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…
Mr. Lett admits freely in his dialogue that their intent regarding the “forgiveness” of kingdom hall loans was to actuate a larger donation from the decieved. Truly this must be gods word.
If their intentions or need for more cash were sincere, why then did they not say so to begin with??
If all things, and especially all valuable things belong to god, then why does he require you to give him your valuable things? A more repugnant dilemma I cannot imagine. God is almighty, but he needs money.
In Addition to my above comments what I find is TOTALLY CORRUPT or may I say ORWELLIAN?? Is the FARCICAL way when recently we Had a VOTE ???at our Kingdom Hall about sending £9000 out of our £10,680 funds to Brooklyn as we were told in a letter we should only Keep 3 months operating expenses for the Hall !!
NOW as we all Know if when asked for a SHOW of HANDS if ANY JW DARES to vote Against what the Elders Propose Everyone in that hall will view that person as bad association & do that more than once& you will be Spoken to by the Elders in the back room!! IF IT WAS a TRUE VOTE like at the Election recently the ISSUE to be voted on would be Announced one Week then we would be given say 4 weeks to think about it then we would be Allowed a Question & Answer session for 15 minutes one Service Meeting say ‘Local Needs’ & then another 2 weeks later have a REAL VOTE WITHOUT ‘FEAR of OSTRACISM ‘ & Future Demotion in the Eyes of the Elders!!!
THIS Tells me the ORGANISATION is more like BIG BROTHER from 1984 than the Kind , Warm cuddly Brothers the GB Farcically try to portray!! To me the Longer I am in the Organisation the MORE SINISTER it Becomes!!!
OH& Brothers at the Circuit Assembly last week when the ACCOUNTS REPORT was read out to Let us Know we had Donated £3,498 & it costs £7,900 for the DAYS!!! Yes Days Running Expense for 800 Brothers which we paid off the Mortgage 11 years ago of £2.4 million!! & We all know the FAMOUS WORDS at the End of the reading of the Accounts Report ‘ Well ,Brothers we will leave the Deficit up to you Brothers’
What is FARCICAL I asked the Accounts Servant for our Circuit about this & he said the Society will Expect the Circuit to Pay the £,7,900 for the Days ???Running Expenses EVEN if we couldn’t get there if it was SNOWED OFF !!! The GB want the Money even if no one Attends????
ANY LOYAL JWs on this Site reading these Posts ‘ PLEASE WAKE UP & SMELL the ROSES’
@Pickled, the 100% unanimous vote, on every matter voted upon, always seemed strange to me. In more than 20 years, I NEVER saw anyone vote in opposition.
I eventually realized the “voting” was a legal shield for the elders, letting them disavow responsibility for decisions THEY already made. No period of discussion or debate needed. The elders (or their wives) already decided!
I was once tempted to vote in opposition to make a point, but I doubted anyone would get the point, so I abstained instead. That may have been a step in my awakening …
This is an interesting article. Why 53 million for luxury apartments?! I would be ashamed to ask for more donations.
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/2015/05/12/jehovahs-witnesses-fishkill-tax-exemption/27206609/
@Simon Kestrel. I did what you did & ABSTAINED last year when our congregation voted for £3000 from our Congregation Funds for the Hospitality Day for the International Delegates that was for Food, hiring a hall for Entertainment,etc BUT what ANNOYED Me was the 6 MONTHS of REHEARSALS Singing,Dancing to Pharrell Williams ‘ Happy Song’ who is A RAPPER who Sleeps around & Sang about DATE RAPE in his Video ‘Blurred Lines’ !! ALL these Rehearsals were Held in the Kingdom Hall… The HOUSE of GOD !!!
The Elders were encouraging Brothers& Sisters to DANCE in their Seats & Get up & Dance in the Aisles to this Creeps music !!! FLIPPING STINKING HYPROCISY????
If every witness gave $1 a day towards the worldwide work, that would amount to $2,920,000,000.00 a year. I believe that most witnesses put at least $2 a day towards the worldwide work. All Lett has to do is give a talk like he did in the May broadcast and if each witness donated just $1 more a day than they did before, that little talk would be worth $2,920,000,000.00. Not bad for an hour and half talk, I’d say. The Society has been making loads of money right from the start. That is how they have always been able to acquire all those properties from the early 1900’s until today. It’s the real estate is how they are rich. They may not have tons of ready cash but they have property. That is how people get rich. It’s the stuff they buy with that money. If people want to get rich, they buy up real estate. They don’t buy clothes with it. If they want those properties, then they have to have staff in those buildings. They need an excuse for those buildings, thus the Bethelites.
