The May 2015 episode of JW Broadcasting was billed by its host, Governing Body member Stephen Lett, as being a “historic” one. It ended up being just that, but for none of the reasons given.
Lett opened the program by drawing attention to the fact that all seven Governing Body members have now hosted JW Broadcasting (tv.jw.org), and hailed the fact that approval has now been given to end the project’s trial period and roll it out on a permanent basis in multiple languages.
If this amounts to a “historic” development, then either Lett is shaky on what “historic” means, or anything new that happens anywhere to anyone can have the same superlative applied.
What WAS historic about the program was that it featured, for the first time, a Governing Body member admitting to the organization being in a financially precarious situation, with Lett revealing a shortfall between projected income and expenditure for the forthcoming fiscal period.
This website has long pointed to a number of omens that not all is well for Watchtower financially – chief among these being the slashing of branch offices and a whopping 39% reduction in monthly magazine printing. But this is the first time, at least to my knowledge, that the organization has come clean about being in financial difficulties – albeit with a notable lack of transparency about the actual figures involved.
Unsurprisingly, Lett used the opportunity to urge Witnesses to donate, and rather comically set about doing this by trying to distance the organization from others who “coerce” their followers to give money…
The above video is my own montage of Lett’s pleas for donations. To watch the full, 1-hour 36-minute unedited program, please click here.
From lack of transparency to blatant deception
As with the previous seven JW Broadcasting episodes, I will be making a full YouTube rebuttal to Lett’s performance in the next week or so. But I wanted to take this opportunity to point out the complete lack of transparency regarding funds in this episode, and highlight at least two areas in which Lett has been blatantly deceitful.
If you are going to divulge a shortfall in funds, particularly with the aim of leveraging more donations (or “valuable things”) from a pool of supporters who are already lagging in this regard, the least you can do is treat them like adults and give some hard numbers. Nowhere in Lett’s rather patronizing, condescending comments is a single figure cited regarding the projected amounts of income and expenditure, and the shortfall between the two. Everything is left to the imagination (or, more accurately, gullibility) of the viewer.
Then you have the flat-out lies regarding the new donation arrangement for kingdom hall construction, and the amount of money involved in the move to Warwick.
When Lett first mentioned feedback from Circuit Overseers regarding the new donation arrangement, the first thought that whizzed through my head was: “Thank goodness! The publishers have seen straight through the stealth-tithing scam and have been giving Circuit Overseers a piece of their mind.”
But according to Lett, rather than there being any dissatisfaction with the new arrangement, the cause of concern for Circuit Overseers is merely that there is a misconception among publishers that Watchtower is flush with money because it has “cancelled” the loans and mortgages of congregations who owe the organization for new kingdom halls.
Cue facepalm, and heavy sigh of despair…
As already reported by this website, a full unabridged reading of the letters to elders dated March 29 and May 12, 2014 reveals that Watchtower has not stopped congregations from sending in money under the new arrangement. Rather, it has insisted that at least the same amount of money be sent through each month for congregations who were already paying off debts, and that congregations without debts should start sending in money each month as though they were in debt!
And ALL congregations, whether previously indebted or not, have been ordered to send in any surplus of funds, leaving only $5,000 plus three months’ worth of operating costs in the local coffers. So rather than saving money for congregations, Watchtower is demanding more from them as a result of the recent changes.
And keep in mind that if Watchtower ever goes bust (an increasingly likely scenario) the kingdom halls will go straight down in flames with it under this new arrangement (being no longer financially independent), and none of the money invested in kingdom hall construction by local brothers will find its way back into their pockets.
In the twisted world of Watchtower, a Witness should pay for his or her local kingdom hall as though it is their responsibility, even though the kingdom hall is an asset ultimately belonging to Watchtower and Watchtower can (and will) get all the proceeds from selling it.
But you wouldn’t suspect any of this dreadful scam from Lett, who draws comparisons between the ‘generosity’ of Watchtower’s new stealth-tithing arrangement and the dropping of charges for literature in 1990 – a move which, by the way, arose only because Watchtower’s non-profit status was under threat.
This all represents a blatant deception on Lett’s part, relying entirely on the majority of viewers being blissfully ignorant of the letters to elders that were circulated last year, and the full scope of the new donation/tithing arrangement.
But if this weren’t enough, we then have what I think is the most bald-faced lie I have ever seen a Governing Body member utter into a camera…
The first thing to remember is that Watchtower has operated quite successfully for many years before the move to Warwick was proposed, so any attempt to fob the viewer off with some half-baked story that the proceeds of one unnamed “significant” Brooklyn property would offset only a few weeks of normal operating costs can be immediately dismissed.
Even if Watchtower were to sell one of its Brooklyn properties for only one dollar, that is a still a dollar they wouldn’t have had available to them in any of the years prior to the Warwick move being discussed – years when Watchtower had up to 116 branch offices in operation (in 2010) compared to only 90 today.
This leaves us with the breathtaking subterfuge of Lett’s suggestion that the sale of the Brooklyn property portfolio “is basically only financing the construction of World Headquarters in Warwick and the purchase of other properties that are needed to facilitate the move from Brooklyn in the future.”
Like many cults, Watchtower is less than open when it comes to divulging how much money it spends on various projects to those it holds responsible for picking up the tab. This means that information on what Watchtower is spending on the Warwick move is hard to come by at best, but there are two figures that give some indication of the amounts of cash involved.
Four separate neutral sources, namely The Brooklyn Paper, The Observer, The Real Deal and the New York Post all cite an estimated figure of $11.5 million for the building costs of the new Warwick headquarters. I am presently trying to verify the source of this estimate, but considering the complex is being built with mostly volunteer labor, such a low figure isn’t completely out of the question.
It has also been reported elsewhere that the Tuxedo complex, perhaps the most well-known facility for supporting the work at Warwick, cost Watchtower a mere $3.2 million.
