I'm just curious, and I know I always end up with an answer.. But why can't the society go back to its old way of charging for the magazines. I know this is probably easier said than done. But if they were keeping a float in the past but are sinking now on the donation model, then is seems obvious charging for the mags was the better way to go. I'm guessing the tax issue has got something to do with it. Ok answers please.
Why can't they go back to the old way of charging for the magazines
by joe134cd 10 Replies latest watchtower scandals
-
-
Phizzy
Tax issue mainly I guess, but they are also proud of the number produced, and the number "placed". trying to get the Public to pay when they used to get them for free, even though they only took them in most cases to get the JW to move on, will be hard.
More rejection at the doors than they get now could be the knell of death for the already waning F.S, also Cognitive Dissonance would be triggered by the WT reneging on there claim to follow Jesus' "you received free, so give free" command.
-
blondie
http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/politics.php
http://jwfacts.com/images/watchtower-swaggart-amicus-curiae.pdf
The WTS felt they saw the handwriting on the wall (haha) that they would have to pay taxes on the donations for publications, food at the conventions, etc.
jwfacts.com (see above)
Jimmy Swaggart
In 1988, Jimmy Swaggart was taken to court in the case Swaggart Ministries v. California Board of Equalization. This regarded paying tax on profit derived from sales of religious material. See www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1989/1989_88_1374/argument/ (6 Apr 2007)
Realising a ruling against Swaggart could result in the sale of Watchtower publications being taxed, the Watchtower Society filed a Brief of Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) for United States Supreme Court Docket # 88-1374. This was to show support for Jimmy Swaggart Ministries retaining tax exempt status. Click Here to view a copy of the Amicus Curiae that the Watchtower submitted for the Jimmy Swaggart case. Other groups to similarly do so included International Society for Krishna Consciousness of California, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and the Prison Fellowship. The Supreme Court ruled against Swaggart on January 17th, 1990, ordering him to pay back taxes.
With the decision going against Swaggart, the Watchtower Society initiated the 'voluntary donation' arrangement. A letter to elders in the United States was sent on February 21st 1990, changing the distribution of magazines to a donation arrangement, effective from March 1st 1990. This was rolled out to other countries over coming months. Information explaining the arrangement to congregations was provided in the Our Kingdom Ministry,1991 March pp.3,4 titled "Our Simplified Literature Distribution Arrangement". To ensure that the Watchtower would not be disadvantaged by the new arrangement, Witnesses were told to donate for the literature they pick up at the kingdom hall, and then also donate any money received from householders, something akin to double-dipping. A further letter to congregations followed January 24th 1991, with the following explanation for why the double donation was not to be considered donating twice.
-
zeb
blondie:.. I wondered.. thanks.
-
DesirousOfChange
They could return to the arrangement where they charge the publishers for the literature, but at least in some states, would be obliged to charge and pay sales tax on the "sales". This would force them to file tax reports for each congregation or for all congregations as one taxing "business" which would be public record and they would lose their privacy about the money paid for literature.
Additionally, if you are acquainted with the Accounts Servant in your Congregation, can you imagine him keeping abreast of the tax laws? The penalties for errors would be more than the tax itself, not to mention the time doing the paperwork to straighten out all the f**k ups.
And yes, now that they have promoted "you received free, give free" it would be a PR nightmare, even among R&F JWs.
Doc
-
pixel
You can get everything online for free (magazines and books) on the website. Unless they get rid of the magazines as PDF, or charging per download...
-
JeffT
I've often wondered this same question. It is not difficult to include the tax in the cost when making the sale. And (at least in Washington State) the forms aren't that complicated. I could write an excel spreadsheet in about five minutes that would do the work for them. They might run into liability problems, but I'm not sure. So I don't know why they didn't just pay the taxes and keep brining in the money. I suspect they wanted to keep up an appearance of staying neutral on government, and figured they could beat the money out of the flock.
-
edmond dantes
In the 1950s and 1960s the magazines and had a certain depth about them and I suppose the Society had to write them like that in order for publishers to "place" them for a donation which really was another term for selling but in this day and age the Watchtower and the Awake should now not be called magazines and asking for a fee at the door for them would be a joke.
Which age group are they aimed at anyway ?
I used to compare the mags with a humorous newspaper back then called Billy's Weekly Liar which if memory serves cost a few pence the difference was you got a few laughs in the BWL but only got the lies from the Watchtower.
-
Las Malvinas son Argentinas
A bureaucratic nightmare to say the least. Plus I think the 'sales' automatically decline once people are forced to pay a fixed amount for literature.
-
sarahsmile
People give more not knowing the price. I was a sucker got one bible and book gave them $20.00. Fixed price would be $2.50.
They used the same reason for the volunteer drop boxes. They found out that people will donte more money rather than passing a plate or application.
Things change during hardship.