Posts by Sam Beli

21

Watchtower Stock Gamblers?

by ros in

jw
friends

it was recently pointed out in another thread, the business mode of certain organizations to persuade people who have accrued a substantial estate to turn their holdings over to the organization in return for which the organization agrees to support them with a certain agreed income for the remainder of their life.

the advantage for the organization comes with investing the money in stock or bond funds for an anticipated higher return than they expect to pay to the invester/doner, as well as getting the whole thing after the investor dies without any inheritance penalty.

(is this a fair statement of the issue?).

Sam Beli

Hi again Ros,

No Watch Tower apologist here. Df¡¦g for gambling makes no sense as you point out so well. Do I buy lottery tickets? H*ll no, the odds are stacked a mile high against winning. My wife buys one occasionally ¡V there is a pool at work, and she has won a few bucks and I have not Df¡¦d her ƒº.

I personally think that state lotteries are a bad idea. It is an unfair tax on the poor, mostly under-educated participants. Am I glad when some one wins big? Sure, but for every winner there are thousands of losers.

Larc, your said: ¡§The average return over the life of the market is 12%. If you put money in every month for ten years, there is no risk of loosing, and totally certainty that you will earn between 5 and 15%. This is not gambling.¡¨

Be careful with your terms. There is always ¡§risk¡¨ of loosing in the market as there is in any human endeavor. I think that the long term stock market returns are closer to 6 ¡V 8 %. Your figure was true for recent years, however, this year has brought things back to reality.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Eccl 1:14, 15

21

Watchtower Stock Gamblers?

by ros in

jw
friends

it was recently pointed out in another thread, the business mode of certain organizations to persuade people who have accrued a substantial estate to turn their holdings over to the organization in return for which the organization agrees to support them with a certain agreed income for the remainder of their life.

the advantage for the organization comes with investing the money in stock or bond funds for an anticipated higher return than they expect to pay to the invester/doner, as well as getting the whole thing after the investor dies without any inheritance penalty.

(is this a fair statement of the issue?).

Sam Beli

Hi Ros,

I am pretty much with larc on this one, can’t find much in print, but it has been generally considered wrong among JWs to invest in the markets. Had a call from a close relative because her husband was about to invest in stocks and she wanted me to tell her that it was wrong – this was way back when I was still viewed by the family as a good JW.

I was already investing in the market at the time myself, so my answer surprised and disappointed her.

Investing in good stocks is little different (maybe safer) than investing in a new business. JWs start new businesses for themselves all the time, though they are often small janitorial or similar businesses. Nevertheless, any new business is a gamble of sorts. A friend of mine always said that 9 out of 10 new businesses fail. That was his observation from his vantage point.

The apostle Paul (the tent maker) was a business man, I presume. Any business person is taking a gamble with a start-up new endeavor.

Buying stocks is no different, IMHO. In effect, the buyer of stock is loaning money to the company so the company can buy machinery or what ever it needs to establish the company’s operations. In exchange, the company agrees to pay back portions of the company’s profits over time (I guess this is “value” investing). Some companies do not make a profit for a long time, but if their idea and business plan are considered “hot” the stock price goes up even though the company makes no profit in anticipation of future profits (this is “growth’ investing).

Life is a gamble, getting in one’s car each time is a gamble. Gambling of this sort is nearly unavoidable in modern life. Sensible stock buying is nearly an absolute must for today’s young people if they hope to retire comfortably in their old age. Old people like me need to be getting out some day.

Should the WTS invest in the stock markets? Good question. Most businesses have places for the “short-term” holdings, perhaps money market accounts. Mid-term and longer term assets are often placed in bonds or more conservative stocks. Should the WTS have enough money to need “long-term” investment strategies? Is that what you are asking?

Warm regards,

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Eccl 1:14, 15

49

30 and Out?

by Black Man in

jw
friends

30 that seems to put jw's at a cross-roads?

i've known so many who have decided to abandon ship at either the age of 30 or either after 30 years of being baptized.

i fall into the former category.

Sam Beli

30? Nope, it was 40 something for me (guess I’m a little slower than most of you). The ’75 thing got me started with serious doubts. Raised a JW, so I always had some doubts in the back of my mind. The ’75 failure brought my doubts to the front of my mind, but family pressures made me repress my doubts for another 20 years!