Obviously there are a lot of other numbers we are missing for other properties and planning/development expenses (due entirely to Watchtower’s lack of transparency rather than any attempts to mislead or deceive on the part of anyone else), but even if we multiply the above two figures by 10 for the sake of argument, we are left with less than $150 million.
Contrast that with the 1 Billion Watchtower is making for the entire Brooklyn portfolio, with an eye-watering $375 million coming through for one transaction alone, and the depth of Lett’s deception should quickly become apparent.
The move from Brooklyn to Warwick IS an enormous money-spinner for the organization, commonly known as a property “flip,” and in no way can it be thought of as a like-for-like switch according to Lett’s blatant, bald-faced misrepresentation.
Nobody else to blame
If Watchtower is low on funds, which I am thrilled to hear confirmation of straight from the horse’s mouth (in more than one sense), it is NOT the fault of any misunderstanding on the part of ordinary Witnesses. If anything, most Witnesses woefully underestimate the breathtaking amount of money Watchtower has pocketed from selling off Brooklyn, thanks in no small measure to the Governing Body’s total, deliberate and ongoing financial information black-out.
There is only one direction in which the finger of blame should be pointed respecting the Governing Body’s monetary woes, and that is towards them. If the Governing Body is spending more money than they are receiving from the kindness and generosity of Witnesses, who are already hard-pressed as a result of the insane and immoral prohibition on higher education, then by no stretch of the imagination can they be thought of as either faithful or discreet.
Let’s just hope that, for many Witnesses watching this most recent parade of self-congratulation, exaggeration, lies and bluster, with Stephen Lett as the latest floundering, pompous ringmaster to hog the limelight in this grotesque JW Broadcasting circus sham, the penny has finally dropped.
Further reading…
- Rawstory article
- Friendly Atheist blog coverage of this article
- JWsurvey articles on Warwick move
- JWsurvey articles on Brooklyn sell-off
- JWsurvey articles on Watchtower’s downsizing
- JW Broadcasting video rebuttals
Related video…
Great comments everyone, much love to all suffering.
I think the reasons they’re spending so much money on the new facilities is to make it more profitable when they sell it should the crap storm happen. They’re looking way down the road there. Attractive properties make attractive profits.
I think where all of us should focus our energy is in en effort to find out where the money goes legally. They are a corporation that uses child labor to sell magazines, perhaps we can sue for child labor abuses and make them open their books.
I know when Russell died, he let stock shares, who owns that?
If we could find this out, it may make them crumble.
I meant Russell left stock shares to the WTBTS, a corporation…who is the ones who own those shares?
Where does the money go? Without speculation, this is what we need to find out. We need to KNOW, and I bet once we do, this cookie crumbles.
We have to find a way to make this happen.
I was trying to think, if they ever wanted to sell, who would want a property like Patterson or Warwick? An agricultural university? A secret government bacteriology/virology lab? A CIA training camp? A weird cultish-group of some kind?…
Its an interesting problem they have boxed the WTS has boxed themselves in, isn’t? I’ve long said that if everyone did what the WTS prefers (work part time and pioneer), the WTS would have to soon close its doors for lack of funds. On the one hand, they have their flocks subdued by discouraging higher education and good job, but encouraging part-time work. Much growth is now seen in less economically developed countries outside the US that will have less means to support themselves. This growth will in turn put more pressure on the congregations of more affluent countries to support their work.
There are so many bizarre things about this broadcast. Take the example of the line cook that quits his job because his boss asks him to work Sundays. It is mentioned that he could have attended an evening meeting and kept his job. But he quit anyway! What would have been wrong with adjusting his schedule…instead he labeled his employer as uncompromising. Also, he had to get on unemployment, paid by the taxpayers of the government. Then, at the end of the skit it was said that Jehovah took care of him! Is Jehovah in the business of having us quit our jobs and go on public assistance? Ridiculous.
Sorry for the grammar issues, I am having PC issues.
Let’s see if I can get this out the above typos: The JWs are an interesting economic problem. Their recruitment techniques often work best on the vulnerable, including the impoverished and economically weak and/or educationally challenged. Combine this with the fact that those recruits will be subdued by the WTS by discouragement of higher education AND the encouragement of part-time/volunteer work that leaves many JWs with little discretionary or disposable income with which to support the WTS. So, to sum up, it looks to me like they are reaching the point of a well-known economic principle: the point of diminishing returns. If they want to be successful and continue to grow they will need to change one of their “production” variables (i.e. encourage college, well-paying jobs, cut costs, etc.).
@Chatpal,Charles Huff,Finn Sawyer,Searcher etc . ALL of YOU !! GREAT INTELLIGENT & LOGICAL COMMENTS!! That is why all of us NO Longer believe the RUBBISH from the GB !! The Ones who do are Either TRAPPED in because of FAMILY or UNEDUCATED!!
Or Mentally Deranged adding to the end of my last comment!
Added to my last comment are those who are Sad,Desperate & Needy who need to Cling on to what these 7 American mainly white MEN with the Token Black thrown in . I was reading a 1942 publication by Watchtower ‘The New World ‘ & there is a picture of a pure WHITE Jesus with NO BEARD . The 52,000 Anointed taking the Emblems in 1935 were All Mainly WHITE Americans & Europeans . the Increase is in Less Prosperous & Less Educated countries such as Africa,Indonesia,Philipines,South America etc .So these people are more easily duped. Also if you give people FREE Bibles,Literature & Kingdom Halls they will Flock in BUT they don’t have the Money to contribute. AN ECONOMIC DISASTER,Anyone with an ounce of common sense could see this coming!!
@Finn, in the United States you can’t get unemployment compensation if you voluntarily quit your job. He was either fired (and proved to unemployment that he was fired unfairly which takes a lawyer and months which costs a lot of money to prove it) or he was laid off which means that there was no longer any work for him. Either way, he didn’t “sacrifice” anything for the “truth”. If he was fired, it would have been much harder for him to find another job too with that work history of refusing to show up for work because of church. I believe that the whole story was a fabrication because it doesn’t make any sense to me.