How about just $10 a year more from each Witness for that little talk? That would be hardly nothing for 8 million people would it? Just think: $10 more a year from 8 million people equals $80,000,000.00 more from that little talk asking for more money and being so pathetic about it. Having 8 million followers and asking only $10 a year more, equals $80,000,000.00 more than they would have had before.
If 100,000 people fall away or get disfellowshipped each year would equal a loss of $10,000,000.00 if each of those witnesses only donated $100 a year, which is probably a really low figure. If they donated $500 a year, that would equal a loss of $50,000,000.00 a year.
That Rutherford abused of his position is clear. Was he any different from any other person in the organisation? Why was he allowed to live in a mansion? Does that show Christ humility?
Obviously when the JW are in the wrong side they minimise or deny it.
I think that regarding the huge work the JW.org organisation does, it is a huge effort but done in the wrong way, and pleople see it.
I don’t see the point of spending huge funds to print the same information over and over again.
Jesus work was not about publising printed material or constructing buildings but on letting people realise the existence of a God and how it is important to love one another. It was simple and effective.
The apostle Paul did a huge work with simplicity, with only his feet and the Gospel message. Funds were collected ONLY to help the needy. He worked to support himself.
But obviously when you want to press the leaders agend on other people you need a tight mind conditioning program.
This is done by repetion, discouragement of asking questions, encoragement of trusting human leaders (insinuating that they have a dedicated phone line with God), discourage high education, etc.
They need to say in details how to dress, what to celebrare, what to think, who marry, etc, etc. If you go outside their guidlines you commit the unforgivable sin.
Many people notice the discrepancy between Christ message and JW.org message, that is why is their growth is not that important despate the enormous amount of hours and resources spent.
@ David. Mind Control & No Individual Conscience as you say in your Comment. All JWs are CONTROLLED by the GB Conscience OR ELSE your Family CUT YOU OFF !!
They are worth untold ( undisclosed ) millions, “Tax Free”
and always want more , and get more ! What’s the trick?
Behind the unctuous, insincere appeals to the “Heart” they’ve
implanted, deep into the “Mind”, the threat and “Fear” of
Annihilation.
The WT has officially crossed over to the field of professional beggars. Your commentary, along with all the videos on YT about this subject exposes the WTBTS company fronted by the religion called JW.
Before I disassociated last November, one of the last acts of begging I had to witness by the WitchTower was to have all members of the congregation (S.HB California CA3) write on a piece of paper what they are able to monetarily contribute each month. It was called the Household Financial Survey Form. (Letter to BOE 6/14 Greater Los Angeles KH EP).
Liars, and hypocrites!!
Keep up the good work Lloyd! You’re making a difference, for the better!
@Excelsior! – I’m not sure about there being some Mr Big in the background – I can’t see how that would work – the GB must be deluded, must be – and drunk on power – that’s their addiction as far as I see it
SwimmingWild
Swimming–Agreed. I hope the rest of you don’t take this the wrong way: I think all this speculation about puppet masters and financial corruption is in poor form. Not only is there no evidence for it at present, but it is the kind of baseless accusations that are expected out of “apostates.” If a doubting JW is truly trying to see if “apostates” are telling the truth or merely making incredible insinuations as the WTS tells them we do, then many of the comments in this forum will support the fear mongering of the WTS. I think we should stick with facts, not speculative fantasies about the millions of dollars the GB has holed away. It serves no purpose and only alienates honest truth seekers that are trying to break away from the faith when they see there is no evidence. We apostates consider ourselves critical thinkers that require evidence, why would we then expect others to accept our baseless accusations?
Finn Sawyer,
I take your point, sir.
However, I think it is wholly appropriate for us to raise questions as to the final destination of the truly staggering funds that the WTBTS has at its disposal.
You will notice that I stated quite clearly that I do not, at present, have any evidence to state that there is a “Mr Big” siphoning off the profits.
If a tax free, billion dollar property empire cannot cater to a mere 8 million people, then there must be a problem, wouldn’t you agree?
I suggest that all of us write to whoever is responsible in our governments for charity status, and ask them to investigate.
I have already done this, and I encourage everyone to do so.
We need to force the WTBTS to provide accounts that are fit for purpose, so that we can KNOW where the money is going
I very much doubt that a speculative comment about a serious and obvious issue would stop anyone from waking up to the fact that the WTBTS is a cult.
People are either ready to wake up or they are not.
We need to do as I suggest, so that the “superior authorities” can provide independent, verifiable accounting for this opaque and devious religion.
Peace be with you, Excelsior!
