Greetings JWD Forum:
Been a while, so I will say "Hi" first and state that I do read here almost every weekday at lunch. I especially enjoy Mulan and Crumpets posts. Ok, so I was raised in the 'borg, (in the 80's) never baptized, did the "fade" in high school. I go to meetings about 6 times a year. So I have heard of Bethel, Crooklyn Heights, & Gilead. But to be honest, I don't think I've ever heard of "The Farm" up at "Patterson". The post last week or so about Patterson which had a link in it to a site with pictures of Patterson, really caught my attention. I had never seen or heard of this place. I can definetly say I have never "seen" it - EVER; Period. I was completely taken aback at it. I mean, it is one thing to have a modern office building in NYC to deligate work, brochures, literature, etc along with corporate offices in order to run things. This Patterson place is entirely another. It looks like some elaborate temple built to be the WTS headquarters after Armageddon. I mean, what the heck is that place for? How come no one ever told us our $$$$ was going to build that palace while I was in the JW's??? Why are we never offered to take tours there? It's like it is in some kind of veil of secrecy. If the society can afford to build and upkeep that fortress which is entirely unnecessary, than surely they can afford to help JW's get out of jail in the 3rd world countries? Also, I think they could also afford to build retirement communities for JW's, as well as community centers for activities? Surely, the allowance I put into the contribution box as a child would have been much better spent on such things, instead of some elaborate palace that I didn't even know exist, and which does NOTHING to benefit me or my congregation. I feel totally ripped off by a place I didn't even knew existed! Unbelievable. This makes me wonder how many other JW's don't know this place exists?
Anyway, thanks for the info and keep it coming.
Wing Commander