Whatever the specifics, we are agreed. The story makes no sense at all. And we haven’t touched on the idea that why would Jehovah intervene to find this man a job because he started pioneering…but not intervene in the case of a little child that needs a blood tranfusion? It is unbelievable.
This was one of the announcements that woke me up in Dec2012…when they first said it was an ‘undue burden’ that brothers and sisters are carrying in this world. Retirement funds, IRA’s, 401K’s, pension plans, estates, unworn jewelry…anything you think you may need in this system. And now again, 29 months later. Wow…if this is not shades of 1975 I don’t know what is. Undue burden indeed!
Been Checking the site multiple times daily for something new. Glad to hear from you.
Hard hitting too. Please keep it up!
@Cedars . Just like to echo Jakemon75 comments. THIS SITE is BRILLIANT Head & Shoulders above anything else. & Also your YOUTUBE site JW CEDARS especially comments on Governing Body monthly Lectures. You,Lloyd Say what all Intelligent & Logical Ex-JWs & most Active JWs are thinking! Very Very Thankful of the Lives you have Saved from this Money Grabbing Organisation & also the GB STEAL our TIME that could be used on Getting good Education & Jobs so we can look after our Families Properly.wishing you& your Family all the Best.
Many thanks for that insight. It seems ironic that Russell used to berate the Churches for daring to take collections. Incidentally the Witnesses in Britain have to publish their finances by law if they are to maintain charitable status. It will be interesting to see the cost of the impending move of the Bethel at Mill Hill (London) to Chelmsford (Essex).
I now know the reason for the 40 languages. When you’re going to be asking for money from your slaves, you want to be an equal opportunity leach and reach as large of an audience as possible.
There was a reference to the Samaritan woman at the well, wasn’t this the portion of the bible that was removed in the last revision?
Today, The organization of jehovah has many projects to be implemented in all parts of the world. This is not new. Just as a great project called the call of all Israelites by Moses in desert, so the Jehovah’s servants are called as ever to participate in Paravant hundreds of large projects.
There are only opponents, jealous, to criticize this as usual.
You can count the return visit if you make another comment :-)
Common response. If anyone does not agree it is either b/c they are jealous or an apostate. Make sure next time a “new light” comes out you don’t disagree or question anything……
Sweet little Baby,
it really not THAT complicated, and no rocket science:
Moses = inspired by the True God Almighty.
WTS = not inspired by the True God Almighty, but “inspired” by their own, delusional megalomania.
Drawing parallels between a community that was “God-breathed” and governed by absolute and divine truth, and a profit-oriented corp of today that is using God’s Word as a sham, smokescreens & mirrors to hide behind is illegal. You cannot compare apples w oranges, or say sweet is bitter. Or r u one of those sweet little things that’s desperately trying to squeeze the cylinder through the triangular hole? Well then: KEEP PUSHING, and good luck with it.
Do you mean like “protect the pedophile” project? That requires a lot of money for the payoffs. Oh … I am sorry; to quote Lett that is just an “apostate based lie”.
Suffer the children.
@Baby,
The organization is ALWAYS in need of more, ever more. They always say the end is near, work harder, or the race goes the person who endures to the end. There is no end to what they will ask of you, and there never will be an end. Now, they want to fleece the flock for their short-sighted mismanagement of their business. Your GB leaders cannot manage money because they are too busy protecting themselves, rewriting the bible to suit their agenda, and rewriting their history to cover their previous lies.
It’s not about jealousy or criticism. This article that Lloyd put before us is about how you and your fellow members of this organization are being DUPED. You and your fellow members are being skinned and thrown about by a modern-day version of ‘Israelite’ Pharisees called the GB and leadership. These guys are no different that any other TV preacher asking to give donations before “God takes me home!” as they say. Like I said before; I just don’t know how these guys live in their skins at the end of the day!
Please wake up and get out as best you can. I wish you the best and I hope you wake up.
“The organization is ALWAYS in need of more, ever more.”
Reminds me of Proverbs 30,15:
“The leech has two daughters. ‘Give! Give!’ they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’”.
Let’s amend this verse by “five, that always crave for MORE MORE MORE – MORE field service hours, MORE pioneers, MORE donations, MORE publishers, MORE magazines placements, MORE kingdom halls, MORE jw.org-hits, MORE baptisms, MORE LESS (!!) branch offices … ” Get my drift?
Baby,
Your poor grammar, punctuation and spelling single you out as yet another ill educated JW, who can’t even be bothered to write to an adult level.
Why did you bother to comment here?
I hope that you will avail yourself of the information on this site. You need to do your research before you express your lack of knowledge on sites such as this.
You have my pity.
Peace be with you, Excelsior!
English is not my language. Birth language is one of the old Egytians language, I am only try to write and speak. I’am an african.
Mudumbu bwam weya bôngô, Baby, mwibedi, mot a mawôndô bambèlè diwindi. Ndôndôki dibato ngengeti dimsè? Bôlè. Don la pula-pula muboè njo. Wongwa su.
Mwaso.
Baby,
I apologise. I am sure that I would do far worse if I were to try to write in your language!
May I suggest that you use google translate, or some other service?
However, the fundamental problem remains. You are woefully ignorant of what you write about, whatever language you choose!!
I urge you to research your religion. It is not what it pretends to be. It is not a Christian religion.
Ask yourself this, Baby. How much is the WTBTS short by? Why doesn’t Lett tell you how much they are short by?
Peace be with you, Excelsior!
Baby – you know if you are on this site, you are breaking the rules.
I check my beliefs every times, since 35 years ago, I know in what organization I belong.
Baby, please ask your elders about the numerous payouts to victims of child abuse within the WT. And, at the same time, google the evidence yourself on the worldwide web. The organisation is not being truthful to its many decent and caring witnesses. But you have to find out for yourself. It’s up to you. I wish you peaceful journeying.