@Pickled brain
Liked your description about the vote to “agree” the donation – no other result was possible. Its so PATHETIC from the outside – but in there, on board, it seemed to make sense. This is what makes watching JW Broadcasting so unpleasant, some level of reactivation of the trained neurology.
Deborah Frances-White in the last JWPodcast was really good and I especially related to one thing she said, trying to explain things to her never-been JW husband was “all of my thoughts are pre-thought” (at 1.12.6). I can remember experiencing in my 30s that there was no point in thinking about anything original, it needed to find a way to fit into the “explanation” from the org.
BTW as this site grows in popularity you’ll soon have others from your KH join us and your cover may be blown as you leak details – Que Sera, Sera?
Swimming Wild
Great comments guys, I have the pleasure of reaching the 400 mark, on this thread, don’t think that’s everything been reached before! Keep up the good work Cedars’
@Swimming Wild . Thanks for your Acknowledgement of my comment about the Ludicrous way Voting on Donations is handled within the Congregation,
You could be right one day my cover could get blown , But I am GAMBLING??? On most of those in our congregation are Loyal JWs who would obey the GB & never venture on to this site & the Few that might & Fade Away from the Org would stay Loyal to us Apostates!!!! It is a Risky Gamble but Life is more Fun this way! I was dying of BOREDOM not being an Individual with my Own Conscience NOT the Conscience of 7 Unchristian American Men in Brooklyn!!
@Innocent Son . 400 threads & counting. Nothing gets people commenting more than when a RICH BADLY MANAGED ORGANISATION BEGS for MONEY from Hard working People who PAY Their TAXES!!
Correct Pickled Brian, all they are is a…
DISHONEST BILLION DOLLAR BOOK PUBLISHING CORPORATION…!
Or even Pickled brain, keyboards eh…! :-)
no wonder I drink!
@Anonymous,
My husband & I did a quick calculation like that too. It was mind boggling how much money that would be pouring into the www. That’s why Gerrit Losch was able to just throw 13 million dollars down the drain at that court case that he didn’t show up to. Easy come, easy go.
@Pickled Brain,
I think that I have told you this before but I enjoy all of your comments. You make me laugh out loud & you remind me of the movie ‘catch me if you can’.
@Innocent Son . ‘Billion Dollar book publishing corporation’ …SO RIGHT!! Nowww let me seeee, What did Dear Wise ??? Uncle King Solomon say about Books… Ecclesiastes 12v12 the making of many books is WEARISOME to the Flesh!!! Ho Hum ,Ermmm ,… ARE YOU LISTENING Mr Anointed LETTS ???? Silly me Another Regional Convention coming up -NEW BOOK TIME= MORE GUILT RIDDEN DONATIONS!!
@Grace . Thank you Kindly for your comment & it’s good to Laugh … So Doctors say !! That’s why I LOVE watching the Monthly Broadcast by the GB… Every time the A member of the GB Comments they are Digging a Bigger& Bigger Hole for themselves & BREAKING DOWN the ILLUSION that they have Some special Insight!! TV.JW.Org now in 40 Languages….Brilliant !!!… More Educated & Logical Thinking JWs ( there are a Few??) will see through the UTTER INSANITY of Any Sane Person would think they are Inspired ???? I am sure most would agree who comment on this site!
Wishing you& your husband well & I Enjoy your Comments & Everyone Else on this Site. You can tell from the comments Many Have been HURT BADLY by this Organisation & Many GAVE the BEST YEARS of Their LIVES to what they thought the GB were Guided by Jehovah but SLOWLY the Penny dropped that Jehovah wouldn’t Mislead GOOD People by the constant Flip Flopping of Teachings where it becomes Ridiculous & the Folly of it all is we can compare everything as it is in PRINT & now on The GB own Website which can be saved,Looked at time & Again for Sensible people to See the GB HAVE NO MORE CLUE How to interpret the Bible than any of the Great Crowd or Joe Bloggs in the Street!! Take Care … My Brain is becoming ‘LESS PICKLED’ as the Light Gets Lighter???
“I’m not sure about there being some Mr Big in the background – I can’t see how that would work …. “.
I agree, SwimmingWild. If there was, the rumours would have started long ago.
” ……. the GB must be deluded, must be – and drunk on power – that’s their addiction as far as I see it”.
The power and the prestige.
