A question

by JeffT 35 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  JeffT

  As FreeGirl2006 notes, nonprofits can have taxable income. The 990 form is the form used to communicate the income from a for-profit enterprise within a tax exempt or nonprofit company.

  As I've said in the past, none of these random bits of paper are actual financial reports. Real transparency would mean releasing an audited financial statement every year. They've never done that, nor are they required to. However, many churches believe that financial integrity begins with transparency, and thus they release their financials.

  If you really want to force change in the organization, pressure them to provide their flock with real information.
• 

  Joe Grundy

  I never was a JW.

  My interest in this area is because before I retired (10 years ago) as a cop I spent ten years in command of a police Fraud Squad/Financial Investigation/Money Laundering unit. 'TNF' or 'Trust Nobody' was the motto.

  Time and time again con-men repeated the mantra 'Con your family and friends first, because they're the easiest'. Numerous times, con-men had preyed on, or infiltrated in order to prey on, religious groups to find a rich new field of victims. After all, 'if brother xxx is 'one of us' of course we can trust him'. Sadly not.

  The 'golden rule' in all of this is 'follow the money' - and this can be quite complicated. It doesn't necessarily mean cash. Who's living the lifestyle with no visible means? Who's driving the luxury cars? You get my drift.

  Just out of interest I researched via the UK Charity Commission website my local JW KH and its trustees, then did a Google view search. Interesting, to say the least.
  
• 

  notjustyet

  Does the name Bernie Madoff ring a bell?

  I think that religion is one of the longest running Ponzi schemes known to man,...

  NJY
• 

  Storm

  "I'd like the information because I'm an advocate for transparency in all matters."'

  You'd think you'd be more concerned with what persons that have access and control to the Watchtower Society's finances, with what they spend it on. While a person in authority may access and control to the Watchtower Society's finances, they're only authorized to use it on certain things.

  For example, if someone bought a house like Joel Osteen;

  http://houston.culturemap.com/news/real-estate/07-04-10-after-move-to-river-oaks-joel-osteen-wants-to-sell-tanglewood-land-for-11-million/

  They'd be discharged from their position. You really can't hide these sorts of things.
  
  
• 

  Iown Mylife

  I know what they DON'T spend it on!

  Marina
• 

  cognac

  NotJust- Part of me thinks you might be right...
• 

  JeffT

  While a person in authority may access and control to the Watchtower Society's finances, they're only authorized to use it on certain things.

  Until we can see the financial statements, we don't know that. Accurate financial statements are just the first step in uncovering waste and fraud. Given the lack of transparency, the top dogs at WTBS could be paying themselves million dollar salaries and we wouldn't know it.
• 

  slimboyfat

  However, many churches believe that financial integrity begins with transparency, and thus they release their financials.

  Which churches? Could that be the basis for a campaign to shame the Watchtower into transparency?

  
  
• 

  JeffT

  slimboy Start with the Roman Catholic Church

  http://www.wsj.com/articles/vatican-releases-financial-statements-1437046714
  
• 

  Oubliette

  Good point. It always bothered me that each congregation had full and complete transparency of their financials with a monthly report read to the congregation but that the parent organization would never do the same.

  Let's review: It's a cult!