oh! Eureka! Eureka! maybe the next light will be the discontinuation of the usage of the NAME/TITLE WATCHTOWER as the legal corporation of Jehovahs witnesses.It will be a legal move, a legal strategy for protect the governing body against processes and fines, taxes , etc!
Gerrit Losch's "I DO NOT ANSWER TO WATCHTOWER"
by Newly Enlightened 82 Replies latest social current
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AnnOMaly
Oubliette: How do you know this?
Have you seen an organizational chart or something? I'm not trying to be difficult, but even after being a JW for 30+ years, I have no clear understanding or knowledge of their organizational structure.
Oh, you're not being difficult. It's a valid question.
My initial source:
"On April 14, eight days before Schroeder returned my call, a
Witness in New York named Joe Gould phoned the Brooklyn Service
Department and talked to Harley Miller, a member of the five-man
Service Department Committee. [25]"[25] This committee supervises the Service Department, at that time composed of a staff of
about forty persons."- CoC, 4th ed., p. 299.
And clues from the WT CD-ROM:
*** w96 12/1 p. 22 The 101st Class of Gilead—Zealous for Fine Works ***
"Leon Weaver of the Service Department Committee ..."*** w94 6/1 p. 25 Gilead Graduates Find “More Happiness in Giving” ***
"Leon Weaver, a member of the Service Department Committee, developed the theme ..."(Weaver is named as being on the "Service Committee" as of 9/2014.)
*** w88 9/15 p. 31 A Staunch Fighter for the Truth ***
In September 1977, Brother Poetzinger was appointed to the Governing Body and was able to come to the Society’s world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, somewhat over a year later. He served with the Service Committee of the Governing Body and the Service Department Committee.(Two different entities here.)
From the BOE letters I have:
1/2/1995 - A change on where Gilead applications should be sent,
"Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
Attention: Service Committee of the Governing Body [address]"Letter signed "[WTS] of Pennsylvania for the Service Committee"
Directives to the Congregation Service Committees are often signed WTS of NY or CCoJWs.
The 10/1/2012 BOE on Child Abuse is from the CCoJWs and yet it directs that the Service Department is to be consulted (as well as Legal) in certain circumstances.
Certainly the lines between corporations appear to be blurred. The no-brainer is that the GB has ecclesiastical authority over the practices and directives these other corporations pass on to the bodies further down the hierarchy.
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alexandre
but , I THOUGHT that the lil bro Gerrit Losch was The Boss, the big boss!
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prologos
GL: "I DO NOT ANSWER TO THE WATCHTOWER" o, of course not, "watchtower answers to ME" * but I do not admit that.
like all the other great Austrian ex-pats, the from Linz, Adolf , and ARNOLD the ex-governor of CA.
Gerrit does not want to sing, but can he jodel?
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stuckinarut2
So of any of us were hauled before a judicial committee, and we played these sort of tactics we would be hung!
If we said "the wt holds no power over me, and I am not bound by the org..." etc.....we would be charged with apostasy!
I hope this wakes up a lot of witnesses!
But as with the UN saga, and so many other issues, the rank and file will never know of this even occurring!
If we raise the topic and tell people, then we would be charged with apostasy again....
My thoughts: there will be an even bigger push of articles and talks over the next few years warning witnesses against any information that doesn't come from the pages of the WT to be ignored like poison.
Its a damned either way scenario!
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DATA-DOG
Lets start a kickstarter fund raiser for anti-cult advertising. Would that work??
DD
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cognizant dissident
My father (a presiding overseer or whatever they call them now) told me over a decade ago after speaking with bethel overseers (or whatever they call them now) that the ecclesiastical governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses intentionally separated itself from the legal corporation of The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society for the express purpose of protecting itself from lawsuits and from situations that happened in Russel's day where in the event of persecution or an outright ban on the Watchtower societies printing and publishing activities, the authorities would attempt to go after the legal directors of the corporation, none of whom would be actual members of the governing body. This would leave the governing body free to continue to direct the spiritual activities of Jehovah's Witnesses.