Swimming and Charles–Agreed. I hope the rest of you don’t take this the wrong way: I think all this speculation about puppet masters and financial corruption is in poor form. Not only is there no evidence for it at present, but it is the kind of baseless accusations that are expected out of “apostates.” If a doubting JW is truly trying to see if “apostates” are telling the truth or merely making incredible insinuations as the WTS tells them we do, then many of the comments in this forum will support the fear mongering of the WTS. I think we should stick with facts, not speculative fantasies about the millions of dollars the GB has holed away. It serves no purpose and only alienates honest truth seekers that are trying to break away from the faith when they see there is no evidence. We apostates consider ourselves critical thinkers that require evidence, why would we then expect others to accept our baseless accusations?
@Finn. That is all we can do is speculate about the money and where it goes. That is whole point of this thread is that with the Society all they have to do is call out for money and say that there’s more going out than what is coming in and the rank and file are expected to send them more money with no explanation at all about where the money goes. There is no transparency with them. What all we would like to see is transparency. If there is no transparency, then all we can do is speculate.
But there’s plenty of facts with the bills of deeds to all the properties that they do buy. There are some that are in the millions on record and those luxury apartment buildings have their name on the bill of sale for all the world to see except the rank and file will not be aware of those bills of deeds unless they go onto “apostate” web sites like this.
If we were to print out to show the rank and file the bills of deeds to those lake front properties of mansions that serve no purpose except for vacation homes, the rank and file would either not believe it or they’d be shocked as to where all that money is going.
The Society are a bunch of lying thieves. They are no different than the Jim Bakers and Jimmy Swaggarts in the world, using religion to get rich. Just because you don’t see them walking around with dollar bills falling out of their pockets, doesn’t mean that they aren’t acquiring wealth.
Some of the richest people in the world, don’t look the part. They can walk around looking like paupers and be millionaires. I have seen it in my own little town. What those people own is rental apartments. They own dozens of rental apartments and look like like paupers.
There was a woman in my Kingdom Hall that is a millionaire and took in grocery carts back to the store at one cent a cart so she wouldn’t have to spend any money on her groceries and she’d hand out $2.00 gift certificates that she had earned from taking in those grocery carts so she didn’t have to hand over any money when she rode in service with somebody. That woman will leave all her money to the Society when she dies. I would bet on it. That is how much she “loves the truth” because she talks about how much she “loves” all the brotherhood every time you see her and she never married and never had any kids.
That is where the Society makes a lot of the money. It’s on the gullible and the old. You can better believe that the elders will love bomb anybody with money, especially if they are old and senile.
@Finn sawyer
There’s no denying they’ve plenty of wealth – for example did you see this link posted by @Queen Elsa
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/local/2015/05/12/jehovahs-witnesses-fishkill-tax-exemption/27206609/
If the reward for the GB is the addictive exercise of power, imagine with what respect they would have been treated by the “world”
– the realtors lawyers etc – when they have that kind of cash to spend willy-nilly. The external evidence of power is wealth. Money talks.
Similarly the local community are a hacked off, being cheated of the property taxes, but I doubt the GB ever walk on the streets to meet these people.
SwimmingWild
Pickled Brain said. “Innocent Son . 400 threads & counting. Nothing gets people commenting more than when a RICH BADLY MANAGED ORGANISATION BEGS for MONEY from Hard working People who PAY Their TAXES!!”
bingo!!
@Kat . Eyes Down & FULL HOUSE!!
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much Cedars for this wonderful article!
Translated to french here: https://tjvisioncritique.wordpress.com/2015/05/16/stephen-lett-reconnait-une-insuffisance-de-revenus-par-rapport-aux-depenses-et-il-rappelle-aux-temoins-de-donner-des-choses-de-valeur/
Honesty is not innate in this org, they blatantly lie and obfuscate.
They lied about their ten year association with the U,N,
They deceived the Bulgarian Gov, over blood transfusion, —
stating that “No religious sanction would be applied”,
They deliberately quote authorities, out of context in order to
support their own false doctrines. Much, much, more could
be added.
What reason then do we have to believe their statements as to
where the money goes and how it is used.
I’d say it’s prudent to be “Suspicious ” of a proven liar, and to
voice those “Suspicions” in order to alert others.
I’m not denying the org has tremendous resources, revenue streams, real estate holdings, financial instruments and etc. I am saying there is no evidence that WTS funds and resources go to anything but furthering their mission, however misguided that mission may be. There is no evidence for personal financial gain. If there is, I hope someone has alerted the IRS and I for one would be glad to see it come to light because I truly believe it would be the beginning of the end of them. Ted, I think I understand your point, but I personally see no benefit to voicing unfounded suspicions, especially when there is plenty of other harmful things for which there is evidence: shunning, transfusion refusal deaths, false prophecies, child abuse issues, etc. But, I know we all have a right to say what we want, so I’ll leave it at that. Just giving my .02.
