Who owns the KHs?

by Amha·’aret 9 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Amha·’aret

  A currently in family member has been open to some conversation with me recently and the subject of money came up. This person naively thinks the WT don't gotta lot o' dough and without going down apostate routes, I wasn't sure how to prove they are loaded.

  Anyway I said I thought they owned all the KHs and Assembly Halls and that the value of all that property is a fair whack. But she inquired of an elder in her cong who said each cong owns its own KH and if they wanted to sell it in the morning, a resolution on what to do with the proceeds would be put to the cong. Anyone got anything to prove or disprove this? Coz I'm coming up empty!

  Thanks.
• 

  zeroday

  IF the congregation finances the KH on their own they own it but most modern Kingdom Halls are financed thru the Society and they own them...

  ***

  km 4/85 p.4pars. 14-15Society Kingdom Hall Fund***

  14

  Congregations are cautioned not to "create" an emergency. For example, a congregation may have a facility that is small or overcrowded and so may wish to build or remodel, even though the present building is sound and appropriate in other respects. Unless the congregation is able, on its own, to finance the project, it would be premature to consider selling the present facility and assume that funds would be made available from the Society Kingdom Hall Fund to assist in completing a larger Kingdom Hall. Nor do we encourage borrowing money from brothers or financial institutions on a short-term basis, expecting that the Society will make funds available to cover these debts. No matter what may be planned with regard to Kingdom Hall financing and construction, the principle expressed at Luke 14:28-30 certainly ought to apply.

  15

  Are we saying that financing independently of the Society Kingdom Hall Fund should not be done? No. If a congregation chooses to use local financing, it may do so. However, this should not be done with the thought of refinancing through the Society Kingdom Hall Fund at a later date. Likewise, loan guarantees from the Society Kingdom Hall Fund are not available.
• 

  moshe

  It has been mentioned before that some older Congs that own their KH have been talked into expensive remodeling or rebuilding projects that involved a WT backed loan and as a result made the WT a quasi owner. The Elders will find out who controls the KH then, if they should reject the advice from Brooklyn.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  It's all a matter of semantics. The congregation holds the deed. The congregation members think they
  can do what they want with their property and finances. Wait until they try it. The WTS will dictate
  to them whether they should sell, refinance, remodel, etc. The WTS can dissolve the congregation and
  the paperwork says WTS owns the property then.

  The drones do what the Mother Ship says. As long as that's true, the Mother Ship can let them think
  they own the property.
• 

  mary stewart

  i see the kh's as lke independenl-owned francises, like a bk or kfc.
• 

  darth frosty

  Halls are basically like mcdonalds. The parent company (wt$) holds the real estate, while the franchise does buisness on the site.

  Like was mentioned the halls that did own the deed were lured into expensive rebuilding projects (at 3% interest.)
• 

  WTWizard

  Once all the hot air is gone, the Washtowel Slaveholdery Corporation actually and effectively owns all Kingdumb Hells and A$$embly Hells that they had a share in financing. Congregations take out a loan from the Washtowel Babble and Crap Slaveholdery, and use that money to build the Kingdumb Hell. Then the congregations pay back that loan, after which the Washtowel Slaveholdery maintains effective ownership of the building.

  And then it's time for another problem to be created, so they can sell the building and start with another one. Keeps the money pump going. I can only hope that congregations start getting so tiny and so tight fisted with their money that the Washtowel Slaveholdery starts seeing huge amounts of defaults and foreclosures. And I am not bailing them out--anyone that passes a bailout for them ought to set off a panic in all the markets, this time because the Second Dark Ages cannot be far behind.
• 

  Amha·’aret

  The KH in question, AFAIK, was financed by the cong paying back on a loan they got from WT. They completed payment on it about a decade ago.

  But...interesting what you say about refurbs as this cong went thru a rather expense refurb with that hall about 4 years ago so I guess they're back in debt again.
• 

  wobble

  Here in the U.K some years ago all congos. were inveigled into giving over ownership of each K.H to a trust set up by the WT's corporation in Britain,so any Hall or land that is sold ,the money goes "back" to the trust.(Despite the fact that these Halls were paid for by the Bros. in the local congo.) This arrangement went through on the usual legally doubtfull method of a show of hands for the propsal at a meeting of witlesses who didn't have a clue what they were voting for.

  So here they really do own all the K.Halls,and I guess assembly Halls too.

  Love

  Wobble
• 

  heyfea

  If KH's are own by the brothers, then, legally, they can teach whatever they want in the KH. What does the lender have to do with what goes on in the KH? Will JPMorgan Chase dictate what is thought in a community bought church? So also, the brothers can also bring any pastor, priest, vicar, etc. to the KH and learn what they want from whom they want. Franchise my foot. The brother can even change the name KH to Bible House, Jesus Temple, or Mickey Mouse Club.