Beth Sarim Revisited 4 Newbies

by Farkel 59 Replies latest jw friends

  • Farkel
    Farkel

    teejay,

    : It never dawned on me that you lived out there and can go look at it in person.

    It is a mere 10 minute bicycle ride from where I now live. I visit the place at least twice a month. It is strangely theraputic and still full of intrigue for me. I've explored the trail behind the property clear down to the vacant burial crypt that was orginally intended for Da Judge. As soon as I can borrow a digital camera, I'll take a whole bunch of pictures of the property and its environs and post them for you and others to see.

    : Earlier, I wanted to ask about the canyon behind the property. Does it offer a nice view to the west?

    It offers a terrific view to the East and and towards Mission Valley to the North. The house itself actually faces west.

    Farkel

    P.S. It is also fun to visit in the dead of night, since there are no street lights on Braeburn Road and no lights in the surrounding canyons. Freepeace and I paid such a visit a while back and a lone light was on in the room upstairs where Rutherford did all of his writing (and drinking). It was eerie!

    "When in doubt, duck!"

  • CPiolo
    CPiolo

    Farkel:

    Either you've moved from OB or you're one hell of a bicycle rider .

    CPiolo

    The worst vice of the fanatic is his sincerity. -- Oscar Wilde

  • Farkel
    Farkel

    Hi Chuck,

    : Either you've moved from OB or you're one hell of a bicycle rider .

    OB has been priced out of my market. The average apartment rental in an average neighborhood in San Diego County is now $1,000 per month, so you can imagine what it now costs to live in Ocean Beach. I now live in Normal Heights which is right next door to Kensington.

    All the out-of-state and well-heeled DipFucks have discovered San Diego and are making it difficult for many long-established locals to enjoy what we used to take for granted. Like living at the Beach, for instance.

    Farkel

    "When in doubt, duck!"

  • Tina
    Tina

    (((((fark))))))))0
    Thank you! It's good to re-visit your work here! Looking forward to more of your great stuff,then and now! luv,T

    'Boycott Shampoo! Demand the real Poo!

  • CPiolo
    CPiolo

    Farkel:

    Normal Heights is a nice neighborhood, but a little warmer than OB and without the same cool ocean breezes.

    There doesn't seem to be much of California left that hasn't been inundated with the wealthy, at least not where one can find gainful employment. Apartments just a little north in OC are even higher. There are studio apartments not far from where I live that start at over $1100 a month. There's an old fixer-upper house not far away (2 bedrooms on tiny lot with no garage), that would require at least $150,000 to bring up to snuff, and they're asking $340,000 for it.

    The weather's great, but you gotta pay for it.

    CPiolo

  • Athanasius
    Athanasius

    Hi Farkel,

    Great post on Beth Sarim and JFR. Most JWs today are ignorant about this dark period of their history.

    However, there is some question regarding the final resting place of Judge Rutherford's bones. Many rumors have been circulating over the years that JFR was secretly buried on the Beth Sarim property. However, in 1997 I asked Raymond Franz about these rumors. He said that the Judge is buried out in Staten Island, N.Y. as reported in the Watch Tower's official history books. Later I talked with a real estate consultant who was involved in the recent sale of the property. This gentleman had spoken with one of the daughters of the previous owner. During the 40s and 50s when she was a child she lived in Beth Sarim and had heard the rumors that Rutherford was buried on the property. So she and her sister searched and dug into any suspicious area, to no avail. They didn't find any bones.

    However, the only way to put these rumors to permenant rest would be to open JFR's grave in New York. If they find an empty coffin, then rumors are true.

    Sincerely,

    Athanasius

  • Farkel
    Farkel

    : This gentleman had spoken with one of the daughters of the previous owner. During the 40s and 50s when she was a child she lived in Beth Sarim and had heard the rumors that Rutherford was buried on the property. So she and her sister searched and dug into any suspicious area, to no avail. They didn't find any bones.

    Have you actually seen the hill and canyon behind Beth Sarim? It is more than 60 acres in size. It is a gigantic hiding place for a few bones.

    Was this woman one of Dr. Chan's daughters? He owned the property for many years, and he claimed that JFR was buried under the concrete in the garage. I'm told he was a bit of an oddball, though.

    There are a number of sources who've claimed that Fred Franz has stated that JFR was secretly buried at Beth Sarim. I believe Randy Watters has some anecdotal evidence about that, too.

    I really don't care where JFR is buried. I'm just glad that he is. He cannot do any more damage whereever he is now located.

    Farkel

    "When in doubt, duck!"

  • Jang
    Jang

    Nathan Natas

    What about the rumor that old Joe's bones may be somewhere out in San Diego to this day, buried secretly at Beth-Sarim per his orders?

    Nathan, someone who investigated this learnt that when Da Judge's body arrived at Staten Island Cemetary, 6 officials of the WTS met them at the gate and carried the coffin into the cemetary and did not permit anyone else to come with them. They were out of sight so no one saw them bury the coffin.

    A few nights later a truck pulled up at the back of Beth Sarim and a large object was removed and taken up the back toward the crypt.

    No burial took place in the crypt.

    About 1985 the gardener at Beth Sarim decided to clear an area that had been used for as long as he remembered for composting trimmings from the bushes etc ...... under the pile was found a hollow about 3 feet wide and 8 feel long..... I understand that rather than make a fuss about what it probably was, he filled it in and planted grass.

    So, I reckon that we may find nothing in the grave in Staten Island and a well preserved body in the back yard of Beth Sarim. Hic!

    Anyways ... that's what I learn when I was doing my own investigation in 1986, 88 and 90

    JanG
    CAIC Website: http://caic.org.au/zjws.htm
    Personal Webpage: http://uq.net.au/~zzjgroen/

  • Outaservice
    Outaservice

    If the place ever comes up for sale again we all ought to collectively buy it and turn it into an 'ex-JW' museum. I understand the place inside has not hardly changed since it was sold in the late 40's.

    The revenue collected from curious visitors would help pay for the joint, and a lot of ex-JW ministries could operate out of it.

    We could hire Fred Hall as the curator who would also explain the history of Beth Sarim!

    On second thought maybe we ought to 'scrap' the whole idea!

    Outaservice

  • Jang
    Jang

    Actually, some of us were hoping to be able to afford it when Dr Chan died but we simply couldn't afford it .....

    Maybe we need to start a fund to make sure we have it next time ...

    Just a thought........

    JanG
    CAIC Website: http://caic.org.au/zjws.htm
    Personal Webpage: http://uq.net.au/~zzjgroen/

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