@Ted . I Totally agree with your point on how can you trust an the GB because of the CONSTANT HALF TRUTHS …. LIES Really… But what the Heck I’m a Christian so let’s be Generous to the GB!!!
What I want if Dear Old Stephen Letts is BEGGING for DONATIONS is
1) PRINT the YEARLY ACCOUNTS of the Organisation !! IF the GB Have NOTHING to HIDE , What is the Problem!!
2) BE HONEST & ADMIT Mr Letts you Have BADLY MISMANAGED OUR DONATIONS by Paying out TENS of MILLIONS of Dollars in COMPENSATION to CHILD ABUSE VICTIMS!!! OUR HARD EARNED MONEY!!
3)Stephen LETTS me old Bible Scholar …You do remember that Scripture you keep Quoting in your GLORIOUS ?? Watchtower Studies at 1 John 2v15-17 about a ‘SHOWY DISPLAY of Ones means of life 4) Please could you Get Rid of all your FANCY RINGS,WATCHES,Business Suits,Showy TV STUDIO,Fancy Website,LUXURIOUS HQ for The GB at WARWICK…. I must say you do BRILLIANT Computer Graphics!!!
5) I Noticed in all your TEACHING SCHOOLS , Especially PATTERSON Every Desk has A COMPUTER & Could you GET RID of ALL those COMPUTER SCREENS at Every REGIONAL CONVENTION around the World.!!
6) HOW MUCH TIME & LOADSA of MONEY… I feel like Harry Enfield Speaking(British Comedian) …, is Spent on ALL of these Things. ALL WE NEED is a SPEAKER on a Podium at Stadiums with a Microphone & A BIBLE!! YES JUST GODs WORD!!
PLEASE NO FANCY GIMMICKS.
7) STEPHEN,My Fellow HUMBLE?? Christian… A bit of Advice….. KEEP Your EYE & LIFE SIMPLE & All these other things will be added to you in The NEW WORLD …, AHHH ….New World. Now where have I heard that before… Hmmm my Grandfather was a FREEMASON & he mentioned that Terminology…!!! NOT in The Bible Though!!
Pickled,
I totally agree. There is no reason for the lack of transparency. I would like to see a statement of accounts as well.
Lett’s presentation was like the scene from the Wizard of Oz where Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal that the Great, Fear-Inspiring Wizard is just a manipulative, confused, phony old prankster. Shame on the Governing Body for fooling we trusting Dorothy’s. But where’s the rainbow in all of this?
@ Picked brain.Very well pit, the G.B. would never implement any of your suggestions as that would make them fallible…Which they think they are not, even if they admit to making mistakes, It’s just lip service.
@innocent son @Pickled brain
For some reason this all makes me think of “She was poor but she was honest” by Billy Bennett, a little story about a young woman being deceived, which has the chorus
It’s the same the whole world over,
It’s the poor what gets the blame,
It’s the rich what gets the pleasure,
Isn’t it a blooming shame?
The GB have the pleasure of their unchallenged power, and are deceiving by withholding “the truth”. Then those trusting ones who believed, those who were “poor but … were honest”, are due to become even poorer after they have been drained by their life blood “Letting”.
And the beauty of it is that in the end it’s the “poor what gets the blame”, for believing it, and supposedly going too far by reading in what they were meant to read in, as in 1975.
SwimmingWild
This corrosive guilt loading begging talk really is a step too far.
And of course the GB are the only ones ALLOWED TO HAVE APOSTATE THOUGHTS, the only ones allowed to rubbish the current thinking.
And the rank and file have to scurry around behind them through
every twist and turn, just sucking it up, and only allowing themselves to think the pre-thought thoughts.
And when they wake up and leave what a peaceful world they find to enjoy in freedom.
SwimmingWild
Time for the rank and file to gather their own straw!
I think it was Pickled Brain that wrote a while ago on this site, “but it’s truly the true truth now”. It was one of my first lol moments when I came to this site that made me wake up & see the scam.
Do they think that people are that stupid that they should “forget about the old light, it’s apostate thinking to go back there” & what about those words… “truth”, “apostate” & “new light”, they just get thrown around like a frisbee used for every excuse or blame. It’s all so delirious.
Now, they’re treating everyone like complete idiots when they ask for more money because they’ve become accustomed to a certain lifestyle. Some say that they don’t own anything or take from the kitty but I see it like someone who is doing well on welfare or some inheritance. Why would they want to change anything when their whole life is catered for.
