our KH (worth half a million ££) is to be sold

by quietlyleaving 40 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Ultimate Reality

  In the U.S., our congregation had a "review" done on the articles of incorporation. This was initiated by the Legal Department through the C.O. As a result the dissolution clause was changed (through a rubber stamp vote of the congregation) so that upon dissolution the proceeds will go to the Society.

  The Society has been doing this everywhere and as a result they now (or soon will) effectively control all KH assets. If the elders resist, guess what, they will be removed and replaced by more compliant men. And, no one in the congregation has the will to stand up to this. Donated money for construction and remodels, volunteer labor, loans with interest from the Society, donations to maintain the property and in the end, the asset ends up in the hands of the Society.

  I think that is why they eliminated the Book Study and shortened the Public Talk by 15 minutes. Now you can have 1 Hall that easily handles 4 congregations.
• 

  treadnh2o

  "I think that is why they eliminated the Book Study and shortened the Public Talk by 15 minutes. Now you can have 1 Hall that easily handles 4 congregations."

  Absolutely correct! It is by design that multiple KH's are being sold to build one "new" one. It makes no (financial) sense to only have one congo meet in a KH. (Yup, the society got the money)

  A few years ago this happened in a congo I was in. P*ssed me off. There was no mortgage, no need to do this other than an excuse fo a "new" building. Nothing better than a freakin' meeting @12:30 on a Sunday afternoon!

  Smell like corporate downsizing!
• 

  zions watchman

  Just to let you know if you already don't....All Kingdom Hall are own by WTBTS
• 

  blondie

  Actually in the us no halls are owned by anything other than the local non-profit corporation made up of 3 trustess, elders in the congregation that holds the territory the building/land is on. Only if the congregation is dissolved completely does the WTS as the next non-profit corporation up the ladder, but then they still don't "own" it.

  every corporation associated with the group would have to be dissolved, otherwise the assets, transfer to another corporation in the group. The WTS is governed by the laws for non-profit corporations set up by the IRS in the US. Even if all were dissolved, the law does not allow the assets to be "owned" by an individual or group of individuals.

  http://www.ehow.com/video_4981813_what-nonprofit-corporation.html

  Summary: Nonprofit corporations are businesses that don't allow ownership and do not have an appreciation of stock or dividend distribution. Discover the differences between a for profit corporation and nonprofit corporation with insight from a lawyer in this free video on business law.

  I'm sure some jws have made money in association with doing business with the WTS. I know of travel businesses, construction, insurance.

  But then many jws make money at the expense of other jws in their congregation, hiring jws, etc. Not always doing business fairly. But as to dipping directly into the monies paid to these corporations, no.
• 

  Gayle

  (h) for, or in connection with, public worship or religious instruction

  The thought of grants to go to a cult is sickening!! I so hope that doesn't happen. However, I do believe the WTS headquarters has all intention of getting a chunk. They have lots of lawsuits and major "moving" around expenses.
• 

  wobble

  Here in the U.K the K' Halls are owned by a charitable Trust set up just to own the halls I believe, so it would depend on the trust rules for that Trust what they are allowed to do with funds, but any profit from a deal goes back in to the Trust, which seems wrong to me, members of the Congos raised the money in the first place,and paid to maintain the thing, they should have any profit shared between them ,and if they wish to donate that to the WTB$ then more fool them.

  I bet that they are allowed by the Trust rules to send any excess at least to the WT here in Britain.

  Love

  Wobble
• 

  quietlyleaving

  yes thats it wobble. In our case the local trustees have legal ownership on behalf of the congregation as I understand it.
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  The law and the setup of nonprofit charity is one thing. Let's face it- WTS "owns" the property in the sense that they can dissolve the congregation and they can lean on the appointed brothers to turn the money from any sale over to WTS or they can remove the appointed brothers and have someone else take charge of turning the money over.

  I know my statement above is not "legally" correct, but it is reality.

  WTS will continue to downsize and move the money to where they want it. When a cong. or group of congs. has money, they "ask" them to donate the money to WTS somehow then later, they loan money to the congs. to build something new. Locking money up into real estate allows them to keep their assets lower and non-liquid, and putting it on paper that the locals own it protects their assets further. But when Mother wants the money, Mother gets it.
• 

  wobble

  The thing is Quietlyleaving, the "Loclal Trustees" hold the K.Hall for the trust run by the WT of GB not for the local congo.

  All Congos voted away any control they had in law by giving their Hall, and the land it stands on if they own it, to the national KH Trust.

  Most did this without realising what on earth they were doing, including most Elders.

  Scandalous.

  Love

  Wobble
• 

  journey-on

  The WT article someone recently quoted about the org maybe asking you to do something you don't understand, but to trust them and just do it, may be preparing the congos for controversial issues like this where ownership of property comes up for grabs. ( And the poor gullible publishers probably think it has something to do with the "persecution" they've been SO looking forward to....when in actuality it's just a good screwin')