thedepressedsoul

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Posts by thedepressedsoul

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  98

  My Opinions on whats going on in WT land - Insider Information

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  first off, i'd like to state that i currently have "privileges" in the congregation and volunteer at bethel on and off throughout the year.

  that's as much information as i will currently give about myself.. starting off, i think something big is coming in the form of lawsuits and bad pr.

  they seem to be batting down the hatches in preparation for something the last few years and even more so the last few months.

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  thedepressedsoul

  I have to question the O.P. just a bit.
  If the building work is done a voluntary basis, how are they running millions of dollars over budget? I understand that building materials have to be purchased, permits have to be pulled, etc. But in most construction projects, the majority of the costs go to paying the workers. The org doesn't really have that problem.
  Did the org hire and outside engineering and architectural consultants to do the designing? Did the org hire larger construction firms to do the big work? Even at that, I have a hard time believing that their building deficits are "in the millions".
  Am I missing something?

  I have witnessed first hand that they have hired construction firms, I saw them last year, at Warwick. They were also to sign a contract that wouldn't allow them to "interact" with witnesses and esp the sister. That project is too big and too complex to be JW's only. Multiple contract firms were hired and are still hired that I know of to move the project along at the needed pace.
  

  I know one of the dorm complexes at Wallkill was millions over budget due to structure permits alone. Something about the area needing to be able to withstand a certain earthquake rating because it was a large housing complex that people lived in. That alone was a few million over budget in the structure alone. That was just ONE residential complex at WallKill. They just started remodeling another.
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  51

  I went down in the first Round!

  by John Aquila in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there is a visitor brother in town and from what ive been told, he has been a missionary for many years and they were having a get together for him.

  i took my mom to that get-together yesterday and stayed for a few minutes.

  i heard a group around a table with the visitor brother talking about how hard it was getting in the world with so many distractions and that many of the brothers were falling into the trap and leaving jehovahs organization.

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  thedepressedsoul

  How do you jump with a hard on? (With lots of faith)

  You don't, you go to the elders first for forgiveness
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  98

  My Opinions on whats going on in WT land - Insider Information

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  first off, i'd like to state that i currently have "privileges" in the congregation and volunteer at bethel on and off throughout the year.

  that's as much information as i will currently give about myself.. starting off, i think something big is coming in the form of lawsuits and bad pr.

  they seem to be batting down the hatches in preparation for something the last few years and even more so the last few months.

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  2. 
  3. 
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  thedepressedsoul

  An interesting OP that remains highly speculative, although the "something big is going to happen" has a certain apocalyptic ring to it which is apt, I suppose. Your claim to having a connection through voluntary work at Bethel is no great help to your OP because even those working there fulltime are in the dark. And, as in local congregations, speculation runs rife!
  No education. They condone anyone who goes to college.
  I think you meant "they condemn anyone who goes to college" because condone actually means overlook or forgive. Did you mean that?

  Thanks for your post! Yes I did mean Condemn, thanks for picking up on that for me! I can't be too specific in my posts but I made this 9 months ago and it has played out to the T. In regards to what I said in this post, take it or leave it. Makes no difference.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/24020002/kingdom-consolidation-sales-coming-reliable-source
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  10

  Theocratic School changes a distraction from the problems?

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i find the timing of the new mid week meeting rather strange.

  we all know jw's love their carrot on the stick, they salivate over speculating what the new releases will be at the convention.

  with all these problems going on, layoffs, child abuse, money issues, building halts etc... what better way to have your average jw ignore it than to completely change up the meeting.

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  thedepressedsoul

  I find the timing of the new mid week meeting rather strange. We all know JW's love their carrot on the stick, they salivate over speculating what the new releases will be at the convention.

  With all these problems going on, layoffs, child abuse, money issues, building halts etc... What better way to have your average JW ignore it than to completely change up the meeting. Instead of your average Joe talking about the issues they'll be praising the new school with one and other.
• 
  51

  I went down in the first Round!

  by John Aquila in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there is a visitor brother in town and from what ive been told, he has been a missionary for many years and they were having a get together for him.

  i took my mom to that get-together yesterday and stayed for a few minutes.

  i heard a group around a table with the visitor brother talking about how hard it was getting in the world with so many distractions and that many of the brothers were falling into the trap and leaving jehovahs organization.

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  2. 
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  thedepressedsoul

  I mean no offense by this but you kind of set yourself up. Asking a question about JW's abandoning their faith probably gave 80% of them a hard on to jump at the chance to prove their "faith". Concentration camps probably popped into their heads.

  It is interesting though, they have a scripture for their growth and they already have scriptures to use when the numbers start to fall and the downsizing starts. Great thing about the bible, you can use it to justify anything. Want to murder 100 people? There are examples of it in the bible for the name of God.
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  98

  My Opinions on whats going on in WT land - Insider Information

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  first off, i'd like to state that i currently have "privileges" in the congregation and volunteer at bethel on and off throughout the year.

  that's as much information as i will currently give about myself.. starting off, i think something big is coming in the form of lawsuits and bad pr.

  they seem to be batting down the hatches in preparation for something the last few years and even more so the last few months.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
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  thedepressedsoul

  See, that's the part I just don't get.
  They must have boosted their monthly revenues by several hundred percent, with this new program.
  So why is it necessary to suddenly reduce nearly everything to a dead stop?

  Because the problem must be THAT bad. It could be worse than we have ever dreamed. If they went to that extent and then went to the extent of ruining their history and standing of never asking for funds, it is bad. Throw in lay offs, closures, and halts, it looks even worse.