Another thing I thought is that maybe they’re trying to portray to the world that they’re successful & that God is with them but people can see through pretentiousness. Or that they want other religions to envy them. Whatever it is, it is going to backfire. They will reap the seeds that they have sewn, that’s for sure.
I forgot to add, liars will not inherit God’s kingdom.
The GB really are despicable, all the JWs I know swoon over them endlessly, my mother in law was reading Geoffrey Jacksons life experience, listening to her is revolting, totally infatuated with people who will never know her.
I knew Jackson when he was a CO in Tasmania, when he was called to bethel in theUSA the whole island breathed a sigh of relief, no one misses him lol, one of the most self righteous pricks I ever met, at least he’s not as condescending as Letty Big Mouth.
“I knew Jackson when he was a CO in Tasmania …….”
Is that why his face looks so familiar to me, Wild Olive? Do you know if he served as CO in Western Australia in the seventies? Or maybe I remember him from giving talks at assemblies. It’s all a bit of a blur for me now (conscious decision to forget that part of my life).
@ Grace& @ Swimming Wild & @ Innocent Son.
Thanks for all your comments & I totally concur with all yours!
One thing to consider about the luxury lifestyle and amenities that these 7 self-righteous Pharisees in tailor-made suits. In the US, diverting funds in a corporation or non-profit for personal use items or luxuries is to be considered “imputed income” by the tax code. This has been prosecuted many times in the past against corporate CEO’s and non-profit leaders (i.e. televangelists) that divert funds for their own personal use. This is known as FRAUD! Let me define this for you GB (if you are reading); STEALING from those who support you. Many a CEO or board member has done time because of this behavior. Maybe the US IRS needs to poke around in the WTBTS books?
To follow this up, I’m NOT saying that they aren’t paying their taxes or using an inflated salary to cover the tax burden. No, they may be above board. I doubt it. Also, today if their much hallowed Judge Rutherford would have taken up residence in the Beth Sarim he prepared for the coming of the holy ones, then I’m almost certain the US IRS and State of California would have knocked on the front door of Beth Sarim. They wouldn’t have been selling paradise earth either!
The thing is is that the rank and file think they are donating towards the worldwide work. That is what they are being led to believe that is where their donations are going. It is supposed to be going towards building Kingdom Halls for people in poor countries who don’t have the money for them. Instead, the money is going for more and more buildings to house and train Bethelites.
The Society can take money off their books when it comes to feeding and housing the Bethelites. They can take off their taxes depreciation off any of their equipment and buildings.
They can take all the donations they want to and build more and more Kingdom Halls in the United States and try and pass that off to the rank and file as “world wide work”. The Society can take off the money it costs to support the missionaries and all the Bethlites.
My question remains: How did they come up with all that left over money to “loan” out to the Kingdom Halls in the first place? Wasn’t that money that was donated supposed to go to building new Kingdom Halls for poor people in 3rd world countries? Why did they have all that left over money? And then they were charging interest on those loans. According to the Mosaic Law, they weren’t to charge interest to their brothers.
If the Society’s buildings in New York are worth $1 billion dollars, that is 1,000 millions of dollars. It is hard to imagine that amount of money, it is so much. But they are worth an awful lot more than that. If the Society goes under and every one of Jehovah’s Witnesses walks away from the “truth”, all those 35,000 Kingdom Halls and assembly halls will belong to the Society. It’s property is where they are stashing all the money under the pretense of being “worldwide” work.
The rank and file are being played for fools. It is so sad. What is the saddest thing is to realize that at the age of 68, I have pissed away the last 50 years of my life to this organization. I don’t even care as much about the fact that the Society will get away with defrauding all the Witnesses out of the money to acquire all that property. What is the most important thing is that every one of Jehovah’s Witnesses wakes up to the fact that they are being made fools of and walk away from it and save at least part of the rest of their lives instead of pissing it away on a fantasy like I did and millions of innocent victims have also done for the last 125 years with most of them having died chasing that fantasy.
If the truth about the truth comes out and all of Jehovah’s Witnesses finally learn the real truth and walk away and desert the Governing Body, at least they can walk away with dignity and freedom at last. If that ever happened, if I were the Governing Body though, I’d get out of Dodge if I had a brain in my head. Maybe that is when they decide that they have finally had their final “sealing” from Jehovah and they all commit suicide and try and convince the rank and file that they died of natural causes or that Jehovah “took” them.
