The one thing that might bring down the Watchtower

Revealing the finances and financial position of those at the top.

Look every organization makes money and it usually goes to the top. But if you think about it. The Brothers and Sisters could not ignore the hypocrisy if exactly how much was floating around was revealed. Think about it's like a corporation where only the CEO gets paid. Do Pioneers get a check? Nope. Elders, Nope? Overseers, Not really? Bethelites even lifers? Nope. Do they get any pension, benefits nope. I guarantee the GB and the few at the top get it all! Not that I have a problem with it but the fact that they get it on free labor is another. At my church the janitor gets paid, the youth minister too.. We have plenty of opportunities to volunteer but we also fairly compensate those walking away from secular work to serve the church. Everyone has to make a living. The JW's make u think it's wrong to draw a salary but this is very biblical. Were not the Jews require to support the priest and the Levites financially?

This is the one thing in my mind that would really be a game changer. Has anyone done this?

          Say what ever you want about the WBT$......Jehovah`s Witness`s don`t care..

                                            The Outside World does`nt care..

                                   The WBT$ will carry on,because nobody cares..

                                                                                            .......................... ...OUTLAW

I guarantee the GB and the few at the top get it all!

What do you mean by "get it all"?

Do you seriously think there is a slush fund or secret Swiss bank accounts set up somewhere?

O-o-o-o-o-K-k-k-k-k-k......

But you are on the right track - JWs as a "brand" are firmly entrenched, they will be around in some shape or form "to time indefinite", but a large financial scandal and/or big judicial settlements (such as for child abuse cases or for the no-blood doctrine) could do very heavy damage and force earthshaking (for them anyway) changes.

Yes I do imagine there is a slush fund. There has to be.. On the surface it looks like a very no frills operation but if you think about they have no over head! No one gets paid. If it was a publishing company which it is run like how would it work.... Sales people (Pioneers those going in field service would get paid commission) Managers (Elders and CO's) would get a salary. Those in the factory (Bethel) would have to be paid a competive wage and benefits. There is none of that. So if you look at what they bring in it's not much for it's size but when u realize there is no overhead it's all going somewhere..... Do you think the GB and guys at the top don't have insurance or retirement benefits. I never heard this asked ever when I was in. With the bethelites being cut and sent on the street don't u think this would be a burr in the sadle for many?

No overhead? Give me a break, it's a huge multi national corporation. There's tons of overhead. Many expenses, just not on salaries.

On paper (not that they would show the paper), the GB members probably get the same stipend as any Bethelites.  Their "expenses" are blurred within the works of the corporation- nice apartments and new suits along with travel are impossible to separate from the daily operation expenses of the corporation. 

There are some lawyers and accountants that drain some moneys, but lawyers and accountants know how to show a "need" for any fees and charges. 

If anything, actually revealing where the money goes would make the members more faithful because the experts would show that it is spent wisely, despite any reality.

I found this from one of Lady Lee's old post:

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

Pensylvania Reg. # 11-1857820

Year Ended August 31, 1998

 

BALANCE SHEET...............................1998 / 1997

 

Assets

 

Cash and short-term investments........$296,522,535 / 209,383,368

Current receivables......................10,849,287 / 7,078,760

Long-term receivables...................277,421,320 / 267,435,970

Property and equipment..................120,697,680 / 120,547,679

TOTAL ..................................705,130,822 / 604,445,777

 

Liabilities

 

Accounts payable & accrued liabilities...$2,414,924 / 794,524

Conditional donations.....................7,489,654 / 8,743,636

Long-term payables.......................61,002,396 / 37,503,266

TOTAL LIABILITIES........................70,906,974 / 47,041,426

 

NET ASSETS.............................$634,223,848 / 604,445,777

 

 

COMBINED STATEMENT OF REVENUES AND CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

 

Revenues

 

Donations................................47,443,713 / 54,722,984

Interest.................................24,925,594 / 20,504,081

Kingdom Hall Assistance Fund..............3,218,791 / 3,900,595

Royalties, Rent and Other.................3,519,062 / 2,928,113

TOTAL REVENUES...........................79,107,160 / 82,055,773

 

Expenses

 

Kingdom Hall Assistance ..................2,123,945 / 2,485,514

Relief Fund..................................21,182 / 170,507

Convention Fund.................................430 / 0

Administrative Services.....................142,106 / 14,304

TOTAL EXPENSES............................2,287,663 / 2,670,325

 

CHANGE IN NET ASSETS.....................76,819,497 / 79,385,448

 

Net Assets At Beginning of Period.......557,404,351 / 469,616,477

 

Prior period adjustment...........................0 / 8,402,426

 

NET ASSETS AT END OF PERIOD............$634,223,848 / 557,404,351

The GB members lead comfortable lives and are pampered by rich JWs and have enough money to meet their needs. But they simply do not have the time, room, or inclination to lead a life of opulence like a top CEO would have.

