2x2 Finances
Tax Information
2x2 Income
| 2x2 Income and 2x2 "gifts"
It has been reported to me by my dad, Joel Lewis, that overseers manage the money through wealthy elders and bank accounts with money also in the stock market. My dad told me he learned this from Doug Corcoran.
I can find no public records of the 2x2 overseer financial activity. Here is a link to a swedish document in which 2x2s claim that their income comes from their followers.
2x2 Collections at meetings
At their meetings, 2x2 workers collect money from their followers. They stay by the exit and shake hands with people as they leave. People are expected to pass them money in handshakes as they leave. Those who contribute more to the workers and who praise the workers more get to have the workers stay at their home more often.
2x2 Collections at Annual Conventions
Overseers take collections from the workers at conventions. During preps (preparation of their church grounds) the worker in charge of the convention preparations asks everyone to give their money to him. He collects all this money, subtracts an undisclosed amount, equally (or so they say) divides it up and then gives it back to the workers.
Crimes reported to me of the 2x2s
No workers that I know of files income tax returns. As a worker, I was told by my older companion that I should not file an income tax return. I have been informed that not filing an income tax return as required by Federal law is a crime. Harold Bennett, the 2x2 overseer leader in Oregon told me in Starbucks coffee shop inside Safeway on 11/19/2009 that the Oregon workers did not pay taxes. He is so open about it that I'm surprised the IRS and the Oregon Dept of Revenue has not investigated the cult leader.
People who contribute cash are encouraged. People are encouraged to give cash instead of checks. Checks are not refused, but the people are asked to get money orders for the workers instead. When I was a worker, we gave our checks to elders to cash them for us. I was never taught to set up a bank account and cash the checks myself. I was taught to give checks written to me to the elder so that they could cash them for us.
After I left the "work", workers would try to convincingly tell me that I was giving a gift. Some try to emphasize that what you gave was really a "gift" and not support money. However I did not give the money as a gift. I never give that much money as a gift. It was not their birthday, a holiday or anything else. I was giving out of obligation to support the "poor homeless ministry" because that taught that we were supposed to and I felt obligated as being a follower. When I gave money to the workers it was to support them and the message they preached. Some workers call it a "gift of support".
I have never witnessed a worker applying for a business license when they do business. I remember it being preached that they are doing "God's business" but I have never seen them follow city laws where they are required to have a business license.
As a worker I was not encouraged or allowed to have another job. I had to give up my job to become a worker. I was dependent on them and the followers financially. When I started preaching the truth, the amount of money I received decreased. When I started asking quesions, less money was given to me. My questioning and doubts were reported to the overseer and he had a "talk" with me.
Other notes about 2x2 workers
The "friends" have been told to not report the money given to them on their income taxes.
Overseers and workers give large amounts of money to private individuals to purchase land and to make capital improvements on the land. There is debate among the workers as to who really owns the land.
The overseers business is not registered with a non-profit status. Their business is not registered at all that I know of.
As a worker I never kept my receipts for taxes or kept track of money given to me to support me.
I have never heard nor seen any public records of the workers finances. |