At Luke 14:28, Jesus said that before starting a project a person needed to figure out how much the project was going to cost or else he’d be ridiculed for starting it and not having enough money to complete the project. It’s like having a lot of money to build an expensive bridge and getting half done and running out of money. Is that foolish or what?
Are the Governing Body assuming that when they start all these projects that will cost many millions of dollars that either God is going to throw money at them (trusting in Jehovah) or are they assuming the rank and file are just so stupid that they will produce all the money that they will need?
It seems like the more properties they get, the more they want and there is no end to it. At what point will the rank and file say enough! and walk away from the burden of their greed? It wasn’t that many years ago that we didn’t even have expensive assembly halls. We rented school gyms instead. The Society wants all those expensive assembly halls and Kingdom Halls because they want to give off the impression to the “world” that they are doing just as good as the rest of the churches.
They are competing with the churches. They want to look prosperous to attract new people. That is what this is all about. They have to depend on contributions and the only way they can do it is to “guilt” the rank and file into doing it for “Jehovah” and to guilt them into thinking if they don’t do it, that people are going to die at Armageddon for their not contributing towards the world wide work “building bigger and bigger buildings”.
When there are only 300 people doing the work of the printing and binding etc. but it takes 900 people working behind the scenes to feed and clothe these people is insane. It’s like running a business with 300 people doing the labor in the factor and 900 secretaries in the office. The difference is that in a factory where a product is made and sold, the product is sold for about 4 times as much as it cost to make the profit. The product has to be sold for enough money that the factory worker is making a salary and the people in the office is making a salary and the people who drive the truck is making money and the store that sells the product is making money. With the Watchtower, there is no product to be sold. It is all supported by “voluntary” donations. A premise like that is unsustainable eventually. Either they will have to start “charging” to sit in the Kingdom Halls and go to assemblies or they will have to quit. I believe that with all the talk about how the Society would never charge or tithe like the Mormons and other churches do, that people will vote with their feet.
Most people don’t vote in elections because they reason why vpte because their little vote isn’t going to make a difference so a lot of people could reason the same way when it comes to supporting the Society. Let’s say that a family is putting $50 into the contribution box towards the world wide work every month but those very people are really poor already. That $50 could mean a week’s worth of meals or could be going towards their rent or food or clothes for their kids and if that family is just hanging on, something like this little speech of Lett’s is what could push them over the edge especially if something happens that discourages them for any reason.
Good points. The organization is slowly but surely going through a “christendomization”.
Have you thought the ramifications of education all the way through? I believe it is a coin toss as to whether encouraging education would result in increased contributions since education teaches a person the critical thinking skills that are anathema to any organization like this. Were one to develop critical thinking skill grey would be much more able to see this religion or any other for what they really are and would be more likely to disaffiliate. I find it amusing but hugely hypocritical that, based on my discussions with a friend who has been in bethel for a long time, the society has a huge need for people skilled in legal, medical, and technological fields where higher education is required. It’s true that there are some JWs who are well educated but the number of JWs receiving post-high school graduation in the United States is the lowest of any religion. Ignorance is the leading cause of both stupidity and gullibility.
John,
I agree with your point of irony–the WTS both needs and discourages highly skilled people with critical thinking skills.
However, to your other point about education dampening those that will drink the kool aid, I just have a one-word comeback: Mormons.
Having worked at bethel myself I might add there ARE highly intelligent people there. Intelligence is no immunity against indoctrination for persons in a vulnerable state, either as youths or for other reasons in adulthood. I’d wager the motorcycle riding CO in the broadcast most likely wouldn’t have become a CO if hadn’t lost his leg and become vulnerable.
I did not mean to say that I am highly intelligent. Just that I knew people there that are. Man, I wish these comments had an edit feature.
Yeah edit would be a handy feature. I was not saying that all JWs are unintelligent. Intelligence and education are not necessarily related. I would like to think that I am reasonably intelligent yet it took most of my 50+ years to come to the realization that not all is as it seems. I also am aware that I had entertained quite a few doubts over the years but suppressed them. While I personally never had the ‘privilege’ of serving at bethel a fair number of friends that I had growing up did, some of whom are still there. Anyway, we are straying way off topic so I’ll leave it at this. Thanks for your insight.
Fair point, as much as I have compared Mormons and JWs in the past that one slipped past me. A person’s background is as big an influence to their susceptibility or acceptance of cult beliefs as education in many ways.
John,
I met plenty of people who were unable to think critically at University. They were only concerned with passing exams, not with thinking for themselves.
I do agree, however, that generally a better education will provide at least the opportunity to think critically.
The WTBTS would benefit from the increased salaries of graduates, and would not really care if a certain number of better educated people left the JWorg.
As a sad example of my point, think of the Muslim students radicalised at Universities. A good education is not an automatic defence against cult indoctrination.
Peace be with you, Excelsior!
Will be nice if you make comes on your video about the document Stephen letter send to the supreme Court of California that the watchtower don’t requgnise the publisher as jehovah witnesses. Why he ask from these people their money?
Steven Lett? Are you sure Forest Gump didn’t join a cult in his twilight years
The year C.T. Russell founded the WTS, he also founded the United Investment corporation. So, there must be much more money then we can think. He was a businessman and tried to money for the old white lady’s who believed in his religion. C.W. Conley, the first president of the WTS was a banker and investor. It’s not so difficult if you want it to see. $$$ is the main reason of existence for the organization.
Is there a way to find out how much money GB are pocketing personally. I realize it’s not the main issue but it would be interesting to find out
Jess.
I had a discussion on another blog similar to this, and I did a little research on non-profit organizations. They probably do get audited from time to time so they have to be careful, it is not legally possible for them to divert funds to another account unless it is another non-profit organization, it which case it just a donation, but they can pay themselves a salary for their work, which would be perfectly OK. I do no know if they do that or not.