For a top CEO, there is an end-game, exit scenario where their money would come into play. The GB members are in this for life, and every one of them expects to die doing what he is doing now. There is no exit scenario for them. There is no Mediterranean island to which they will retreat in their old age, sitting next to the Neptune pool with marble statues and topless women handing them cocktails. Just meetings, walking down hallways, sitting at desks, more meetings, and passing the soggy eggs at Morning Worship.

Arrrgh...  I may not be a degreed accountant, but the years I spent in accounting informed me that corporate Balance Sheets - especially the ones handed out for public consumption - are little more than pretty window dressing...

I'd like to see their income/expense reports - and I'd like to see the data that the income/expense reports are BASED upon...

I'd also like to see an accurate, all-encompassing report on the extent of their real-estate holdings, their stock holdings, and a full-disclosure listing of their bank accounts...

Zid

 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,  “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, preach against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel;  and say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off both righteous and wicked from you.  Because I will cut off both righteous and wicked from you, therefore My sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north,  that all flesh may know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return anymore.”’

Cry and wail, son of man;
      For it will be against My people,
      Against all the princes of Israel.
      Terrors including the sword will be against My people;
      Therefore strike your thigh. 
        “ Because it is a testing,
      And what if the sword despises even the scepter?
      The scepter shall be no more,”

   says the Lord GOD.
        “ You therefore, son of man, prophesy,
      And strike your hands together.
      The third time let the sword do double damage.
      It is the sword that slays,
      The sword that slays the great men,
That enters their private chambers. 

I have set the point of the sword against all their gates,
      That the heart may melt and many may stumble.
      Ah! It is made bright;
      It is grasped for slaughter:...ezekiel 21:1-5,12-15

love michelle      

myelaine.. I got no clue what you mean by your post.

I think there are two kinds of greed, hoarding greed and consumption greed. Who's to say the GB ain't got the hoarding greed. To cheap to spend it even if they could.

dear cagefighter...

 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,  which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.  So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,  and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” 

 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?”
They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
 Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”...matthew 13:47-52

love michelle

Elaine, do you only speak in qoutes or do you not answer direct questions?

Here, go back to this thread:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/106024/1/FOLLOW-THE-MONEY-AND-COVER-THE-TRACKS

belbab

Maybe we could petition Anderson Cooper of CNN to do the same expose as he did with the Scientologists?

dear OUTLAW...

you said: The Outside World does`nt care..

                                   The WBT$ will carry on,because nobody cares..

is that YOUR position then?

If you don't stand for "something"...you stand for "nothing"...

love michelle

I agree that most of us worldlies do not care about what goes on inside the Watchtower.  In most people's minds, whatever fanatics decide to do with themselves is fine, as long as they don't come to your door asking that you take their magazines.  This is disinterest, yes, but it is also a "live and let live" way of thinking.

That said, those of us worldlies who have had first-hand experience with the WT do care.  And I am sure many others would indeed care if the Watchtower were revealed as yet another heartless business.  Another serious blow would be if people were aware of the role of the corporations in the way the WT is directed.  Or the way decisions are made by the Governing Body.

Some others would still say "Well, they have always been dumb enough to be there.  Let them live the way they want".

i still will die claiming that there are secret shareholders that are "owners" and get a hefty salary.

I can't proove it, but I have this gut feeling that I will never change my mind of!

dear dgp...

I've got at least a dozen books on cults and all have a section on JW's, none of them are written by ex-JW's. fervent love towards our brothers shouldn't stop at the door...

the church cares and they would certainly notice if the WTBTS were to go to Jesus for forgiveness and invite all of their congregants to do the same.  there's no telling how much an awesome act of God can stir up the complacent church...

even so...come quickly Lord Jesus.

love michelle

dear OUTLAW...

you said: The Outside World does`nt care..

                                   The WBT$ will carry on,because nobody cares..

is that YOUR position then?

If you don't stand for "something"...you stand for "nothing"...

love michelle

                                                                                   Do you have Billions of Dollars and a Staff of Lawyers at your Disposal?..

                                                                                                                                 The WBT$ does..

                                                                                                           You can repeat a line from a Tired Old Song..

                                                                                                                                          But..

                                                                       It won`t make you as Powerful as the WBT$.....Nor will it help you bring down the the WBT$..

                                                                                                                                     Dream On..

                                                                                                                                                                                                    .......................... ...OUTLAW