Sunday, July 27, 2008

Who Actually Owns The Kingdom Halls of Jehovah's Witnesses?

1. The congregations donate their labor to build the hall.

2. They borrow the money from the Society which they actually contributed.

3. The Society charges them interest on the money. (I think that they changed this recently, however, they make so many changes it's difficult to remeber them all.)

4. When the loan is paid off, The Society owns the building.

5. They have the nerve to criticize the crooked TV Evangelists?

The Watchtower Society maintains control of the property. Whether or not it's deeded locally or to a local non-profit group, if anything happens The Watchtower Society can take the property and do what it wants with it.

It's a nice little real estate scam. And perfectly legal.

So long as a congregation remains solvent it has use of the Kingdom Hall. But should a congregation dissolve then the WTS has instructed that congregations take measures today to ensure that the Kingdom Hall property assets go to The Watchtower Society.
Under the subheading ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, in a directive dated March 1, 2000 the WTS writes:

Please note that the following two paragraphs are to be included in your charter or articles of incorporation (this may require an amendment to your existing charter or articles of incorporation):
....

Upon the winding up and dissolution of this Corporation, after paying or adequately providing for debts and obligations of the Corporation, the remaining assets shall be distributed to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc?.

Each year since the March 1, 2000 directive was issued COs have been instructed to inquire that the indicated provision has been amended into the congregations charter or articles of incorporation, whichever is applicable.

So everytime you contribute money to the Watchtower Society, money that you worked long and hard to earn, just remember that The Watchtower Society is mega rich with real estate.

13 comments:

Defender said...

This is insane, Every single day this apostate find somthing to say agains the witnesses.
that Remind us Revelation 12:9,10

9 So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the ACCUSER OF OUR BROTHERS been hurled down, WHO ACCUSES THEM DAY AND NIGHT before our God!

WHY WOULD YOU THINK IF SOMEBODY EVERY SINGLE DAY IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING BAD TO SAY AGAINST YOU? WHY WOULD THINK ABOUT HIM OR HER?

Defender said...

This is insane, Every single day this apostate find somthing to say agains the witnesses.
that Remind us Revelation 12:9,10

9 So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the ACCUSER OF OUR BROTHERS have been hurled down, WHO ACCUSES THEM DAY AND NIGHT before our God!

why would you think if someone every day is looking for something bad to say against you? why would you think of him or her?

That Remind us SAtan Spirit who accuses God true Servants Day and night

miken said...

In fact the society pays interest TO the congregation on any congregation funds that have been loaned to them. Such loans are repaid to the congregation when needed.

Anonymous said...

he writer of the blog is correct. The kingdom halls are owned by the society. I am an elder and I know this. You people need to go and ask your elders about ownership of kingdom halls.
He is not talking about congregations loans to the society, just about the loans made by the society to build kingdom halls.

S said...

Not true.

The Kingdom Halls are owned by the congregation corporation. The Kingdom Hall corp is made up of a president, Vice president and secretary of the congregation that holds the territory of the Hall.
Our Hall is owned by the congregation according to the tax records.

No one is required to borrow from the Society KH fund.

No one is require to donate to it.

It is donated money to help other Christians. Nothing wrong with making a fund and then lending it out.

It is a means of making loans easier to the congregations.

Why is it bad for the Watchtower Society to have money and real estate?

The only ownership that the Watchtower has is when a congregation sells the hall and is disbanded, the money is donated to the CCJW, nee Watchtower Society. That is what happens in all groups where affiliates sell property.

But the fact is, it is not the Watchtower Society but the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses that owns them.

Anonymous, you are not an elder.

Anonymous said...

".....it is not the Watchtower Society but the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses that owns them."

ronde, it's all the same thing. Just because they formed another corporation to handle matters, does not mean that they are not responsible for or profitting from that corporation.

S said...

Manfred:"does not mean that they are not responsible for or profitting from that corporation."

Who is this "they"?

And why do you worship them?

kimmy jo said...

"The only ownership that the Watchtower has is when a congregation sells the hall and is disbanded, the money is donated to the CCJW, nee Watchtower Society. That is what happens in all groups where affiliates sell property."

PROOF???

Anonymous said...

Many people are invited to meetings at the Kingdom Halls of the Watchtower Society.
The Watchtower Society own the buildings for these meetings. And the Watchtower Society sets the spiritual agendas,
or programme for these meetings. Also those presiding over these meetings are men appointed by the Watchtower Society on their letterhead....is this correct?
1. The Watchtower Society own the building.
2. The Watchtower Society set the agendas for the meetings.
3. The Watchtower Society appoint who presides over the meetings.
If so then.

There has to be a duty of care exercised towards all in attendance at these meetings by the Watchtower Society. The Watchtower Society can not avoid this responsibility as the building is owned by the Society,meetings are run by the Society and men are appointed on Society letterhead. People are invited to these meetings on Watchtower Society literature. They can not stand afar and say we have no duty of care or responsibility to all in attendance at these meetings.
A good host shows responsibility towards his guests. If someone gets hurt while in his care, forms of compensation are in place to care for them. And should be given without gag orders. Gag orders are like white washed graves. The responsibility always falls back onto the owner of the property.

S said...

Anon said:
"Many people are invited to meetings at the Kingdom Halls of the Watchtower Society."

Wrong. There is only one Kingdom Hall of the Watchtower Society, the one located at 107 Columbia Hts, not counting if Patterson or Wallkill have any.

"The Watchtower Society own the buildings for these meetings. And the Watchtower Society sets the spiritual agendas,"

Wrong, Wrong.

The congregations own the buildings, the Watchtower Society holds the lien on them until paid for.

The presiding overseer sets the spiritual agenda for the congregation. But he chooses to use the ones put forth for all congregations by means of the teaching committee of the GB.

"Also those presiding over these meetings are men appointed by the Watchtower Society on their letterhead....is this correct?"

No that is not correct. They are recommended by the other elders and the circuit's overseer and confirmed by the service dept of the GB.

Anonymous said...

In principle both anon' &  ronde are correct.anon' is not aware for the many affiliated corporations that come under the umbrella of the GB.ronde is right about appointments.Although when the congregation are informed of appointments this is on WT letterhead... This is normal as the PO can prove to Law Inforcement Officers his appointment by producing the WT letterhead.As to ownership of Kingdom Halls.There is a good lesson in the example of our Lord..... He could have turned stones into gold and instructed his disciples to go and buy the upper room for meetings. Instead he was happy to rent it.

Anonymous said...

Why is it bad for the society to have money and real estate? Because they are suppose to be a non-profit organization! It sure appears to me that the 9 in the GB are profiting. All while everyone else is putting everything they have into their religion and "faith." "Don't go to college. Don't have a real career. Be poor because you won't need riches in the new order."
Caroline from Tx

S said...

Caroline from TX said:
"Why is it bad for the society to have money and real estate? "

I don't know. why?

"Because they are suppose to be a non-profit organization! "

That is irrelevant. Non-profit status has nothing to do with having money and real estate. Non-profit status has to do with who ends up with the money.

"It sure appears to me that the 9 in the GB are profiting. All while everyone else is putting everything they have into their religion and "faith.""

How? The GB gets no more than any other Bethelite. They do not own the WTS, its money and real estate.

""Don't go to college. Don't have a real career. Be poor because you won't need riches in the new order."

Where do you get the idea that college = money and no college = poor? That is narrow minded. Why not be a real independent thinker and serve Jehovah and no college and have lots of money?