One thing is for sure, they have a very good life in Bethel, they are just building themselves a nice retirement home in Wallkill with lake front rooms. They get to travel all over the world and I have read reports that they always travel first class, however I not not know if that is true. Wherever they go they are the honored guests and more or less worshiped by JWs. With their life everything is paid for by the contributions coming from the congregations. Even if the money going into the organization did dry up, then can live for a long time be slowly selling off the assets and closing down branch offices, selling kingdom halls and assembly halls.
The watchtower trying to teach the rank and file,that The Christians in the first century was poor and when was a need to donate was only for food and cloth. was only few years back when the drama of the distraction of Jerusalem was plain, and the Christians have to flee away from their homes with nothing. the watchtower have show the opposite. Their worst than most electronic religion. the properties they Owen is worth of many billions of $. is this the religion of poor Jesus have authorize to deceiving the world? please please .
The 3rd of this month Gerrit Losh gave a talk in Italy and encouraged young children to get baptised early and read an experience of a young a girl that was baptised at 5 and doing the pioneer for 4-5 years. They say that they protect children, but if at 10, 12 or 14 a child changes his/her mind, is it right to ostracise for the rest of their life? Is this protecting children? Can you immagine how terrible is for a young person being completely avoided from the rest of their life from their family or other dear friends? And because of a decision to be free and choose a personal path in life? Is this human? How can a human being be treated like this? The Jehovah Witnesses are letting thousand of people suffer deeply for the shunning practice. They let people fall in deep despair and depression. Often this is done perfectly good people, with persons of high standards. This mafia style behaviour has to be stopped. I think we should all of us spread the word and SEND LETTERS to authorities hopeful that one day will listen to our cry of help. Do this continously. Justice will be done one day because JW are not preaching the real Bible message. It is not Christian to treat human beings as criminals. We should talk less and do more to fight for our basic rights to change a religion and no loose the love of our families.
Is there an audio recording of this talk?
Well done Cedars, brilliant article, the Organisation is in demise, in our community 2 K Halls are up for sale, congregations halved the last few years, the coffers just aren’t coming in anymore.Interestingly just across the road from one of the K Halls which is empty a brand new Mormon Temple has been built, it took about 18months to complete, the Elders told the flock their K Hall had structural problems…! Convenient eh! Bunch of miscreants….Bet they tell lies when they talk in their sleep.
For whatever reason, as a pretty normal witness for 10 years, I never felt compelled to put money in the contribution boxes. I used to feel weird counting money after meetings and filling out those slips. Now I realize why I felt that way.
I’d rather donate to this site than them any day. Actually, now that I think about it, many of us love this site and check it regularly. I’m guessing if we contribute here, Lloyd can provide more content on a regular basis.
A few months ago I read about the Society purchasing a property on the Menai Straits in Wales, UK. For anyone who does not know, this is one of the most prestigious locations on the coast. Make a really nice escape and holiday home for the magnificent seven. So this is where some of the contributions are going. This, of course, is just one that we’ve found out about.
The poor African brother who has to choose between feeding his family or repairing his corrugated roof would be shocked.
John C – Hope you are feeling better, a few weeks ago I thought you might be thinking of closing the site, with your depression and effect it was having.
You have been brave enough to put your head above the parapet. There is always someone who will want to put you down. Keep up the good work!
On a side point, I have been researching the Memorial.
This most important day to JWs has been celebrated on the wrong day for ever! More info available to any who want to know.
.
It has enabled so many of us to air our views
I was looking at this as well. Memorial date. If you take the organizations explanation as to calculating the date, and compare the English and German versions, you come with two different dates. So that makes a mockery of their explanation and their translation skills.
Hope you’re reading this Governing Body Members! The End is Nigh for you! The rotten corrupt Organisation is running out of money.
@David . ALL You said about CHILD BAPTISM is sooo true in your comments. This OBSESSION by the GB to get 7,8,9& 10 year olds baptised is CRAZY. We had Mark Sanderson give a Branch Visit to Britain 3 weeks ago where he said a 7 year old is a Regular Pioneer!! He would have to have been BAPTISED at 6 YES ….. Six years of Age. This is UTTER MADNESS. IT IS NOT LEGAL to DRINK ALCOHOL until you are 18 years of Age & NO Child was Baptised at that age in the Greek Scriptures! Jesus was 30 . All the GB are doing is Increasing Numbers in the Yearbook & CRUELLY TRAPPING Youngsters into the Religion under ThE THREAT of SHUNNING & LOSING ALL Their FAMILY & Friends if they Leave or Question their Beliefs at 15,16,17etc
BARBARIC & SADISTIC MIND CONTROL which is Backfiring Bigtime as many are DEPRESSED & Suicidal!!
Once upon a time in a land far, far away. There were 7 deluded little men that thought that they were the Kings of the earth. They promised their subjects that if they followed them all of their problems would disappear & they would live happily ever after…..but it didn’t.
The End.
Well said!
Ever since Russell advertised for “colporteurs, this org, has been
a book and mag, publishing company with an army of unpaid
workers to produce and sell their products.
That source of revenue has all but dried up. School children in
Los Angeles now have no need to carry about heavy textbooks
they’ve been issued with iPads. eBooks now provide their study
material. Apart from things like package labelling, paper printing
will soon be none existent.
It’s plain to see why so many wt, branches have shut down and
the workers summarily dismissed and told to go and pioneer.
The expensive giant printing presses in the Bethel’s will not be
needed and will only fetch scrap money.
In view of the situation, they’ve now copied groups like the
Mormons, extracting pledges of money and valuables from their
followers. Lett used a virtual Avalanche of scriptures to apply
emotional pressure, but avoided direct references to “Tithing”.
@Ted . Your Comments SUM up the HISTORY of the Watchtower Organisation Perfectly in a Nutshell.
Millions of US FELL for the Fairy Story of a Paradise which we so Desperately wanted to believe without having the Old Literature at hand to compare& none of us in the 1970s,1980s & 1990s had the benefit of the Internet! The GB are Constantly GUESSING & Revising their interpretations of Scripture Daily ! Might as well do it ourselves like the Ancient Bereans !
