go after them (which is unlikely), they could definitely say that investing a portion of their assets in hedge funds, real estate investment trusts or mortgage backed securities was reasonable - after all, the smartest investment banks were doing it too. It does also say that certain types of especially risky investments are "closely scrutinized" (but not prohibited), most notably including margin purchases, commodity futures, and options. I doubt they invest in this latter group of securities, but I would almost be surprised if they didn't have some dough in MBS, REITs or hedge funds before the crisis.
Chaserious
JoinedPosts by Chaserious
-
21
What are the WT Society's expenditures?
by Apognophos ini'm hoping someone who has at least a little inside knowledge can help educate me here.
what sort of things does the wbts pay for, on a worldwide basis?.
- i understand that khs are owned and funded locally, at least where the locals can afford them, but what about in poor areas?.
-
-
-
21
What are the WT Society's expenditures?
by Apognophos ini'm hoping someone who has at least a little inside knowledge can help educate me here.
what sort of things does the wbts pay for, on a worldwide basis?.
- i understand that khs are owned and funded locally, at least where the locals can afford them, but what about in poor areas?.
-
-
Chaserious
I'm sure this has been speculated on here before, but I would not be surprised if they had a lot of money tied up in risky investment vehicles during the financial crisis and lost some of their cushion. They were probably doing rather well in the early 2000's, as organizational growth was higher then (also I think a few were still hanging onto hope that the big A would come before the 1914-ers all died), the economy was doing well so publishers probably had more disposable money to donate, plus they sold 360 Furman for $205 Million in 2004. If they had hundreds of millions of surplus cash, I doubt they put it all in a money market account or 2% return CDs. As has been noted here before, they have been on the list at hedge fund conventions. Like many other large entities, they could have lost hundreds of millions during the financial crisis from 2007-2009. Just speculation, but maybe this is why they are trying to build a cushion back up.
-
3
The Results of an Atheist Sex Survey
by Most Noble inwhat happens when 10,000 non-religious people take a survey about their sex lives including people who were raised in one religion but later left it?
well, you get a treasure trove of data thats never been analyzed before.. .
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2011/05/15/the-results-of-an-atheist-sex-survey/.
-
-
Chaserious
The Mormons are beating JWs in feeling the most guilty about sex. Seems like the WTBTS is doing its job of guilting the pubs rather poorly. Jah's people aren't #2 at anything.
-
81
Amway
by enigma1863 ini was curious, how many jws end up getting caught up in pyramid scemes like amway.
i was caught up in there online program quixstar for a little while several years ago.
i noticed there are several similarities between amway and a cult..
-
-
Chaserious
Sigh... yes, the words you wrote are correct, CyberJesus. However, BEFORE you posted that, I had already written that "t hey give you a ring if you earn more than $100k, $250k, etc. in regular income, so it's not a $250k bonus", thus acknowledging that it represented $250k in income. Therefore I did not need to be corrected. However, you insisted on correcting me anyway, making a statement that was not inconsistent with what I had already said, and then called me stupid on top of it. That is the part that is no bueno. Not the clarity of your post.
-
81
Amway
by enigma1863 ini was curious, how many jws end up getting caught up in pyramid scemes like amway.
i was caught up in there online program quixstar for a little while several years ago.
i noticed there are several similarities between amway and a cult..
-
-
Chaserious
CJ - I would not have made that comment if I had known that English was not your first language. However, to be fair, you did directly call me "stupid" in your previous post when the problem appears to have been your failure to understand the message I conveyed.
-
81
Amway
by enigma1863 ini was curious, how many jws end up getting caught up in pyramid scemes like amway.
i was caught up in there online program quixstar for a little while several years ago.
i noticed there are several similarities between amway and a cult..
