Posts by gcc2k

182

Watchtower to pay for Silentlambs trip

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

from silentlambs (bill bowen):.

on thursday of this week world wide work money will again be spent to protect a pedophile.

in addition it will also be spent to pay money to a disfellowshipped person in order to find a way to prevent them from assisting the court case of abuse survivors.

gcc2k

144k, your original point is being lost in the shuffle. This thread is reminiscent of the one I started about the CBS/Silentlambs program where I declared that Bill Bowen had uttered what was at best a half truth (that anything an elder says is to be taken as the direct word of God).

Your point seems to be that an expert witness involved in an active trial should not be discussing matters involving that trial. I agree with this point. I'm sure that Bill's mission (or mission in life?) is genuine and heartfelt, and perhaps it is the uphill battle that has him resorting to certain tactics that many do not agree with.

This thread has now branched off into a few different topics, one of which is the way that congregations handle cases of molestation. On this matter, my thoughts are clear. If there is a sin committed, judge the sin according to congregation guidelines. However, if there is a crime committed, even if only in allegation, then the authorities should be involved.

If Martha Stewart were an active JW, would she be disfellowshipped today? After her trial? After being found guilty in a court of law, yet still professing innocence, would she be disfellowshipped anyway? My guess is yes.

One of the biggest problems is that elders are empowered (or think they are empowered) to act as judge and jury on almost any subject.
This is an extremely dangerous position to be in (remember Spider Man? "with great power comes great responsibility"?) and some elders are able to be balanced and know when they are overstepping their bounds, yet others (many others) feed on the ego boost and spiral further and further away from their role as spiritual shepherds.

19

The Watchtowers Investments in Warfare Technology

by l3gi0n in

this cant really be true, can it?

the papers could have been filed by someone trying to defame the wt.

i know they are not as clean as they want us to belive, but this is just to much.

gcc2k

If the Watchtower sold their shares withinthe last two years, it would have been recorded in the inside trading:

I agree. I did note from the 10K that the Watchtower actually holds shares in Rand Cam Energy Corp, not REGI.
Same thing I guess (in principle), but Rand Cam Energy Corp is not publically traded, so there would be no record of insider trading.

James McCann could have sold the shares, but there would be a record of that, and there does not appear to be.

From the 10K, the Watchtower holds slightly over 5 million shares. Nothing like that has been traded according to the records, and you have to consider the financial implications of that transaction - the stock would likely plummet to nothing, opening up the possibility for a hostile takeover or a buyout. The only "safe" way out would be for the Society to transfer the shares to a holding company or donate them somehow, perhaps back to the person who originally gave them to the Society.

19

The Watchtowers Investments in Warfare Technology

by l3gi0n in

this cant really be true, can it?

the papers could have been filed by someone trying to defame the wt.

i know they are not as clean as they want us to belive, but this is just to much.

gcc2k

Here is the latest I found. The direct URL is: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/922330/000106299302000371/form10k.txt

Or, go to http://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/webusers.htm and enter the name of the company or stock symbol (REGI) and look for the latest 10-KSB.

It says:

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
-------------------------------

FORM 10-KSB

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1934

For the Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2002

COMMISSION FILE NO. 0-23920

-------------------------------

REGI U.S., INC.
-------------------------------

Name Class A Shares Owned Percentage of
Class A Shares
Owned
<S> <C> <C>
John G. Robertson, Chairman of the Board 5,781,350 51.22%
of Directors, President and Director (1) (2)
The Watchtower Society (3) 5,073,200 44.94%
James McCann (4) 5,073,200 44.94%
Rand Energy Group Inc. (5) 5,073,200 44.94%
Jennifer Lorette, Vice President and Director 85,500 *
(6)
James Vandeberg, Chief Operating Officer 76,000 *
and Director (7)
Patrick Badgley, Vice President, Research 75,000 *
and Development and Director (8)

ALL EXECUTIVE OFFICERS & 6,017,850 53.31%
DIRECTORS AS A GROUP (FOUR
INDIVIDUALS) (9)

Rand Cam Engine Corp. is a privately held company whose stock is reportedly
owned 50% by The Watchtower Society, a religious organization, 34% by James
McCann and the balance by several other shareholders. Mr. McCann has indicated
that he donated the shares held by The Watchtower Society to that organization
but has retained a voting proxy for those shares. Accordingly, in Notes (3) and
(4) above, beneficial ownership of the 5,073,200 shares registered in the name
of Rand Energy Group Inc. has been attributed to The Watchtower Society and Mr.
McCann. We believe it would be misleading and not provide clear disclosure to
list as beneficial owners in the table the other entities and persons discussed
in this paragraph, although a strict reading of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 might require each such entity and person to be listed in
the beneficial ownership table.

All this information has already been posted. What I have just done is verified that at least as of April 30, 2002, the Watchtower was still holding REGI stock. The Watchtower's letter posted at http://www.geocities.com/wtgreed/article.htm is dated November 11, 2002. So, it is possible that the WT sold off their holdings in REGI sometime during 2002.

Their latest form 10-QSB is http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/922330/000106299303000249/form10qsb.htm

I guess we will have to wait for their 10-KSB to be filed, sometime in August going by their filing pattern.