Lett: “…We in no way want to be categorized with other organizations, religious and otherwise, that coerce their supporters to donate…”
As my JW parents used to tell me…
Brother Lett, what you want, & what you’re gonna get, are two different things.
And then he has the unmitigated gall to refer to giving them yet MORE money, as a “privilege” – Watchtowerese for, “we need this from you, & you better be d*mned grateful that we’re giving you the chance to serve us by depriving yourself!”
Keep your eyes simple Governing Body as you tell all us little sheep we should do. Or is this another case of us doing what “Mother” says and not as she does.
Hypocrites.
This is part one of three videos from Alex Mendes, a brother in South America who was deleted as an elder because his hours dropped but he was never irregular and didn’t miss meetings but was deleted because due to financial difficulties he couldn’t get his 10 hours per month. If you listen to the first part of his videos, you will want to watch #2 and #3. This is the way the Society treats one who is having difficulties. They don’t ever offer to help financially but only want more time in field service. That is all they are concerned about and a person doesn’t know that is how you are treated unless it happens to you like it did to this brother.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtqVPGukEGw&feature=player_detailpage
“Once upon a time in a land far, far away. There were 7 deluded little men that thought that they were the Kings of the earth. They promised their subjects that if they followed them all of their problems would disappear & they would live happily ever after…..but it didn’t.”
Grace, are you the reincarnation of Enid Blyton?!!! I much preferred The Magic Faraway Tree, The Famous Five and The Secret Seven stories you wrote in your past life. You seem to have lost your touch. That’s soooooo sad!!! (Tee hee)
The sad fact is that many will give more in the belief they are “helping” Jehovah, I know so many who so guilt ridden they would do anything to feel worthy, honestly when I look at WT broadcasts I get the Winchester out and oil it.
“………. I get the Winchester out and oil it.”
So it hasn’t turned into a plowshare or a pruning hook yet, Wild Olive?!
@ Charles Constante,oh definitely not, mr Winchester has dealt with dangerous pigs and snakes in the past,Ime just seeing a different kind of snake,and anyway if you threw a ploughshare at someone it would still cause a lot of damage lol
“If you are going to divulge a shortfall in funds, …, the least you can do is treat them like adults and give some hard numbers.”
This was always one of the things that bothered me the most about the WTBTS. Every month each congregation gives an “Accounts Report” to their own congregation ensuring total fiscal transparency. So why don’t the branches and the World Wide Headquarters follow suit in the excellent example set by the local congregations?
There is only one answer: IT’S A CULT!
@Oubliette. EXACTLY WE ALL DONATE HARD EARNED MONEY so GIVE US SOME ‘DAMNED HARD ACCOUNTING FIGURES ‘
Every CHARITY??? That gets TAX Exempt status like Oxfam,SCOPE,PDSA,British Heart Foundation etc Produce a BALANCE SHEET you can check. Now WHY Can’t the GB put on JW.ORG the Accounts for the year so all JWs & non JWs who Contributes??(DUBIOUS WORD) can see How much Is
1)Spent on materials(bricks,cement, pipe work,paint,toilets,etc)for Kingdom Halls in EACH Country ;
2)Money spent on Magazines,books,brochures(paper&ink etc)
3) Seven GB members EXPENSE(air travel tickets,CARS,,Petrol,Insurance,Hotel Rooms,Expensive suits,watches,rings etc.) PLUS any EXPENSES for Hangers on (Family members)
4) ASSETS-..like PRINTING PRESSES,COMPUTERS,CAR POOL,etc
5) ALL BROOKLYN BUILDING SALES & Real Estate around the World in EACH Country & Cost of LAND purchases & building costs
6) WILLS,Stocks&Shares,Property DONATED by Gullible JWs
7)MONEY Donated in Contributions BOXES in EACH Country etc
8) Money Donated at CONVENTIONS in Each Country
9)RTO Offices in Each Country
THAT WILL DO FOR NOW…. JUST BASIC FIGURES.
I Expect all of you on this SITE can think of more.
One Simple Accounts Stating the above Posted on JW.ORG & EVERY JW can see How DISCREET???! The Faithful & Discreet Slave are with our Money.
HMMmmm !!!
Yes. Agreed @Pickled. If these guys are guided by God himself as they claim, then what on earth do they have to hide. It should be ALL good. Show it all, Right?
I would like to know what the monthly allowance the Governing Body get and do they have to buy their own clothes with that money and their own insurance and gas money and since they never “earned” any money throughout their entire lives, they obviously don’t qualify for any social security. Do they have to pay for any of their expenses out of their monthly allowance like the Bethelites do and how much do they get and what do their digs look like. How much do their wives get and how much work do their wives have to do. Do their wives have to wash clothes and clean rooms like all the other sisters have to do. Do they have to make car payments with their allowance or is a new car provided for them free and clear?
I would bet you anything that they live like kings and so do their wives and they don’t have to lift a finger to do anything except to “read” all that the writing department puts out and approve it. They don’t even do any of the writing. They are leeches and are treated like the pope of the Catholic Church. They are arrogant and self-righteous and they don’t have to answer to anybody for anything. I would also bet you that they don’t spend even one hour in the door to door work each month and I would bet you anything that not a one of them even has ever conducted a regular Bible study in their entire life (except for Morris because he had two boys) and yet they have to gaul to get in front of the camera and guilt the rank and file into supporting them and their lavish life style and are expected to give them respect when they are nothing but arrogant cult leaders and do absolutely nothing that they expect the rank and file to do for free and willingly. All they have to do is throw some scriptures in the talk about giving to the world wide work and the rank and file will fall for it hook, line and sinker and they know it because the rank and file are under mind control of a very cunning cult.
All churches are for is to guilt people into giving money and time to the church in the guise of saving either themselves or the people in the “world” like Witnesses think. All religions do that, whether it claims to be “Christian” or not.
My husband and I have about $29,000 in retirement stocks and bonds and every 3 months, we get a detailed accounting of where the stocks are invested and how much these stocks made etc and what companies these stocks represent. We don’t make much on these stocks and sometimes they lose money but we get these accounts reports every 3 months anyway.
