by Mickey mouse 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
It's pretty clear the WBTS has cash flow problems. I suspect there is a good portion of JW's who feel trapped in the borg due to family ties. It's likely they have stopped contributing in a material way to the organization.
The sale of high value Brooklyn real estate may be enough to keep the wolf from the door for a while. When that particular gravy train has ended do you think the GB will ever attempt to impose tithing on the r&f? How do you think the average witness would respond?
I highly doubt they have cash flow problems. What makes you think so?
Reducing the frequency of issues of the Watchtower?
Selling valuable real estate?
Making lots of bethel workers redundant?
Switching to softback books?
Sending begging letters out to the congregations?
Recent letter advising brothers not to order bound volumes if they can use the CDROM?
Actually, the WTS practices a form of mandatory payments through the congregation level.
The paperwork and accounting to do it at the individual/family level would be time-consuming and expensive.
Charles Taze Russell said that the voluntarily donated money dried up, it was evidence they no longer had God's backing.
*** jv chap. 21 p. 351 How Is It All Financed? ***Regarding C. T. Russell, who served as president of the Watch Tower Society for over 30 years, one of his associates wrote: "As a means of determining whether his course was in harmony with the Scriptures, and also as a means of demonstrating his own sincerity, he decided to test the Lord’s approval as follows: (1) Devote his life to the cause; (2) Invest his fortune in the promulgation of the work; (3) Prohibit collections at all meetings; (4) Depend on unsolicited contributions (wholly voluntary) to continue the work after his fortune was exhausted."
There is a big question mark in front of the are they really cash strapped ?
They've have recently sold buildings for example in Brooklyn for hundreds of millions of dollars they have cut Bethel volunteers ,
they cut down on the issues of the AW and WT produced, they still have millions in mutual fund investments and stocks
they are still getting contributions from the halls every month and peoples wills .
On the books they probably have more money in the banking accounts than any time in their history
prior to all of these real estate transactions back in the early 90's they had a total of over $900,000,000.00 in assets
So cash short I don't think so
No wonder many people say that the WTS. is controlled by Satan the Devil for its devious misinterpretation of the bible and its money
procuring agenda. Directed by God's spirit HARDLY, directed by mans will and desire for money and power or the devils more than
likely. One thing that has to be noted with these bogus religious cults is just when they are on the verge of running its course there
always seem to be a corralling or gathering up the percurd money just like the WTS. is doing right now.
Maybe its take the money and run time now, ........the Jig is up
they would do it by a series of "Resolutions" but it would not be tithing as such
Not outrightly.....but perhaps through guilt via BOE.
Hey Joe, you know you only turn in a couple of hours a month. Yes we understand your job is demanding and you have to travel on business. I know why don't you help out by covering "something' this month instead or maybe you would be willing to add and extra $$$ to the worldwide fund?..... Thanks Joe, Jehovah always sees a way for each of us to contribute to the spreading of the good news!
After his fortune was exhausted, er fathers fortune was squandered. (comment about Russell) and how I see it. Anywho, does anybody else see a contribution box at every convenient spot in hall and constant reminders from the podium reinforced by articles in tower as virtually the same thing as tithing?
If they start losing enough pedophile suits and people out in the world stop donating to the Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund, they might just start imposing that people donate their whole income to the Washtowel Slaveholdery. They would let them keep what they think is absolutely necessary for living (and, given their record of giving advice, that will not be nearly enough), and take everything else. They will quote that Jehovah already owns all our wealth, and He is now calling on us to have us give it back to Him.
Of course, I will not donate a penny to the Washtowel Slaveholdery or its Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund. I would rather stuff the boxes full of Zero Dollar Bills and Void Checks.