  Those are drastic moves that scream, "I need money NOW!". It's bad.

  We often think they are rolling with cash but we fail to realize their size and expenditure. I believe these guys have been blowing through money at a unprecedented rate. If we take Lett's wording for fact, that the sales of properties are only a few months of expenses, all I'll say is, Holy Crap! They are blowing their income.

  There are so many things that could happen in a corporation of that size that could eat up their funds.

  If you think they're too big to fall or have too much money, look up the company Enron. It's very possible that a lot of horrible financial decisions started to add up.
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  98

  My Opinions on whats going on in WT land - Insider Information

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  first off, i'd like to state that i currently have "privileges" in the congregation and volunteer at bethel on and off throughout the year.

  that's as much information as i will currently give about myself.. starting off, i think something big is coming in the form of lawsuits and bad pr.

  they seem to be batting down the hatches in preparation for something the last few years and even more so the last few months.

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  2. 
  3. 
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  thedepressedsoul

  but they also expect to rule a global post-Apocalyptic utopia.

  They think they are kings now and they think they'll be kings in the new world order. It's scary if you ask me.

  You start realizing it's not God's plans they're teaching, it's their own plans. It's the JW retirement package & health care system.
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  98

  My Opinions on whats going on in WT land - Insider Information

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  first off, i'd like to state that i currently have "privileges" in the congregation and volunteer at bethel on and off throughout the year.

  that's as much information as i will currently give about myself.. starting off, i think something big is coming in the form of lawsuits and bad pr.

  they seem to be batting down the hatches in preparation for something the last few years and even more so the last few months.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thedepressedsoul

  Very interesting comments. I doubt that they have been conducting any speculative investments in oil or gold. They hire the very best of financial consultants - To actually think that they gambled away assets is beyond reasonable. I would have to see support for this claim. In any event, you have a great insider's perspective.

  I see your point but there has never been anything to make me think these guys are good with money. If anything, there is more proof that they don't know how to manage their money. From the people I talk to everything is always way over budget. Not to mention they're all into the appearance lately.

  I just saw the new auditorium at WallKill. Talk about over spending, that place looks like a golden calf. TV monitors from the ceiling every 4 rows, sound boards up top to reflect the sound, 100+" TV screen at the very front, positional lights, leather seating, cameras everywhere. These aren't the GB of old, these ones like to spend.

  I see more evidence that these guys are bad at finances than they are good. Heck did you see their chart to explain the overlapping generations? I can only imagine how they explain finances to each other. Probably the exact same thing.
• 
  98

  My Opinions on whats going on in WT land - Insider Information

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  first off, i'd like to state that i currently have "privileges" in the congregation and volunteer at bethel on and off throughout the year.

  that's as much information as i will currently give about myself.. starting off, i think something big is coming in the form of lawsuits and bad pr.

  they seem to be batting down the hatches in preparation for something the last few years and even more so the last few months.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thedepressedsoul

  I'm certain the change in the way KHs are financed is directly related.

  Think of it like this, they can now put a "worth" on every hall.

  Let's say Hall X gives $500 per month to the branch, the lot however is worth 1.5 million dollars. That hall is worth $6,000.00 per year or $60,000 over ten years. It would take 250 years to get that 1.5 million dollars at $500 per month. So now it is worth it to sell that hall verse the $500 per month.

  The reverse could also be true. Hall X is sitting on a 500,000 lot but is giving $2,000 per month. It would make more sense to keep that hall.

  Each hall now has a value not only on the land, but monthly/yearly revenue.
• 
  98

  My Opinions on whats going on in WT land - Insider Information

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  first off, i'd like to state that i currently have "privileges" in the congregation and volunteer at bethel on and off throughout the year.

  that's as much information as i will currently give about myself.. starting off, i think something big is coming in the form of lawsuits and bad pr.

  they seem to be batting down the hatches in preparation for something the last few years and even more so the last few months.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  thedepressedsoul

  Was this the impetus to "forgive" mortgage loans in favor of committed donation rates? To plan mass sales?

  That was actually a genius move and had a lot of positive gains for the Borg. In the past, the congregation kept their money with the branch but the congregation could always move it back and it went into the congregations account again and they'd have to pay it back. Now, it's 100% theirs and the congregation can't transfer it back or use it how they please. It's 100% the branches money. With just $3,000+ the congregation is limited in ANY work they want to do. It forces them to go through the branch and to not spend their money without the branch giving the approval, if at all.
  

  2ndly, having a loan gave the impression that the congregation owned the hall and they were paying it back. Now, it's 100% the branches, paid in full, no questions asked.

  The biggest gain, halls that had no mortgage are now giving money to the branch. Think of each hall being a franchise with them each paying the franchise owner a fee for the rights to worship. Every hall is now in this never ending mortgage. It was spun as them not being on the hook for future remodels. Let's face it, they aren't getting a remodel and when that time comes it will most likely be sold in favor of the new commercial hall.

  I know a lot of elders who are business men that saw right through this money grab for what it's worth. More than many on here would think.

  Another huge point is that they pride themselves on not passing a plate or tithing it's members. How do you get around that without the members noticing? You tithe the place of worship and make it appear to your average Joe that you forgave the loan. It's really deceitful and is actually more expensive than the previous method.

  I have to give them props, it was a brilliant move, a move that your average, uneducated Joe publisher will never pick up on.