The legal corporation, The WTBTS, was only formed to meet the legal requirements for charitable organizations, publishers etc. It was the brainstorm of legal and accounting minds of some Jehovah's Witnesss in positions of influence and power, members of the governing body. So Losch is correct, he doesn't answer to the WTBTS. The WTBTS is a corporate vehicle created to attain the goals of the ecclesiastical governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Stroke of legal genius really, but the governing body of JW's is so dependent upon the great publishing/marketing vehicle that they have created within the WTBTS in order to influence the flock whom are sparsely scattered throughout the world, that crippling the WTBTS could still cripple the governing body's influence among the flock.
The idea originally was that in the event of the demise of the WTBTS due to government sanctions/bankruptcy, the governing body could simply form a new legal corporation and continue on business as usual. They may have underestimated the brand power of the WTBTS in the JW community though. Many people, not being bright enough to see though marketing manipulation, may be more loyal to the brand name WTBTS than the actual product it sells (governing body bullshit).
Thank Jehovah for the newest streak of marketing genius, the internet, aka jw.org. (I know it is not new, but new to them). Worldwide influence, cheaper than paper, few volunteers needed from the increasing apathetic flock, and while I haven't bothered to check, I have no doubt someone at headquarters has had the accounting/legal forsight to incorporate the website and any donations that flood in thru paypal/credit card under a completely different corporate umbrella from that of the WTBTS. If they're truly smart, the new org will have 100% different corporate directors/board members so that no association with WTBTS and its legal/financial difficulties can be claimed.
Not sure what the legal rules in the US are for corporate association as I'm an accountant from Canada, however for the sake of victims let's hope the courts can see thru the legal machinations set up by individuals to create distance and remove legal culpability. In Canada, board members/directors can be sued individually for the criminal/negligent actions/inactions of a corporation. I assume its the same in the US? The governing body, knowing this, has removed themselves from the board and management of the WTBTS.
However, all associated with JW's know they are psychologically controlling the board members and management of the WTBTS even though they legally hold no positions in WTBTS and have no legal vote on any issues. It raises an important legal issue that could be precedent setting. Can individuals who completely pyschologically control/ influece the board members of a corporation be held legally responsible for the actions of the corporate directors they influence?
In Canada, family members of corporate directors are considered as controlling a corporation of which another family member holds control even if they hold no position in the corporation themselves. That's because the court recognizes the strong psychological influence of family. Will they also recognize the purely psychological as opposed to legal influence of the governing body over the WTBTS and hold them both equally accountable? The governing body themselves claim a close family association. They are "brothers" in the faith and the governing body is our "mother").
It will be fascinating to watch the outcome.
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Apognophos
Who was the GB member who said that he is required to wear a suit while flying places to give talks? A member on here like to recount having heard that in a talk. Is that GB also not under the authority of the Watchtower Society? Doesn't sound like it to me.
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wifibandit
Any one remember article from a Watchtower that explained how the different Corporations were just tools used by the ORGANIZATION?
w01 1/15 p.29
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Is there any Scriptural reason why the directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania must be members of the Governing Body?
The answer is no. The Pennsylvania corporation is not the only legal entity used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. There are others. One is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Incorporated. It facilitates our work in the United States. Jehovah’s blessing has clearly been upon that corporation, though its directors and officers have been mainly of the “other sheep.” The International Bible Students Association is used in Britain. Other legal entities are used to promote Kingdom interests in other lands. All of them harmoniously assist and have a role to play in getting the good news preached earth wide. No matter where they are located or who serve as directors or officers, these entities are theocratically guided and used by the Governing Body. Hence, such entities have assigned tasks to perform in furthering Kingdom interests.
It is beneficial for us to have legal entities. We thereby conform to local and national laws, as required by God’s Word. (Jeremiah 32:11; Romans 13:1) Legal entities facilitate our work of spreading the Kingdom message by printing Bibles, books, magazines, brochures, and other material. Such entities also serve as legal instruments to handle matters related to property ownership, relief efforts, contracts for the use of convention facilities, and so forth. We are thankful for the services of such legal entities.
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stuckinarut2
So if one of the 7 "brothers of Christ", "gods mouthpiece" etc is NOT leading the Watchtower org, then who is?
They can't have their cake and eat it too!