When I was at Bethel in the 70's the President of the Watchtower Society Nathan Knorr was really unpopular among a lot of Bethelites because he supported the four year oblligation for Bethelites to stay at Bethel and stay single for four years. I had heard that over nintey percent of the people who left Bethel fell away from the JW religion afterwards, I was among that number, and I had heard that the majority of people who came to Bethel did not keep there four year commitment but left in less than a year, I know the majority of people I started with lasted about a year at Bethel, I was dumb enough to stay at Bethel three and one half years. I guess it was because I was raised in the Witnesses and didn't know what to do after I lost my faith in that religion while I was there.
I grew to hate Knorr and thought he was boring at all assemblies announcing things like how many tracts were place at homes that year etc., saying it like that was interesting information, a real dullard. I over heard Knorr answer somebody who told him that the Bethel Family missed him while he had been away responding "I wonder if the family really missed me." I know I didn't. There was a suicide while I was at Bethel and I heard one before I came. There was also stealing going on. That Bethel was a spiritual paradise was a myth.