I presume most of the peple ar eunpaid clergy but does anyone actually get paid or live a life of luxury paid for by the org? On other words is anyone standing to make a profit by continuing this work..?
Does anyone make any money out of the Watchtower org..?
by Qcmbr 18 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
144001
Since the Watchtower does not disclose its financial statements, we can only speculate as to where the money goes. Hmmm . . . they are exempt from income taxes as a religious organization, the "bethelites" who print the propaganda do so for less than minimum wage, and the marketing personnel are entirely unpaid (i.e., the great crowd of pigeons). I'd venture to guess that given these circumstances, the Watchtower is keeping a large portion of their revenues in their "fund balance." I think someone somewhere is profitting immensely, and it's my opinion/guess that those who are profitting are stockholders or their designees. Someone somewhere is living a good life, thanks to the misery of millions. But we won't know who, given the secrecy of the Watchtower.
-
blondie
If a JW have a job or business that provides services or products, I have been encouraged to patronize a JW rather than a non-JW.
Vitamins
Sell-at-home parties
Motor oil
Car repairs
Housecleaning
Real estate agent
Chiropractor/homeopath/other alternative medical practioners
House construction
Etc, etc, etc
I remember the JW in California (Bryant) who had a business and when he was DF'd, lost all his customers and couldn't make a living and moved to Oregon and finally killed himself and his family.
-
Qcmbr
..of course I don't include WT lawyers who must be making some:)
-
link
This is one of those FAQ's to which no one really has a full answer. The best I saw was when another poster made the point some time back that you did not need money to live like a millionaire.
When you travel first class everywhere and stay only in five star hotels at no cost to yourself, then who needs money. It also helps to have your own private aircraft to ferry you around.
So, yes, they have the best lifestyle that money can buy without possibly having access to the actual cash. When I put this to a dub I was told that the GB deserve everything they get as they are all old men who put in long hard hours of graft. Unfortunately nobody has every told me what they actually do.
link
-
Doubtfully Yours
When the Circuit Overseers and the District Overseers visit the congregations, they have all of their expenses covered. All the contributions the brothers/sisters give them are all free and clear.
I've known of COs and DOs that have come to own businesses, real estate, and fancy gadgets all because of the healthy contributions they acquire from congregation to congregation weekly.
When they visit the congregation I attend now, they can easily clear well over $500 in money alone, not counting the clothing provided out of the kindness of the brothers and sisters.
They have nice laptops, cell phones, and many other gadgets. No wonder why, no matter what, they hold on to their position! It's quite the nice little business!!!
DY
-
Tigerman
blondie . . .you mentioned Bryant's situation. So, if I was a JW with a business where my clients were mostly other JWs, then I would think twice about doing something that would upset the local elders, because I may not only get disfellowshiped but I'd be financially ruined as well ? And then multiply by all the JW businesses out there . . . What a scam !
-
Stealth
Stoops!
-
Mary
Hmmm.......interesting question. I don't think anyone's getting rich from the Organization, although I think the higher ups get to travel all over the world for free, visiting different congregations.
The people running this Organization aren't exactly like Jim and Tammy Bakker who lived extravagant life-styles. The Governing Body, in my opinion, are far more interested in controlling and manipulating 6,000,000 people's lives, than living a life of luxury.
-
DanTheMan
The "organization" is quite wealthy. In JW world, the "organization" is everything, individuals within it are just parts of a whole. It's difficult to explain, no one single individual is living high on the hog because of being a big-shot in the org, it's the org itself that is the wealthy big shot. Does that make any sense?