-
-
Chaserious
250k means you either won that bonus or made 250k .... Poor stupid people..... What do you for a living anyway
I do something that requires far better comprehension and writing ability in the English language than you evidently possess. You said in an earlier post that the $250k ring award was a $250k bonus. I corrected you and said it was merely an award recognizing the earning of $250k in income, not a separate $250k bonus on top of income. You did not seem to understand. I suggest you read my earlier post again, but more slowly this time.
-
37
Blood transfusion: Letter of Understanding
by Marvin Shilmer inblood transfusion: letter of understanding .
today i added a new article to my blog that to the best of my knowledge is the first publication of a document put together for jehovahs witnesses by medical ethicists in cooperation with watchtower appointed hospital liaison committee members.
this document is very helpful in medical terms yet very explosive in theological terms for jehovahs witnesses whove been taught to resist blood transfusion as rape.
-
-
Chaserious
Are they using this or anything similar in the U.S.?
-
81
Amway
by enigma1863 ini was curious, how many jws end up getting caught up in pyramid scemes like amway.
i was caught up in there online program quixstar for a little while several years ago.
i noticed there are several similarities between amway and a cult..
-
-
Chaserious
"how many times a day do you see a coke add in the day? a lot of advertsing makes it a cult? i am thinking you dont have a business. i think you are an employee and work for salary... am i right?"
I bet that the CEO of Coca Cola, or even the employees or middle managers for that matter, don't harrass their friends on social occassions trying to convince them that Coca Cola is what they need, and asking them if they want to buy a bottle of Coke right now. Like being in the WTS, joining a MLM can have a negative social impact. A lot of sales are made, not because the customer genuinely wants the product, but because they don't want to say no to a friend or acquaintance, or they are tired of saying no to aggressive sales pitches. Eventually Salesman X gets a reputation that if you hang with X, he is going to push (insert MLM product here) on you.
Also, you are right, I don't own a business. I am not going to get in a pissing match, but I will say that I'm certain that from a career perspective I would not want to switch positions with the vast majority of people involved in MLM schemes.
"yeah earning a 250k bonus is stupid..... those stupid people who earn those stupid bonuses... they are so stupid that they earn them and i actually know someone who know someone.... they are soooo stupid.... i understand you... i got a stupid lexus... it sooo stupid i tell you... and driving it is stupid too..."
Actually, as I understand it, they give you a ring if you earn more than $100k, $250k, etc. in regular income, so it's not a $250k bonus. This is all part of trying to lure you in. They prop up these couple of people across the country who earn six figures and make you think anyone can do it, when probably over 99% of sales reps won't get close.
-
28
Do they still follow the same backwards policy on AIDS?
by Chaserious ini was browsing through some of the boe letters (made available here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/243938/1/all-letters-to-elders-from-the-branch-1981-2012-boe) and came across the 3/15/96 letter about persons with communicable diseases.
it specifically mentions aids several times in the letter and seems to be primarily targeted at that population.
among other gems:.
-
-
Chaserious
It's not like it has the same success rate as us mentally diseased in infecting "true christians".
lol
-
11
Jw's and the third branch of government
by trujw ini have always wanted to ask a jw how many branches of government their are?
most likley they would be hard pressed to know that there are three.
then i would like to ask why is it ok to run and participate in one branch proudly ( the judicial) but have nothing to do with the other two.
-
-
Chaserious
I agree with you that not running for City Council because they say so is dumb. Their whole list of rules is stupid, about when you can go into a church for your job, how much relation you can have to tobacco or defense companies, no jobs where you carry a gun, etc. At the same time, they don't give a hoot about whether your job is generally socially conscious or does any good for the world or community, as long as it falls within their black and white rules.
Just saying that if I knew a lot of things from this site when I was a JW, it would have made me scratch my head, but I think I would have laughed at the idea that it's hypocritical that they file lawsuits. I mean, if you file a lawsuit for compensation because someone ran you over and broke your leg, or to get money that Aunt Mildred left you in her will, if you ask the average person on the street they are going to say that you're not acting in a "political" manner, even though the government is involved.