19

The Watchtowers Investments in Warfare Technology

by l3gi0n in

this cant really be true, can it?

the papers could have been filed by someone trying to defame the wt.

i know they are not as clean as they want us to belive, but this is just to much.

gcc2k

Gerard, is there any proof that the Society is still a shareholder in REGI or any of its companies?

I checked the SEC's Edgar database, but only found REGI US (which curiously is having financial problems and borrowing money from REGI, who owns 45% of the company). REGI US does not seem to list the WT in any current filings, but I also did not see any other shareholders mentioned.

182

Watchtower to pay for Silentlambs trip

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

from silentlambs (bill bowen):.

on thursday of this week world wide work money will again be spent to protect a pedophile.

in addition it will also be spent to pay money to a disfellowshipped person in order to find a way to prevent them from assisting the court case of abuse survivors.

gcc2k

Simmer down now folks.

SoJ (who refuses to respond to any legitimate questions from this witness in good standing) says:

The donations are carefully spent on the world wide work. The congregations in the U.S. can afford a payment on their Kingdom Halls, for example, but 75% of the countries around the world would not be able to build Kingdom Halls without the help of the U.S. branch. Also, you think publishing the amount of literature the Watchtower does yearly is cheap?

As 144k+1 points out, you (and we) have no way of knowing that. The fact remains that the Society has millions of dollars in assets and probably even more that is liquid. Time and again we have seen the Society manipulate matters to preserve their capital, such as changing the donation arrangement. I've been in Kingdom Halls around the world, and let me tell you that we wouldn't have Kohler toilets and nice tile, carpets, seats, sound systems, etc. if building halls overseas were an issue.

I am not intimately familiar with the case, but I believe that the suits are brought forth because there was a real damage/hardship suffered by the victims because the elders and the Society failed to act to protect the victims. I believe more is involved here than just trying to pry money away from the Society.

82

What is the WTS's motive?

by careful fader in

can anyone help me understand the motive of the wts?

i don't think it's money .

the gb lives at bethel in a pretty low standard of living.

gcc2k

That's really out there Czar. I don't think so. Gerard, you are very good at digging up information, and seeing how much money the Society has is very interesting. But you are harping on the wrong things. In anywhere near Brooklyn, Patterson, Wallkill, a $226,000 house is not a luxury, it's called a bargain. The average price of a home in those areas is well above $300,000. You claim that the WT folks have an open checkbook for travel and expenses, and chauffeured limousines. Can you prove any of those allegations? I doubt it. One thing that was not mentioned here is that Bethelites take a vow of poverty, so it would not be possible for them to siphon off money for their own use, at least by the book. Power and respect sound good, but they are not enough to explain away the drive for money, at least in my eyes. I remember when the WT publications CD came out, and how we were reminded that a comparable encyclopedia from secular sources would cost $70 or $80, so we should keep that in mind when making a contribution for the CD. What they didn't tell you was that the development of the CD was done in-house (zero cost), the publications are owned by the Society so there are no royalties (zero cost), and the marginal cost of producing a CD is well under a buck, probably closer to $.25, again since they are using volunteer labor. I'm sure many people paid through the nose for those CDs and continue to do so each time there is an update. Clearly there is something fishy going on. I'd prefer to be told that "although costs are low, the money goes to the ongoing preaching work" or something, but then we know that many people wouldn't contribute.

60

So I quit smoking today..

by Aztec in

jw
friends

...and i'm feeling pretty good right now.

i quit, cold turkey, this morning.

it's been almost 24 hours since my last cigarette.

gcc2k

Congrats Aztec. I've watched one relative die of lung cancer and another going through it now, so I applaud your effort. If you need motivation to avoid eaching for that pack, remember that the people around you deserve to have you around!

20

Love Letter from a Jehovah's Witness

by Lee Elder in

here is an email we received the other day.

it illustrates the extent of the mind control the wts has over many of its members: .

"you must have been one of jehovah's witnesses in the past, and are now .

gcc2k

Lee, I didn't realize you post here. What's the status of AJWRB? It seems to be pretty stalled, at least by the content on the site. When I last emailed you, I asked if this was because you have shifted in your goals from seeking reform, given other information that has come to light in recent years. I applaud the site and efforts for reform on this policy. One of the things I liked best about AJWRB is that for a JW, there is nothing on the site that is technically apostate or negative, simply sound reasonings from intelligent brothers and sisters on a truly important issue. I've often wished there was a forum on that site for discussion of other issues, but understand why that is not possible, so I ended up here instead :)

23

Pay Attention Book Available

by 95stormfront in

jw
friends

.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/ebayisapi.dll?viewitem&item=3523479525

any takers.......

gcc2k

Because some people will only believe it is genuine if they see/smell/touch the actual book.

15

REGI stockbroker report shows military connections for Rand Cam

by bebu in

i haven't seen this posted before here.

it's rather a newer document (feb 19, 2003), so it may not have made it onto your radar screens yet.

suprised i found it, myself.

gcc2k

Randy,

Unless I am misreading the information, you are spreading false information. The WT is NOT involved with the Armenian National Committee. The WT was listed as a participant in a UK Holocaust Memorial Day event (understandable, given the JW history in the Holocaust) and the Armenians are protesting the exclusion of their group from the event, requesting that people contact the participants and organizers in the Memorial Day.

Again, unless I am missing something, I think you should rephrase your statements (and in fact delete this whole matter, since it is irrelevant).

You have put out a lot of good information, I don't think you want to risk losing credibility, do you?