Are Jehovah's Witnesses more corporation than religion?

Well, they do have several legal corporations that are responsible for the production of all the literature Jehovah's Witnesses distribute worldwide, the construction of Kingdom Halls and the likes. These are separate legal entities to the Governing Body. I found an illuminating article in the 15 January 2001 Watchtower which explains the legal differences between the seven men who head up the G.B. and the Corporation:

“The GB does not have any officers such as the Society's Board of Directors has, namely, president, vice president, secretary-treasurer and assistant secretary-treasurer. It has merely a chairman." For many years, the president of the Pennsylvania Corporation was also the foremost member of the GB. This would no longer be the case. While not equal in experience or ability, GB members would be equal in responsibility. The speaker added: "Any member of the GB can be chairman thereof without being at the same time the president of the ...Society... It all depends upon the rotation system for the chairmanship in the GB.

"At that unforgettable annual meeting in 1971, a distinction was clearly drawn between the spirit-anointed members of the GB and the directors of the Pennsylvania corporation.... Today, however, the question arises: Is there any Scriptural reason why the directors of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania must be members of the GB?

"The answer is no. The Pennsylvania Corporation is not the only legal entity used by Jehovah's Witnesses. There are others. One is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, incorporated. It facilitates our work in the United States... The International Bible Students Association is used in Britain. Other legal entities are used to promote Kingdom interests in other lands...

"Such entities also serve as legal instruments to handle matters related to property ownership, relief efforts, contracts for the use of convention facilities, and so forth....

"As long as conditions in this world permit, the Governing Body, representing 'the faithful and discreet slave,' will make use of legal entities. These are convenient, but they are not indispensable. If a legal entity is dissolved by government decree, the preaching work will still go on."

So, yes, there is a huge commercial corporation behind the organization, but their role is to facilitate the worldwide preaching work. However, it is worth noting that the seven men who head up the Governing Body disclaim any legal responsibility for the policies they produce and endorse. This begs the question, if the policies on how to deal with child abuse allegations are made by the Governing Body, then who is legally responsible for them?

Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson told the Australian Royal Commission that national branches could seek to change church policies within the rules set out in the Bible. Really? The Governing Body are unable to alter any policies on how to deal with child abuse allegations? What they have instructed elders to do is not the legal responsibility of these seven men? So who, exactly, is responsible for the policies that come from the Governing Body, and who should be held legally responsible for what the elders do when they obey these instructions?

I'm getting a mental picture of Pilate washing his hands after he sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion.

P.S. In 1985 the second baptismal question was altered to this: "Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization? Having answered yes to these questions, candidates are in a right heart condition to undergo Christian baptism." Watchtower 1985 June 1 p.30

Rather than follow the biblical example of confession in Christ prior to baptism, a Witness must prove they intricately know Watchtower doctrine and law, and then devote themselves to "God's spirit-directed organization" - the Watchtower Society.

The reason for the change in the baptismal questions arose because thousands of Witnesses who disassociated themselves from the organisation in the 1980's (when nothing happened after October 1975) were subsequently disfellowshipped. They no longer believed in the Watchtower doctrines but had done nothing to warrant being disfellowshipped. As a result, many complained or sued the Society with the argument that when they got baptised they had pledged allegiance to Jehovah only, and thus should not have been disfellowshipped for cutting ties with the organisation. So in 1985 the Watchtower Society changed the questions to reflect allegiance to the organisation as well. This gave the organisation more leverage in court, and solidified the argument that when you get baptised you become a member of the organisation - not simply a baptised Christian.

The society needed to be able to legally make statements like the following when action was taken against them by witnesses who left the organization: (this is from an actual letter, and would be wording used in many letters) "From the date of your baptism and your joining the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, you professed the Christian faith, agreed to adhere to the doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses and agreed to submit to the rules and procedures of the ecclesiastical government of Jehovah's Witnesses."

This second baptismal question identifies the baptismal candidate as “an associate” of an organization. Jesus said to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jehovah’s Witnesses are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the organization!

For the individual JW, I believe it is all about the religious aspects. I believe they are (for the most part) sincere, loyal and hold God in reverence.

Their leaders are a different story. I don't think there is any doubt they know what they're up to. It's all a power trip and money making scheme. It is CORPORATE every step of the way. While I try to be patient when dealing with individual JWs on this forum I have no problem ripping into WATCHTOWER CORPORATE and their disgusting practices.

That is very easy to discern....just follow the flow of money which stops at the Corporation level. There are no charitable activities as a result of the money generated for the Corporation by the faithful. Look where the buck stops and that is in the pockets of the governing body who control the Corporation. God bless!

In Christ

Fr. Joseph

Yes it is a pyramid scheme disguised as a religion, using tax exempt status to bilk followers out of cash while it lines its pockets. Multibillion dollar cash cow.

It's a business. They build, use the building for a while, sell at a profit (tax free), which the WTS gets, and then the congo borrows more money (with interest) from the WTS to build again. It's like a pyramid scheme, only the top eschalon (WTS) makes lots of money.

The WTS makes a killing. They own tons of property with relatively little to no investment. Makes sense from a business standpoint, but from a biblical stance there is a huge conflict of interest.Google Kingdom Hall scam

http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/governing-body-ins...

A person is more a person than whom he affiliates with. A group of persons is more the persons of the group than their legal organization. A group practicing a religi are more a religion than a corporation.

The law deals with persons, including legal persons, corporations.

I may be mistaken, but don't they have to take some sort of oath to their "organization" in order to be "one of Jehovah's Witnesses"?

Yes, just like like any church, churches have to be incorporated in order to get loans etc.

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