@anonymous
…What is the saddest thing is to realize that at the age of 68, I have pissed away the last 50 years of my life to this organization. …
Can I ask you a question, and I hope this is not an insensitive one- My wife and I were discussing the idea of attempting to “wake up” some other members of our family. So far our opinion at this point is that at our parents age, we would be afraid for them to “wake up.” We don’t want them to be burdened by the sadness that would come with realizing the same as you have above. We’re worried it would be too devastating. Has it been worth it for you? If you had to do it all over again at the age of 68, would you want to know what you know now? Or would you rather stay content drinking the kool-aid?
Finn, It is so much better to know the real truth, no matter how long you were deceived. Being deceived and waking up after 50 years is better than being deceived 50 years and one day. I can take it and am glad that I am still alive to at least have some time left but it leaves me very bitter and angry that I didn’t “see” it a long time ago.
I am the only one from my mother and father and brothers and aunts and uncles from my father’s side who became a Witness so it’s easier for me than my husband who is 70 and his mother and brother and grandmother and aunts and uncles and cousins and friends were all Witnesses.
Out of our three children, two are still very much involved and believing and so if my husband were to “wake” up, he’d have to admit that he was wrong as well as all his family and to tell the two of our kids who are still very strong, would be almost impossible for him to do. I have tried talking to the two who are strong in the “truth” but they refuse to listen to me but if my husband were able to realize he has been wrong all his life and admitted to them that he was wrong and I was right and he would talk to them, they would listen to him. Our youngest daughter has “woken” up from it and she isn’t disfellowshipped but she sees it for what it is now and that is the greatest feeling in the world to me. If the other two would see it for what it is, that would also be so great for me but hopefully something will happen and they will see that what I have tried to tell them is right after all before they have to get old like I did before I finally “woke” up.
I think you have to play it by how well you know your parents and old ones. If they are very frail and really really love the “truth”, let them be.
My husband complains a lot about the different Witnesses and he complains about the elders so at least I have something to work with. But if your relatives never complain about anything, then I think you have absolutely nothing to work with and you won’t accomplish anything.
We had two women in my congregation who have died in the last year who were life long believers with their whole heart and that is so sad to me. But this has been happening since the early 1900’s so I feel not alone in this horrible situation. It is like living in the worst nightmare a person can experience, this knowing the truth and not being able to tell others about it because you will either destroy them or wake them up and the result will be the pain of realizing you have wasted your whole life on nothing at all when if it had been different, you would been able to make decisions based on common sense and reason and not on what the Society “dictated” to you that you were to do.
I remember way back when I was in my late teens when I became associated and just suggesting that I’d like to go to college, I was treated like some kind of monster for even bringing it up. If I could go back and relieve my life, I could but I can’t. All I can say, is that at least I found out when I am at least still alive and haven’t died in this stupid religion like millions have done up until now. My husband chooses to keep his had in the sand. That is his choice. If he wants to live in that “prison”, then it’s his choice. I am at least glad I am out of that prison and I finally feel free for the first time in the last 50 years.
Thank you for your response. I appreciate the advice and wish you and your family the best.
To all the apologists out there….Perhaps Governing Body could get rid of their Rolex watches, pinky rings and designer suits to raise some capital….Think on that!
Money is the oil that primes the pumps of so-called ‘theocratic’ activities. They are constantly inventing new ways to siphon off donated dollars into ‘Jah’ approved projects.
Rutherford’s blatant in your face use of Watchtower funds to purchase Cadillac’s, first class world travel, fine silk shirts, mansions in San Diego, Farm on Staten Island, Radio station WBBR, were just precursors to how his neophyte young followers like Knorr, Franz and company would spend the donated dollars after he was gone.
Knorr started Gilead School. He purchased the finest printing equipment available, he purchased farms in up-state New York. He began running the organization like a huge corporate entity. City overseers were appointed, circuit, district, branch, top heavy management were vying for more and more assignments (equivalent to raises, recognition in the real world). Attaining one of these positions in his day, allowed these men to sit behind desks, with secretaries, phones, and final say on operations all over the world. A heady ride for those men who’s only claim to fame may have been experience as local janitors or tradesmen. They had mafia like power over other men reporting to their offices. Rubbing noses with these guys, made you feel above the average publisher. You were in the true inner circle of things. It felt really good.
Money or the personal acquisition of such was and is the least of concern to these few men attaining such prominence in the organization. They live and breath the heady air of power and get the added euphoria of thinking that Jehovah God himself has chosen them from among all men to do the job. What else does a guy need? Well maybe a pinky ring, gold watch, or even an Armani suit might sweeten the pot even more. But as to wholesale personal self aggrandizing seizure of funds, they really could care less.
Agreed.