That is so much more honest than the Society. Any company who runs their business so secretly like the Society does, has something to hide. There is no reason that every congregation couldn’t get a detailed accounts report at least once a year and it should be posted in the Kingdom Halls so that everybody can see where “their” money is going and it is “their” money after all.
These gb have attained the very highest, prestigious, position available to them in this cult. They (as most local elders) are willing to give up a wallet full of money for the adulation and power over others.
Dare they ever ACTUALLY follow bible principles and consider themselves servants to the brothers and sisters, without a modicum of influence or power over others, suddenly such cult jobs would be not so enticing.
If Sister Willing is no longer required to submit to their will, if Brother MS could speak his mind, if they could not puff themselves up with talks, assembly parts, if elder/gb wives were not given special attention and respect, just see how fast the ranks of these men would fade…almost overnight.
Money they don’t need no stinking money. Admit it or not, they thrive on power and self aggrandizement.
Hey Danman,
I remember when I went to a District Convention with my ex-wife one year. I volunteered to clean the men’s restroom. Basically, because my butt got numb from sitting so dang long. However, I saw a couple of the elders from the KH that my ex and I were attending. I asked if they could help too. WOW! I got some stink-eyed looks from both of them. Like, “How dare you ask us to do a servants job!” That told me a lot about this religion and it’s hierarchy. The GB is most likely much worse. The GB would say, “How dare you ask us to go out and do field service, ride in coach class, do without a personal maid, etc, etc, etc….
Searcher,
I have been out for over 30 years, yet can vividly recall elder meetings wherein heated arguments arouse out of one elder or another getting to many “priveleges” or translated into human speak…more prominence than some other ‘spirit appointed’ shepherd of the flock..yeah right.
It is true that some older elders, who were put through their paces early in life, mellowed and appeared to be more kind, more loving, than some newbie, yet those same old timers were never timid about asserting their long service records. In other words they made a good show of meekness and mildness, but still were very protective of their status.
Now if you had of requested that those two ‘assembly elders’ assign some willing sisters and teenagers to do the work…well another story. smile.
Lett’s solicitation for funds is cleverly worded so as to frame the deficit in terms average monthly receipts from contributions vs. monthly expenses … he omits any reference to receivables from the proceeds of real estate sales or in the realizable value of current real estate assets, saleable but not yet sold.
Very good point!!! This could be another ruse just to get more money by saying how poor they are.
Would Jesus wear a Rolex?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=76ohvqwsNkk
Haha, good one! I’m missing have to post that to my Facebook page… :)
Might *
religion is a scam and a racket, the only true word the judge said. WT is a scam and a racket.
should say a snare and a racket, but then again scam is just as appropriate.
I think it’s time to bring back the Miracle Wheat seed packets…
Wow, what will happen when it all comes crashing down? Entire lives, families and generations have been invested in this organization. The future is going to be interesting to say the least. Growing up the publications used to be professional doctrine. Now they play whiteboard videos like we are preschoolers. I hope I am not sinning by posting this, but I am confused by all this. (Also thank you cedar for simplifying the grammer and demeanor you use in these articles, it is much easier to understand :)
This is taken from a brochure God’s Kingdom Rules! on jw.org:
FOCUS OF CHAPTER
Why and how Jehovah’s people support Kingdom work financially
1, 2. (a) How did Brother Russell answer a minister who wanted to know how the activities of the Bible Students were managed? (b) What will we consider in this chapter?
ON ONE occasion, Brother Charles T. Russell was approached by a minister of the Reformed Church who wanted to know how the activities of the Bible Students were managed.
“We never take up a collection,” explained Brother Russell.
“How do you get the money?” asked the minister.
“If I tell you what is the simplest truth you will hardly be able to believe it,” replied Russell. “When people get interested in this way, they find no basket placed under their nose. But they see there are expenses. They say to themselves, ‘This hall costs something . . . How can I get a little money into this thing?’”
The minister looked at Brother Russell in disbelief.
“I am telling you the plain truth,” continued Russell. “They do ask me this very question, ‘How can I get a little money into this cause?’ When one gets a blessing and has any means, he wants to use it for the Lord. If he has no means, why should we prod him for it?” *
2 Brother Russell was indeed telling “the plain truth.” God’s people have a long history of making voluntary contributions to support true worship. In this chapter, we will examine some Scriptural examples of this along with our modern-day history. As we consider how Kingdom activities are being financed today, each of us would do well to ask, ‘How can I show my support for the Kingdom?’
“Let Everyone With a Willing Heart Bring a Contribution”
3, 4. (a) What confidence does Jehovah have in his worshippers? (b) How did the Israelites show their support for the building of the tabernacle?
3 Jehovah has confidence in his true worshippers. He knows that if they are given the opportunity, they will gladly show their devotion by their voluntary giving. Consider two examples from Israel’s history.
4 After leading the Israelites out of Egypt, Jehovah told them to build a portable tent, or tabernacle, for worship. The structure and its furnishings would require considerable resources. Jehovah instructed Moses to give the people the opportunity to support the project, saying: “Let everyone with a willing heart bring a contribution for Jehovah.” (Ex. 35:5) How did the people, who not long before had toiled “in harsh conditions in every form of slavery,” respond? (Ex. 1:14) They showed unqualified support, willingly parting with gold, silver, and other valuables—most of which they had likely obtained from their former masters, the Egyptians. (Ex. 12:35, 36) The Israelites gave more than was needed and had to be “restrained from bringing in anything else.”—Ex. 36:4-7.
5. How did the Israelites respond when David gave them the opportunity to contribute to the building of the temple?
5 Some 475 years later, David contributed out of his “private treasure” to finance the building of the temple, the first permanent center of true worship on earth. Then he gave his fellow Israelites the opportunity to give, asking: “Who volunteers to come forward today with a gift in hand for Jehovah?” In response, the people made “voluntary offerings to Jehovah with a complete heart.” (1 Chron. 29:3-9) Recognizing the true source of the contributions, David said in prayer to Jehovah: “Everything is from you, and we have given to you what comes from your own hand.”—1 Chron. 29:14.
