by Gill 7 Replies latest watchtower bible
Does anyone have any accurate information on the profit margin the WTBTS has on all its publications/CD's etc?
Even my loyal JW relatives are complaining about the constant moaning from the platform for more contributions. I'd like to be able to give them some accurate knowlege for a change.
Thanks everyone!
Gill
Well, this information is for the Canada branch, but it might be a start.
I have the following instructions about how to obtain the WT Canada's TAX RETURN information from the CCRA (Canada Customs & Revenue Agency i.e. the Tax Man)'s web site posted on my website, for future reference:
(That page also has some other finance related items that may be of interest).
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Information about Watchtower Finances (in Canada)
Under the CCRA's new program, all charities annual returns are available on the internet. So if you like you can look up the finances for your congregation or for Watchtower Canada by doing the following:
1. Go to Canada Customs and Revenue Agency's website.
2. On the CCRA webpage, click "Search our online list of registered charities" (about halfway down the page).
3. In the Charity Name field type the name of your congregation or "WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF CANADA" (N.B. WATCH TOWER is two words, not one) or "Jehovah's Witnesses" for a long list, or "circuit", or "assembly hall" if you wish to look up those.)
4. Click the "Search" button.
5. Click in the T3010 column to get a list of recent annual tax returns, starting with the 2000 tax year.
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If you follow these instructions, you will find that for the period ending August 31 2003 (the most recent last time I checked) the big nubmers were, in round figures:
Assets: CAD $88 million
Liabilities: CAD $28 million
Difference: CAD $60 million.
Now, I am not an accountant (btw, whatever happened to "expatbrit" who is an accountant???) but what this means is: hypothetically, if WT Canada was dissolved on August 31, 2003, they would be left with CAD $60 million in the bank. Not too shabby.
Oh, the general rule of thumb for Canadian finances is this: America is always 10 times bigger. If this rule of thumb applied in this case (and that's a big IF) then you could estimate that Brooklyn is worth CAD$600 million (about US$500 million).
~Quotes, of the "free and unfettered access to truthful information" class
Important addition: that does not mean that WT canada has $60 million in the bank; most of their assets are tied up in real estate and printing factories, you know, like any other religious charity (insert sarcastic smirk here).
The cash, in the bank, is: $ 3,757,777 as of Aug 31, 2003 (line 4100 of their return).
It's amazing how quickly false prophets turn real profits.
Thanks everyone!
The reason I asked is I've been reading the section in Cof C where Franz is talking about how poorly and shabbily the bethelite volunteers are treated. There's got to be some massive profit involved in not paying for a work force. I vaguely remember reading somewhere about a possible 500% profit on the mags but can't remember where from. I know my mother is always paying once for the mags and then contributing the contributions from people who take them as well!
Thanks again, Gill
http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-biz-nytop100private,0,7209140.story
No profit margins given but check no.34 in the list of the top private companies of NYC, with a revenue of $951million
See you are in the UK. By law all charities have to make public their accounts. Check out the following link.....
Interesting how variable the income is. Also, the aims include missionary work but nothing that I would classify as 'charitable' such as feeding the poor, tending the sick, etc...
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?remchar=&chyno=1077961
Eyeslice
Damn right 'no charity work.'
My dear old mum did some collecting around her neighbourhood, in the dark I might add, collecting for Loros. (Loros is a hospice society in Leicester). She kept it very quiet and asked me to help her with the paper work as she was afraid anyone in the congregation might find out she had been helping a charity.
I remember scathing talk about Mother Teresa feeding the poor and not taking care of their spiritual needs first though. I can't ever remember JW's being involved in charitable concerns on preaching the senses out of folk.
