by maninthemiddle 48 Replies latest jw friends
I went on the London Bethel tour...it wasnt how I expected it to be ...just very quiet and sterile and empty. Not real somehow. When visiting Canada I went on theirs and it did seem better but we were shown around by a friend of a friend...and he was a nice guy.
Loz x
London - very antiquated, large rooms with aged but clean decor. I think Bro Bullock tastefully chose shades of brown for longevity.
Canada - bit deserted when I was there - the landscaping was being re-done so lots of concrete on show
Patterson - whilst being built got an in depth tour of the water treatment facilities - that was a hoot.
Brooklyn - I wondered why JW's passing each other in the street didn't all say hello (I must have been young and naive). I was fascinated to see original paintings from the revelation book on the walls. Saw bro Gangas in the infirmary - now that was a real surprise - how could someone so old and with such limited energy be a part of the GB?
Ireland - it's a house with an ugly extension at the back - it ain't a bethel - there were only 12 or 14 people assigned there and I recall some excuses being given that most of them were away on other assignments.
MMXIV
I never went on any Bethel tours, but on the day of my wedding, my parents took my brothers. I called, "are you coming to my wedding tomorrow, mom?" Mom: "No, we will be taking your brothers to Bethel to show them what is really important."
That was 1993, neither of my brothers attend the meetings, and I'm still married to the same man.
lisa
The New York farm was interesting, Brooklyn was just a gloomy factory and dorms. I liked the London Bethel, stayed in a storage closet and slept on a cot during the 1970 DA with a view of some farm. Met some wild and crazy Witnesses in Coulsdon Surrey.
1993-Mom: "No, we will be taking your brothers to Bethel to show them what is really important."
2023- Mom: will you come visit me at the Nursing home?
Lisa: No, I have something more important - my son's college graduation to go to.
Went to London Bethel about 1993. It was going through some form of refurbishment so we never saw anything. Just wandered along corridors and peered through doorways. Complete waste of time. Lasted less than an hour. Never again!
George
Sweden: went as part of a bus tour. Was very nice, impressed by all the marble (not that common in Scandinavia)
Denmark: very nice tour with friends.
Germany: huge, impressive. Very clean, modern. Kingdom Hall, nice architecture. Remember a small signboard giving the weekly times on visits from dentist, psychiatrist and doctor.
France. (Old one at Boulogne-Billancourt): Friendly, but somewhat untidy and outdated.
Great Britain: A bit old-fashioned
Italy: nice, friendly staff - were allowed to tour it in bermuda shorts and t-short
Greece: very nice, got wine and fish for lunch when I came unsuspectedly. The brothers played volleyball in the garden.
Kenya. a bit old, was toured by Mark Noumair in jeans. Remember some African brothers had their family living in compounds close by.
USA: huge, impressive, but rather old-fashioned by European standards.
Austria: once in the 80s and then later on after re-decoration. Remember the ugly curtains from the reception on the first visit being re-used as draping something in a closet that was opened when I was there. Funny
Netherlands: nice, modern, were invited for coffee to some of the workers.
Barbados: small, like a family home. Very nice brother showing us around. Warning us gently when he heard we were going to Jolly Roger (an excursion with a lot of booze - we did not indulge in the drinking though).
Norway: nice Bethal in quiet surroundings.
And all had the same system when it came to washing...
1993-Mom: "No, we will be taking your brothers to Bethel to show them what is really important."
2023- Mom: will you come visit me at the Nursing home?
Lisa: No, I have something more important - my son's college graduation to go to.
That could happen if my 25 yr old son got his shit together....and my mom stopped the shunning BS. But..on a happier note, I will be attending my grandson's graduation from Kindergarten today.
WhenI was there, there was a layout room we passed, something that would normally be on the tour. They were prepping a new release for the summer, and had black plastic all over the windows. This covered a large area that they said was normally part of the public tour.
That never felt right to me, why all the secreacy, I mean we were witnesses, it was just another book or something, they are non-profit right, why couldn't we see it? We did make the long trip to visit, why not let us see it?
i work in sales, and the same secrecy tactic is used by top management.
one day, i was in training class, and 1/2 the people had been to a sales meeting where a stupid hand sanitizer product was released, and the manager told those people not to tell the other ones for they had not had the chance to hear their meeting.
stupid on them, and stupid on these sales tactics guys
I've been on a Bethel tour, it was one of the nails on the perverbial coffin.
