JW Numbers

by JWdaughter 9 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  JWdaughter

  I want to look more fully into this if someone else hasn't already.

  How many pieces of literature were taken by JWs at the hall to 'place', versus how many actually WERE placed? We all know there must be a significant difference-it is the only way to explain the piles in the backs of closet, in basements and lining birdcags of JWs. How much of the money given to the 'world wide work goes to building halls, giving to JWs who cannot affort literature? How much is donated in absolututely charitable ways (not given with the expectation of rec. the insurance check?)? How much is given to missionaries? How much to CO's and DO's? How much WT money is spent building halls in needy areas vs. halls in the US?

  No reason, just nosy. They talk a lot about the 'work' they do in the world, but if a JW in uganda has to walk 3 days to a hall, why don't they do something about that? There is tons of money being used in the US to encourage bored people to part with more of their hard earned money. . .wonder if they might not be happier to help a JW in uganda buy a goat to help support their family before they go to another butt breaking convention?
• 

  pauledwards

  are you still a sister or not,they are fat cats in new york
• 

  pauledwards

  are you still a sister or not,they are fat cats in new york
• 

  stapler99

  I do remember a couple of local needs talks at my former congregation about the 'literature hole', I can't of course remember the exact numbers but it seemed that, comparing the reported magazine placements and the magazines that people were ordering there was a suprisingly huge gap, and this was an ongoing phenomenon.
• 

  greendawn

  I don't know if you ever felt that there was a real religious atmosphere in the JW meetings and general society but that is precisely what I never detected. Their religious nature is only a front and a deep spirituality is non existent. The WTS is a business, someone with a perverted mind hit upon the idea of making a profit by selling religion and a charitable spirit is the last thing one will find in such a set up. Their whole emphasis is on receiving, not giving.
• 

  pobthespazz

  C'mon wake up now , you must know every Jw home has shite loads of literature that they dont place!!!!!!!!11
• 

  Alpheta

  JWDaughter,

  The problem is this: In the United States, which is probably the richest yielding money wise for the WTBTS, there is no obligation to file tax returns or any kind of financial reports with the federal or state governments. The WTBTS is a religion and therefore is exempt from all reporting requirements. Therefore, we truly have NO IDEA how much money, or how little money, is flowing into the New York coffers.

  We can DEDUCE this based on prior and current history: First, money inflow from third world countries does not equal cash outflow to support the DOs and COs and build those crappy grass-hut kingdom halls. Second, because of the zero growth/negative growth in most western European countries, there are cash flow problems there. Where is the cash coming from to support the DOs and COs and branches in western Europe?

  I have seen on the internet OLD financial reports for the Canadian branch, and OLD financial reports for the English branch. I have not seen any current reports. If I knew where to go to get them, I would get the current financial reports.

  A few months ago, I did extensive internet research about the real estate holdings of the WTBTS in New York City and Brooklyn. Recently the Society sold a building for over $200 million. That is just one building. The Society owns much real estate on waterfronts - that means BIG $$$$$$. You can be sure that as needed, the Society will sell off the real estate, one piece at a time, as the intent now is to bunker down in Patterson.

  In my opinion, eventually the Society will file Chapter 11 in the United States due to judgments against it won by victims of sexual abuse. Regardless of what the Society may report in their WT and yearbook publications, it is my personal belief that it is in a downhill spiral. It is losing more members than it is recruiting in money-making countries. Without cash flow, a business cannot survive. The New York and Brooklyn real estate will only keep the Society alive for so long, particularly once the plaintiffs start winning the law suits and getting big $$$ judgments against the Society. It is, in my opinion, inevitable. It is just a matter of time.
• 

  JWdaughter

  Paul, I was never baptised. Raised up in it, left when I was 15. How about yourself?
• 

  Highlander

  I can't speak in terms of the bigger pictures, but I can tell you about my personal experience.

  I NEVER donated to the WT corp, yet I always took at least 10 or more mags per month. I rarely placed any of those mags. In the end they would be placed in the garbage.

  My mom, a diehard dub,, she took more mags,, donated for them, and placed some of them.

  My sis gets mags,, never places, probably doesn't donate as she has no money.

  My bro is diehard, but very cheap, so I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't give much money. He does place mags though.
• 

  Alpheta

  Good synopsis, Highlander. I would contribute for the magazines and when I was regular in the field service I did place some (but never all), and I never asked for any contributions, so the WTBTS was not getting double-paid for their magazines from me. I was also putting in a lot more than what the magazines were worth, I was putting in $30 a month. If, say, 70% of the JWs are not putting in money at the counter when they pick up their literature every month, and they also are not asking for or receiving contributions in the door to door work (assuming they place, say, 20% of their magazines), it stands to reason that the Society is hurting for money since the donation arrangement was put into place circa 1990 (all in order to avoid paying sales taxes). I know there are threads here on this topic.

  Getting back to JW Sister's question, I do not think there is anyway to actually determine the difference between how many magazines are printed and how many are actually placed every month. Assuming the Society is telling the truth about how many magazines it is printing, we cannot assume that the publishers are telling the truth on their field service reports about how many they placed. I've been out over three years now and I still have a cabinet full of old magazines that I am slowly recycling in the newspapers every two weeks! Particularly toward the end I was out and out lying on my field service reports about placements and no one questioned it. Now, I'm not saying that active JWs are lying on their field service reports like I did, but judging from what I've read here, at least some of them are. There is no way, therefore, to really calculate reliable numbers on placements. There are just too many uncertainties and variables.