I think the main way the WBTS has benefitted from members is through unpaid labour and the donations for the publications but I think they are going through a crisis and increasingly will need more cash donations to manage liabilities. They can only realise the value of downtown New York real estate once. There may be a sort of Faustian pact whereby they expect less service time from members in return for more cash donations. I think one of the recent studies hinted at this. It will be a risky strategy given how much they condemn other churches for handing around plates etc.
Is it all about the money?
by Laika 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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cha ching
Money, money, money, MOOONey.... so the song goes...
Only $500__ per month? I am in the US, so let's say $200 per month x 50,000 congregations = $10,000,000 (ten million) a month!
That is 120 million a year!
Let alone, at each "Circuit Assembly" they would say "Oh, we need $6,000 more to cover our costs for this weekend (and the hall is paid off) and oh, by the way (at the end of the ass-embly) they would casually tell us "Oh, and the brothers voted, and the $5,000 left over from our expenses will be sent to the Society. Aren't we all happy?" ( wish I had $10,000 to write a check to them at the beginning of the Ass-embly just to see if they would still ask for $$$)
So, let's just say $5,000 x 50 weeks (out of a year) = $250,000 a year for one circuit in the US. If there are 100 circuits, you now have $25,000,000 a year!
I have been around a long while, and I remember when there were FEW requests for donations in the KM.
NOW, over the past few years I read in the "Kingdom" Ministry, there are parts on the meetings almost EVERY OTHER MONTH, that discuss How to make your will out so that the Society can inherit everything....
They offer their services (no need to hire a lawyer, "we'll tell you how to give us all your money") for free!!
Also, it is a very weird thing to see/hear them list all the different things you can "donate" when you die!
Quite audacious!
I was truly embarrasssed!!!!!!!!!!
cha ching, no more of MY bling!
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Laika
£500 per month is about $800 US. Of course it works out at a lot of money total as there's millions of people but the amount per person is very small. I think if you did a survey of regular church/religious service attenders you'd find JWs give far less as individuals than members of most/all other groups. This is because the Society is not driven by money.
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Iown Mylife
Money was a big topic here in the area where I was in the JW. People would buy a new car - get talked about for not being frugal enough to buy a used car. One time a brother (elder) bought his wife a fancy mink jacket and she wore it to the meeting. The next day in the service group the talk was scorching. When we moved from a shack to a regular house people were mad. Nobody was happy for us.
I tell you what, keeping expenses down and giving money consistently to the KH and WT is expected and anything less demonstrates "weak spirituality," and as such not a "good" association! UNLESS you were one of the high-livin' dogs who had status; it was expected and only right for them to occupy fancy digs.
Marina