If the local congregations have no money to pay their own bills and the numbers of Witnesses continue to drop off, how will the Society last? We've heard about down sizing and layoffs. We've seen congregations merge because the bills aren't getting paid. So, how do you think the Watchtower Society will stay fluid? Do you see the money issue as the real downfall of the organization?
Do You Think The Society Will Ever Go Broke?
by minimus 21 Replies latest jw friends
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blondie
I can see the WTS moving their operations up to Wallkill and Patterson and selling the lucrative property they hold in Brooklyn (and in other areas of NYC). I can see them justifying this based on 9-11. During WW2, the WTS purchased property with the view of moving there for safety reasons. That property became the location of the first site of Gilead School.
I can see their taking more direct measures to reduce the size of the Bethel family. I can see them outsourcing more of their printing and production. Most of these have already been mentioned on this DB.
Blondie
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ozziepost
No
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blondie
I'll add that the WTS sold off their Brooklyn properties during WWI and retreated to Pennsylvania. Money will not bring down the WTS but it will be much smaller. Money was a big theme at the circuit assembly, almost every talk included the need to be donating to the worldwide work, something I have not seen in 47 years of attending assemblies.
Blondie
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Buster
They've lived this long feeding the rank and file false calptrap. If that wasn't enough to bring down the society, I can't imagine what will. Fanaticism is a powerful engine. Who would have guessed that they could have built that empire on magazines that sell for pennies?
But then again, doomsday cults have a tendency to fade away.
Predicting the future is tricky, so, ... I have no idea.
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core
Minimus
Money is a problem for congregations as the centre has them 'lend' it their funds at no interest.
Branches and Brooklyn have massive reserves - see the accounts filed by the Society ( USA and UK are easy to find stunning amounts involved - ) however the cost of running branches is high as nothing but the best is the policy when buying equipment etc.
Supply of Money itself will not be the main problem - you are right though as money problems will cause massive discontent as the accounts etc become more transparent and brothers see how much is involved and what that means - I know of local sisters who live in near poverty but they always contribute to EVERY request / box etc. As long as the society can have people think like that then they are going to be OK for funds. The brothers in branches live in nothing like poverty and with a life style/standard higher than the majority of those who are supporting them financially .
Also where costs are involved local costs always come second to the 'requests' from the centre
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Ginosko
Hi,
The answer is in history. how do the religion movements disapear ?
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fulano
If they just would be more carefull in building.
In Africa they just forgot a 800.000 dollar equipment and found out a year later.
The DR branch took five years to be build which cost the brothers a 30.000 dollar a day.
If they would sell the 34 objects they have in Brooklyn, can you imagine!!! And it is all paid for.
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City Fan
Money is a problem for congregations as the centre has them 'lend' it their funds at no interest.
Well I think the society is moving to make sure they don't have to pay any of this back. My old congregation gave a loan of about 5000 to the society about 12 years ago for the 'Worldwide Work'. The society recently wrote to say that because of the huge increase in Africa and the fact it only costs about $8000 to build a KH there would the congregation be willing to just let the society have the 5000 (which strangely enough is about $8000!).
Remember this money was loaned interest free and the KH is in immediate need of repair/maintenance. Of course the congregation voted to let the society just have the money.
At the recent weekend elders school it was also discussed whether to buy a house for the Circuit Overseer rather than carry on renting. All the local congregations would have to contribute to buying this house. I asked who would then own this house. You can guess the answer I was given - THE SOCIETY !!
No - I think it will be a very long time before the WTS ever runs out of money !!
Edited by - City Fan on 11 November 2002 9:37:5
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A Paduan
Yes, their whole religion will come to an end