6. Why is money needed to carry out Kingdom work today, and what questions arise?
6 Neither Moses nor David had to pressure God’s people to give. Rather, the people gave with willing hearts. What about today? We are well-aware that the work God’s Kingdom is doing requires money. It takes considerable resources to publish and distribute Bibles and Bible literature, to build and maintain meeting places and branch facilities, and to provide emergency relief aid to fellow believers in times of disaster. Therefore, important questions arise: How are the necessary funds obtained? Do the King’s followers need to be prodded to give?
“It Will Never Beg nor Petition Men for Support”
7, 8. Why do Jehovah’s people not beg or petition others for money?
7 Brother Russell and his associates refused to imitate the money-raising schemes so common in the churches of Christendom. In the second issue of the Watch Tower, under the heading “Do You Want ‘Zion’s Watch Tower’?” Russell stated: “‘Zion’s Watch Tower’ has, we believe, JEHOVAH for its backer, and while this is the case it will never beg nor petition men for support. When He who says: ‘All the gold and silver of the mountains are mine,’ fails to provide necessary funds, we will understand it to be time to suspend the publication.” (Hag. 2:7-9) Over 130 years later, The Watchtower and the organization that publishes it are still going strong!
8 Jehovah’s people do not beg for money. They do not pass collection plates or send out letters of solicitation. Neither do they use bingo, bazaars, or raffles to raise money. They hold to what the Watch Tower long ago said: “We have never considered it proper to solicit money for the Lord’s cause, after the common custom . . . It is our judgment that money raised by the various begging devices in the name of our Lord is offensive, unacceptable to him, and does not bring his blessing either upon the givers or the work accomplished.” *
Yes, I remember Pastor Russell being proudly quoted that the Watchtower would never need to ask for money or the time to quit would be obvious.
I believed in things like that.
I now see that the GB simply changes the rules as they go along.
You are so correct. It’s new FINANCIAL light.
The Watchtower has used psychological manipulation such as guilt all along to get what they want. At least begging and petitioning is a lot more honest.
Thinking about this some more I realized that this is a classic case of Watchtower changing the meaning of words. Examples include: Creationist, Fundamentalists, doomsday preachers, cult, etc. Now they have redefined what it means to “solicit funds” so that it only involves envelopes or collection plates – soliciting only means “to ask or try to obtain” which has definitely happened with this broadcast. Lett mentioned that they don’t “coerce” anyone to donate – coerce means “to persuade an unwilling person to do something by using force or threats”. Listening to the program carefully, there was the threat that if funds are not forthcoming , Jehovah will have to scale back. That is a threat if you think about it, like saying: “if we don’t get the money we need for all of the special theocratic initiatives we’re planning, you won’t get them. They’ll have to be cancelled or put on hold and it will be all your fault”. In the mind of an average witness that would be horrific. Guilt and coercion anyone?
@Mr.Fair,
You bring up a very good point here: “Listening to the program carefully, there was the threat that if funds are not forthcoming , Jehovah will have to scale back.” It’s almost like Lett is putting the whammy on God himself to be the bad guy if the funds don’t come forth. When in actuality, it’s the mismanagement and idiotic policies that put the GB and WTS in the predicament it has now.
I watched Stephen Lett’s entire spiel encouraging the friends to donate even more “valuable things” to support the Governing Body’s latest spending spree. After a while, it became almost painful to watch Lett’s greatly exaggerated facial expressions and gestures. As one commentator noted, he does indeed look and act like a clown without makeup.
Anyway, I am beginning to think that JW televangelism is specifically targeting new recruits. The personal stories are designed to tug at their heart strings as well as their purse strings. Forty four minutes into Lett’s video, there is a story about a brother who quit his job in order to have a perfect meeting attendance record. After being unemployed for several months, this brother was starting to worry that he had made the wrong decision. But the brother who originally studied with him had some encouraging news:
“He reminded me that as a newly baptized witness, my prayers are much more readily received and Jehovah was ready to respond.”
Of course, no scripture was given to substantiate this claim. But the Governing Body approved this video, so it must be true.
So there you go. Newly baptized witnesses have a tremendous advantage over witnesses who have donated all of their valuable things and are now used up.
The light just keeps getting brighter and brighter.
http://tv.jw.org/#video/VODStudio/pub-jwb_201505_1_VIDEO
Maybe if they cut down on flying the GB to the international conventions (like Hawaii ) they could save a few thousand .
“I watched Stephen Lett’s entire spiel ………..”
I admire your intestinal fortitude, ScotWm; I couldn’t watch more than a minute.
“He reminded me that as a newly baptized witness, my prayers are much more readily received and Jehovah was ready to respond.”
Some of these people must suffer from severe copremesis (http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/copremesis) because the fecal matter that comes out of their mouths is extraordinary!
I’m remember reading in a book by a Sydney herbalist many years ago (she was talking about herbal remedies for constipation, if I recall correctly) that when she was a child her mother constantly admonished her to always keep her BOWELS OPEN and her MOUTH SHUT. Good advice!
“He reminded me that as a newly baptized witness, my prayers are much more readily received and Jehovah was ready to respond.”
Well, maybe, but not always…”Because time and unforeseen occurrence befall them all.”—Ecclesiastes 9:11.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2009161
” I would also bet you that they don’t spend even one hour in the door to door work each month ……..”
That would go beyond hypocrisy, anonymous. I’d be very interested to know if anyone has actually seen them out in field service since they’ve become GB members. I presume that even they are supposed to spend 10 hours a month (or whatever it is now) trying to convert non-believers, otherwise they might be considered ‘inactive’. I suppose they can count all the time they spend on JW Broadcasting as well as any talks they give at conventions. I wonder if they also count the time preparing all that bull$h!t?