Definitely out since 95 – though I didn’t even know about the generation thing till a couple of years later.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Eccl 1:14, 15

5

Sending Doubt Not-related emails

by comment in

jw
friends

this is, i believe, the most comprehensive set of links to newspapers, magazines, and tv and radio stations around the world available on the internet:.

http://ajr.newslink.org/news.html.

feel free to bring it back up to the top as required.. comment

Sam Beli

bttt

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Eccl 1:14, 15

3

Valium and the Church of Scientology

by Sam Beli in

jw
friends

valium and the church of scientology .

details here:.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010804/us/death_scientologists_1.html.

Sam Beli

Thank you Deb for the very interesting link.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Eccl 1:14, 15

3

Valium and the Church of Scientology

by Sam Beli in

jw
friends

valium and the church of scientology .

details here:.

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010804/us/death_scientologists_1.html.

Sam Beli

Valium and the Church of Scientology

Details here:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010804/us/death_scientologists_1.html

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Eccl 1:14, 15

5

Hospital Liason Committee - a question?

by waiting in

jw
friends

hospital liason committee (hlc).

pertinent background: my b-i-l is devout jw elder.

was in accident years ago - his neck bones have deterioriated to the point that after many tests,it has been determined he must have 7.5 hr surgery to stabilize his head and neck within one month.. he has spoken with at least one practicing neurologist and one practicing neurosurgeon (another non-practicing).

Sam Beli

Hi Waiting,

Some things to consider:

A lawyer’s opinion about a physician is always suspect.

Poorly performing physicians may have a tendancy to “work with” the HLC in order to prop-up their otherwise sagging business volume. The HLC may sincerely (there is an oxymoron for you) believe that this surgeon is a great guy because he gives them the time of day (he has the time since patients in the know flee from him).

Really good surgeons do not have to give-in to JW demands to have plenty of work, though some do because they are compassionate and do not want to see any go without proper care.

Another reputable physician in the same area is in the best position to recommend a particular physician/surgeon. They know each other, who has the best (least) infection rate, the least blood loss (fastest hands), the fastest recovery period, the least complication rate, and so on.

The pathologists (the guys who run the labs, examine tissue samples (biopsy) and do the post mortems) also have keen insight into who the best physicians are.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Eccl 1:14, 15

13

Civility

by msil in

jw
friends

is it necessary to resort to the schoolyard talk and name-calling every time someone says something, which is in disagreement with you, or is something you don't agree with?.

interestingly, some of the more "knowledgeable" persons on here seem do be the first to resort to these measures.

do they feel like they are better than the next person?.

Sam Beli

There is language used on this board that is not to my liking either such as profanity, especially the “f” word and references to sexual acts that are better left in the bedroom between partners. However, having been on the old H2O and now this board for a couple of years, I have grown used to the ranting of certain individuals and their use of the profane. It gives us insight into their personalities and their views.

I too worry that such harsh language may run-off certain new ones who are venturing into the world of the Internet for the first time. However, for msil to become so critical of so many during his first week here seems rather presumptuous, don’t you think?

I would rather see msil blend into this board for a while and let us evaluate where he is coming from. Some have thought that he was a WTS troll. Are we convinced that he is not? Personally, I do not think it prudent to throw one’s weight around so soon after joining a group.

Sam Beli

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. Eccl 1:14, 15

14

Jehovah's Witness evangelist killed.

by Big Jim in

jw
friends

jehovah's witness evangelist killed.

after hearing word man stabs sectarian with knives .

moskovskii komsomolets, 31 july 2001 .

Sam Beli

Very tragic. I am sure that this JW woman was sincere in her desire to “help” this man. The naiveté often found in JWs may have been a factor in her unfortunate demise.

My condolences to her husband and friends.

13

Arctic Drilling

by Mommie Dark in

jw
friends

i am absolutely heartsick over this.

we don't need more oil at the expense of every other living thing on the planet.

i am not going to rant on because if i get started i'll be frothing at the mouth in jig time.

Sam Beli

Are those of you who wish to NOT drill in Alaska going to start walking to the grocery store instead of driving? This is one excellent way to begin showing your intense love of nature, IMHO.

Sam Beli