expenses -vs- donations............. the fall of the Watchtower empire

by DaCheech 26 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Farkel

  Something no one yet has pointed out is that the Watchtower is heavy on assets and light on cash flow. Their main capital asset is probably real estate and that is not a liquid asset, especially in today's market.

  Their other main assets are their investments in stocks, bonds and treasury notes.

  Cash flow comes from their begging to congregations, literature sales and assembly revenues mostly.

  If they (haven't already) begin dipping into their other assets, their net worth starts dwindling. I'm sure they are well vested for the future, EXCEPT more settlements from more pedophile lawsuits would put them in the same position as the RCC. Wouldn't that be a lovely thought?

  Farkel
• 

  betterdaze

  It's not about dwindling income no matter how low it goes, it's about compounded interest on over 100 years of tax-free funds, and tax-free real estate holdings as well.
  
  Shuttled to off-shore bank accounts.
  
  They're pretty solid, financially, IMHO. No amount of Internet exposure can erode their base, but it is definitely affecting their Slush Fund, aka the World Wide Work.
  
  The meagre magazine "donation" downturns are offset with money-making NGO charitable status in developing "lands" and cash grants from other venues (Holocaust industry, for one).
  
  Payouts on the pedophile rulings and blood-issue trials we can shortly expect will only be a dent in their coffers; the real Achilles heal is tax evasion and consumer fraud.
  
  
  Watchtower: Mene, Mene, Tekel Parsin.
  
  ~Sue
• 

  donkey

  I've posted regarding this in the past. They WILL go 90% web based. I'll bet Farkels life on it.
• 

  orangefatcat

  I like that Sue,

  Watchtower: Mene, Mene, Tekel Parsin.

  I must concure with many of you. Their cash flow is low but assets are many. But should the USA goes into a recession then there goes a lot of the stocks and bonds. Gee it is funny how come the WTS can have stocks and bonds etc, but desuede the witnesses from having them.

  There down fall will be the loss of their Reputation, there denials, theirs lies and hiding the issues of sexual pedophiles and those who have committed suicide or have sued on account of no transplants, yes transplants, no blood , yes blood, If you think about it the list goes on and on.

  Rightly so is this old adage, he who lives in Glass Towers shouldn't throw stones.

  So it may take a while for this downfall or disgrace but it will occur.

  Donations are down, as people learn more about the things the WTS has hidden from the witnesses.

  Our church has a weekly budget of 3000.00 dollars and I must say we are pretty much on target. There is not pleading for money a person gives what they can and some are regular donators who sign a sheet at the beginning of each year showing how much they will don'te for the year. We have some very wealthy members in our parish.

  YOu must admitt it the churches have been straight forward with their problems regarding homosexuality, pedophilia and gay marriages. That is the difference. They are up front with these issues and still most of the churches in our town are not in finicial dilemas, mind you if they were taxed it may be different and the same for Jehovah's witness.

  we just have to wait and s ee.

  orangefatcat
• 

  MeneMene

  Watchtower: Mene, Mene, Tekel Parsin.

  Looks like it's time to change my name !
• 

  trevor

  With all that real estate and their tax free status they are still well ahead of the game. Printing is cheaper than ever with less staff needed.

  I think the only thing that will stop them is when the members stop buying their trashy little promotional magazine - The Watchtower.
• 

  DaCheech

  we will see, they will either:

  1) raise the tax burden to the publishers by raising the cost at DC's and CA's

  2) lay off more people

  3) pick some low attendance halls to liquidate the property; and cash in on the $$$$ (right now many property values are down)

  4) less paper
• 

  WTWizard

  I hope they start getting hit with huge taxes. And I hope they start losing tens of billions of dollars on ruined life lawsuits, along with the pedophile suits. Hopefully, all they will get in the boxes is Zero Dollar Bills and Void Checks. And, once we get into a recession, the stock market starts going down (especially the companies they own shares in).

  There has to be a way for the Washtowel Slaveholdery Corporation to take a bath. I hope so.
• 

  DaCheech

  they've gotta be taking a big loss from 3rd world countries?
• 

  Prov1320

  Can anyone confirm that the WTS invests in stocks and bonds?

  I worked in accounts for many years, and collectively as a hall (8 congregations!) we enjoyed an immense surplus. But the WTS had given specific direction that we could not "invest" those funds. The best we could do were to buy "open" short term GICs or treasury bills. The WTS wanted to make sure we maintained liquidity at all times. And i'm sure investing in stocks would have been viewed as some form of gambling, and how could we do that with the collectives' money?!

  Would they not follow their own advice? (Ok, ok, silly question.)

  I, too, have said this before: cash flow is vital. If growth is only occuring in third world or poorer countries, they will not be able to sustain the growth. Once they sell an asset it's gone! How will they replenish their wealth? Selling magazines to a family that earns $30 a month???