Agreed danman. Always remember that MONEY = POWER. In this case, the GB are running out of money to power their lifestyle. GREED in it’s best form.
Over 440 comments on this article! Interesting!!!!!!!!!
@charles Constante , I don’t recall Jackson going to WA it is possible though
On the only figure represented in Letts broadcast was the need for 14000 more halls IN ADDITION to what they have now, averaging 80 publishers per cong that comes out to 1 120 000 that don’t have a hall, yet last year there where only 1200 congs formed?
Where are over one million meeting without a hall? Ime sure its not in any western country, if it was China then I imagine the GB would be frantically getting us all to learn mandarin.
Just doesn’t add up
@Wild Olive, it doesn’t add up to me either. I listened to that talk again yesterday and I caught stuff I didn’t catch the first time around. Lett said that even in very poor areas, the brothers and sisters contribute towards their Kingdom Halls. I have a feeling that those people build Kingdom Halls to sit in even if they don’t have much money.
At about 1 hour and 20 minutes into Lett’s talk, a brother talks about visiting poor countries in Africa and he talks about a village in Madagascar and a pastor who liked the Watchtower magazine and would go to the meetings 20 miles away and talked his congregation to going to the meetings at the Kingdom Hall there and the pastor died but he left his home for those people to meet in his home after he died. Then the Society sent 2 special pioneers to that town 2 months ago and started studying with all the 78 people who were supposedly meeting in Left’s old house.
The brother in the jwbroadcasting talk was saying that some of those 78 people went from being drunkards and smokers and tradition followers just from reading the Watchtower magazine to being good people even before the special pioneers came 2 months ago and now they were eager for their studies with the pioneers.
What is interesting is the picture the Society shows during this whole talk from jwbroadcasting. The picture is of a bunch of kids from that village. If you look at that picture, not even one of those kids looks happy to be in that picture. If you listen carefully, the brothers just says that this is a picture of the kids from the village. He doesn’t say that it’s a picture of the kids attending meetings in Lefty’s house but that is the impression that the Society is wanting the viewers to think it is.
It isn’t the kids attending the meetings at all. That is a very deceitful picture and it had to be deliberate. You can tell that those kids don’t even want to be in that picture just by the expressions on their faces and how they have their arms crossed. The Society can’t even tell the truth when it comes to a picture they want the rank and file to believe. They want the rank and file to believe that their contributions are going to build Kingdom Halls to replace Lefty’s house but not a word is said about building a Kingdom Hall to replace Lefty’s house. That whole story is deceitful to get the watcher to think that those kids and their families are meeting in that small house behind them and that the Society is building them a new Kingdom Hall.
Lett said in his talk that the people in those areas don’t have an “appropriate” Kingdom Hall because they are too poor. What does he mean by “appropriate”? Does that mean that an “appropriate” Kingdom Hall is supposed to look the part? Maybe a simple house to meet in is okay with them. That brother even said that they met in schools for their meetings and evidently that was okay with them because not a word was said about a new Kingdom Hall for them.
If the Society has millions and millions for new Bethel digs in New York, why not give up a new swimming pool or a tennis court at Warwick for a new Kingdom Hall to replace Lefty’s house if that was a priority for them? No, the priority is their new digs at Warwick, not the poor brothers and sisters in Africa. That is their definition of the “world wide work” and that is where the donations are going not to poor African brothers and sisters.
Thanks to everyone for the huge response to this article! I do appreciate all the comments and observations.
Many of you might be interested to know that I’ve just uploaded my video rebuttal to Stephen Lett’s “historic” May episode on my YouTube channel. I’ve embedded the video at the foot of the article if you would like to watch it – but be warned I struggled to keep it within 2 hours!
I’ve also updated the JW Broadcasting page of JWsurvey, which now features all of the JW Broadcasting episodes with the corresponding rebuttals. Thanks!
@Finn, as anonymous said, if your relatives are satisfied with their life in the org, you don’t have much to work with.
When people ask why I left, I simply say the WT is not “the truth,” it’s not God’s channel of communication. You can’t build a house of truth on a foundation of lies.
But if people can’t see that for themselves, there’s not much you can do about it.
The WT is an idol, like Aaron’s golden calf. That’s what some people want. To them, facts are irrelevant.
Hi all,
very good website!!! Thank´s!!!
On the east Slovak in the last one year sold around (30km), my parents have four Kingdom halls. Built from donations, loans at JW repaid, the money from the sale took the JW organization. Absolutely paradoxical reason: too many people in a small room! Now they go to the far larger halls. Very kindly measures !!!
Sorry for my English! I am from Czech Republic.
Honza