WATCHTOWER AND TOBACCO INDUSTRY???

by chuckyy 97 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • MAHABA
    MAHABA
    The credit for those scans goes to (ExtraBrit)! He did all the hard work to get them.

    Thanks!

    Could you help me to understand, what these documents means exactly? Ivan

  • Voyager
    Voyager

    Sure, I would be happy to help. But I believe that (ExpatBrit said it best. Here are his comments:

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    Viewed: 14,909 times
    expatbritThe Watchtower & the cigarette company


    Post 3283 of 3851
    since 13-Feb-01

    I: SOME RELEVANT QUOTES FROM WATCHTOWER PUBLICATIONS

    1: The position of the Watchtower as regards smoking

    *** jv 181 13 Recognized by Our Conduct ***As a further forward step in consistent application of that Bible counsel, none who were still smoking were accepted for baptism from 1973 onward. During the following months, those who were actively involved in tobacco production or in promoting the sale of tobacco were helped to realize that they could not continue to do that and be accepted as Jehovah's Witnesses.

    2: Watchtower criticism of the Catholic Church's involvement in the tobacco business

    *** g95 10/8 28 Watching the World *** "Holiness, why does the

    Vatican still sell cigarettes?" a priest asked John Paul II during the pope's yearly audience with the clergy of Rome. He continued: "Besides damaging health, this commerce contradicts your continual appeals in favor of the protection of health and our pastoral activity." For Ugo Mesini, the 76-year-old priest, the fact that the Vatican sells tobacco and cigarettes containing the statement "smoking is damaging to your health" is a "counter-testimony" and a "contradiction" to the pope's message. As reported in the Rome newspaper Il Messaggero, the pope replied that on the matter of tobacco, his "conscience is clear." He promised, though, to speak about the Vatican's cigarette sales with the overseeing cardinal.

    3: Watchtower quote on whether a Jehovah's Witness can be involved in selling cigarettes

    *** w99 4/15 29 Questions From Readers *** 3. To what degree is the person involved? Let us return to the example of a store. Probably an employee assigned to run the cash register or to fill the shelves only occasionally handles cigarettes or religious items; that is a small part of his overall work. What a contrast, though, with an employee in the same store who works at the tobacco counter!

    4: Quote regarding not investing in "unethical" enterprises

    *** g00 10/8 pp. 25-27 Is It Wise to Invest in the Stock Market? ***
    By considering the background of a company, an investor can also ensure that his money will not be used to support an unethical enterprise.-See Awake!, February 8, 1962, pages 21-3.

    II: THE HENRIETTA M. RILEY TRUST.

    The H M Riley Trust is a U.S. trust that has the Watchtower Society as the sole beneficiary. Basically, it is a vehicle to make income for the Watchtower, using assets left by Henrietta Riley. The income generated by the trust is transferred to the Watchtower by means of a "donation". For the year ended April 30, 2002, the trust generated income of $1,740,127 and donated $1,945,645 to the Watchtower. In comparison, for the 2001 year the trust generated $2,939,731 in income, and donated $3,285,050 to the Watchtower. The difference between income and expenditure is made up by realising gains on the assets held.

  • bebu
    bebu

    THANK YOU, Voyager!

    I had seen expatbrit's posts before, but no scans from that either. Just red x's.

    A very, very interesting scan. I wonder if Phillip Morris is still in their current trust portfolio?

    bebu

    Edited to add: now your links above finally work for me. However, I think that this is very nice to see these documents on this thread! Thanks again!!!

  • Voyager
    Voyager

    Hi Bebu:

    I checked (Guide-Star) and they are still listed there. See the very (bottom) listing!

    ****************************************************************************************

    Home > Search > Search Results

    Search Results: 4 organizations found | Refine Search | New Search
    What are
    these symbols?


    1) Happiness Is Camping

    Bronx, NY 10453
    Happiness Is Camping is about kids with cancer having fun at camp; our mission is to deliver the joys of a spectacular summer for youngsters suffering from cancers, leukemias and other catastrophic blood diseases. Help us to continue to put smiles on the faces of kids tragically compromised by devastating illness.2) HENRIETTA M RILEY TRUST 33B006006 FBO Detroit, MI 48275
    SUPPORT WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY
  • TresHappy
    TresHappy

    Hypocrites

  • Voyager
    Voyager

    Click on (Home) under the word (Guidestar) above, and when the page comes up, type in the 2 words Watch Tower, in the search engine. Make sure you type it as 2 words, then the next page you get will be the page that I cut and pasted!

    Thanks!

  • bebu
    bebu

    Voyager, I used GuideStar to see that the trust still contributes to the WT. But it doesn't break down the stocks in the trust to show which portion of any $ earned is from Phillip Morris, if there is any now. I think a more recent filing of the documents (like the ones you posted) would show if there were changes.

    I wouldn't be surprised if the WT did the same thing they did about Rand Cam and the UN. That once the information became public about their hypocritical involvement, they hastily withdrew.

    bebu

  • brutusmaximus
    brutusmaximus

    Hi

    I am not the brightest bulb in the box so sorry for being dumb but does this mean that the WT has been investing in PM? If so that is on the same scale as the Vatican investing in condom factories!!

    Shocking!!

    BM

  • Voyager
    Voyager

    Hi Brutusmaximus:

    The best explanation was given by (Expabrit).

    The H M Riley Trust is a U.S. trust that has the Watchtower Society as the sole beneficiary. Basically, it is a vehicle to make income for the Watchtower, using assets left by Henrietta Riley. The income generated by the trust is transferred to the Watchtower by means of a "donation". For the year ended April 30, 2002, the trust generated income of $1,740,127 and donated $1,945,645 to the Watchtower. In comparison, for the 2001 year the trust generated $2,939,731 in income, and donated $3,285,050 to the Watchtower. The difference between income and expenditure is made up by realising gains on the assets held.

    In-other-words, every time someone purchased a pack of cigarettes, it helped H M Riley or Phillip Morris, and in turn donations went from Phillip Morris right into the Watchtower's pocket as a beneficiary! The trust built up interest as time went by, and the Watchtower took the proceeds from this interest. At least thats trhe way I understand it.

    Thanks!

  • brutusmaximus
    brutusmaximus

    Thanks for the explanation.

    Those 2 faced sons of b*****s I was unaware of this but will keep it in my armoury until required.

    Many thanks

    BM

    Can you keep a thread as favourite in here?

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