Begging for money at Bethel

life is to short

The thread about the circuit assembly accounts and where the money goes reminded me of one time when we were at Bethel.

We were at Bethel between 1991 to 1994, there had been some problem in another country and at morning worship they asked all of us Bethelites to put in at least one dollar a person to send to the brothers in this problem country.

At the time my husband and I just did not have it. We only got $90 a person so $180 a couple. OK I know we had a free place to live but we still had to pay for car gas to the hall our car insurance, air conditioning, shampoo, clothes, etc. I know many of you will think it was only two dollars and you had a $180.00 a month so what are you complaining about, but I just felt when they asked like what more do you want from me.

I was thinking if I was not here at Bethel I could be making so much more and living my life instead of this life that you control and I am giving my youth to you. It just felt like a slap in the face to me. I do not remember if I gave the two dollars but I will never forget the hurt I felt and they really laid it on us thick to shame us to give the money that was what really hurt was how they begged.

LITS

blondie

I'm surprised they didn't arbitrarily take it out of your account with a thank you..........

wasblind

Good morning LITS,

I see you mentioned gas and insurance, did bethel contribute to oil changes

tire replacement, and general up keep of your vehicle or were you required

to pay all of that out of $ 180.00 a month ? That amount a month is way below

the poverty level here in the U.S. and those numb skulls expect you to give that

away !?!?!?

life is to short

wablind

Nope we were expected to pay for everything on our car as having a car was not the norm at Bethel and it was a privilege to have it. It was our pioneer car and it was really old and would break down, we had to pay for all the work done on the car. They did have car repair shop at Bethel but most of the brother who worked there did not know much about cars or at least we got the ones who did not. We had work done and we had to pay for it and it would turn out to not be the true problem, then we would have to fix it again and pay for it again.

Without a car at Bethel you are truly trapped though, no way to go anywhere or to get out of the city. It was hard in many ways. A lot of the Bethelites got money sent to them from home, my husbands and my family's did not give us a dime. We made it all on our own. Some of the Bethelites had outside money. There was one couple who the husband had worked full time got a good retirement from his job, they were both getting SS and their $180.00 a month from Bethel. The wife complained all the time how broke they were and how she did not know how much longer they could hold out at Bethel.

I would just listen to her and wonder how she could be so hurtful to me. I told her all we had was the $180 a month and she blew me off to keep complaining about how poor she was.

I wish I had known of this board way before, as I had aways thought I was being selfish in not wanting to give more to the WT. Looking back I gave so much I could kick myself now.

LITS

leavingwt

I remember that.

Bethel had a bad problem with not remembering that Bethelites were VOLUNTEER workers. We were treated as if we somehow owed them something. I never could wrap my head around that one. The entire experience was one big help towards realizing what a joke WT really is.

I never gave them a dime. It was bad enough having to pay for air conditioning and for (!@#$%^%) local telephone calls.

wasblind

Yea I know LITS,

I was only in 5 years with this cult, and the added stress was unbelievable,

it was really affecting my health, mentally and physically and yet, I was constantly

reminded that I needed to do more. I was up to two separated prescriptions for

my blood pressure, after I left, about six months later I was back down to one

prescription. Me dying for this Org would not have meant anything to them.

sorry to derail your post . Oh BTW, I know how hateful some of those sisters could be

and when I would throw that mess back at them they would chalk it up to me

being brought up worldy . BTTT

mouthy

I remember sitting in the KH, being told about our poor Brothers & Sisters they were helping in other countries,
& Jehovah wanted us all to help. So there is the big box at the back of the hall,to put the money your giving to Jehovah
to help them....After getting a bashing from the hubby ( for being a JW)& the hardships for feeding my 4 kids,
( one had already died in the bombing)I really felt guilty for NOT putting any in .I had none......I am so glad NOW!!
I didnt,but a bit late after many,many guilt feelings

Gayle

wow, I so understand. I was there at Bethel '69-'74. We got $14/mo then. We were never asked to give any money then, but if they even asked for a quarter back then I would have felt exactly how you felt. Just for my pantyhose, I would put clear nail polish to keep a run from spreading, and sewed my own dresses for anything new from old fabrics sitting in old warehouses on off-streets. I wore second hand shoes for years as I walked a million miles for that organization with their sky scrapers.

My brother was at Bethel too and we did not get money from home and outsiders like some so my brother 'g-jobbed' (waitering on Saturday evenings and some plumbing work) which wasn't supposed to have been done then. He had an old VW car too as he did his own repairs.

I was so happy getting called into Bethel and I was so extremely deeply thrilled when I left, to start motherhood which made me start to re-evaluate the whole JW life. We need to start an ex-Bethelite site of our experiences. I have been out since the mid-80s. I suspect at least half of Bethelites eventually leave the organization altogether.

wasblind

Good morning Granny,

this Organization has enough money to dole out to where the need is great

but they rather take from the already taxed to the hilt flock. How much do they

expect to get from uneducated minimum wage workers who have families to support.

They are truly sheering the sheep of money and of their time

Ding

The constant message of the WTS to JWs everywhere is:

"You ought to be doing more!!!"

No wonder there's so much fear and guilt in the organization.

Begging for money at Bethel

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