A Bethel Memory #7 - My GB can lick your GB

by LivingTheDream 43 Replies latest members private

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  LivingTheDream

  To everbody,

  I got to thinking that in this post I made one mistake that WasAnElder pointed out; I told a story that didn't happen to me and I did not make that clear that it was not about me. I told that last story because the first two stories were about me and I thought the last one about the elevator would tie them both together nicely to give more insight about these two GB and their personalities. But, it was not my own story and that should have been clear.

  For the record, I have not done this in any of my previous posts, they were ALL about me. In the future, if I tell a story second hand, I will make sure that is clear.

  LivingTheDream
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  pontoon

  Thanks, good stories. When my Mom fisrt began to study and go to the hall, it was East Manhattan Congregation. Thats where George Gangas was. I was probably 13 years old. Bro Gangas would see me and just like you said, he would have a question. "Ahh, let me ask you, can you tell me, what is the sacared secret?" Way back then it seemed like he was 200 years old. Nice guy, good brother, no doubt in my mind he was sincere. Don't think he EVER had been with a lady! I heard another elevator story about him. He was in the elevator with others speaking another language, something (I don't know what) not flattering about him, thinking of course he didn't know what they were saying. When the elevator stopped and he or them got out he told them to have a good night in their own language. Just a story I heard.
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  heathen

  I thought God loved square things because the symbolic temple is built of square blocks but sodium chloride was an interesting answer. Since they believe they are fulling that prophesy he was only crapping on himself anyway . LMAO
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  Wasanelder Once

  Living the dream: I wasn't trying to find fault, there are so many posers around that that story just hit a raw nerve. I visited Bethel in the 80's and George hit us with the question "What is the spiritual paradise?" Everyone in our group was in awe. I thought he was a bit of a show off and kind of sad. He was pleasant enough and kind. I came closest to the answer but it didn't change my opinion when we were in the adjacent library and the Bethelite friend showed me "Angels and Women" on the shelf telling me that "we are not supposed to read this". The bells went off. Keep posting and you're on the beam about attributing stories to their source. It lends credibility. Cheers!
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  LivingTheDream

  Confuzzled,

  You might already know this, and I'm new to this forum, so this may be obvious to everyone, but I found that if you go to the members page by clicking on their name, you can then click on the link called "Topics Started". Doing that for me will bring up all of my posts if you have missed any.

  LivingTheDream
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  AnnOMaly

  LivingTheDream - We have lots WTS/Bethel 'dirt' stories going around already. It's nice at times just to have funny, pleasant memories recounted. I'm really enjoying reading your anecdotes. Keep 'em comin'.
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  LivingTheDream

  Wasanelder,

  It's all good. You were 100% correct. No need to explain really as you've been a source of encouragement to me in this forum so far and you are just trying to keep things real.

  It's kind of eerie that you mentioned "Angles and Women", that was going to be a subject of one of my future posts! I was trying to figure out how I could tell it to make it interesting though as the book itself is more interesting than my story around it. I'll have to muse on it some.

  LivingTheDream
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  Scott77

  	I disagree with Scott77. I enjoy all these stories, the good as well as the bad.
  	slimboyfat

  I must admit that for all the time I have been a JW for about 16 years, I heard all the positive aspects of the Watchtower Bethel, nothing negative. I grew up to believe everything positive as presented. Never at all did hear anything negative or dirty. Therefore, in 2007 when I was so depressed and struggling to exit the organisation, I stumbled by chance through the internet this story here

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/64463/2/Repost-My-Two-Week-Consulting-Trip-to-Bethel

  That helped me alot. Since then, my major focus has beento know what I did not know, what was hiden from me. No wonder, new papers tend to register mass circulation with negative headlines or stories.

  Scott77
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  life is to short

  Thanks living a dream. I loved your story, I think we have so many horrible stories that it was really great to hear a good memory from Bethel. I remember Sydlick though I never talked with him. His wife I did many times, she seem to be a real person and hated some of the dumb Bethel rules herself. I remember one time hearing her say sort of under her breath 'what do they think we are all stupid kids here' when they had but up some notice about not missing family WT study. I just thought that it was neat to here her say that.

  There was a lot of bad at Bethel but I also will always have some very good memories of Bethel life also it was not all bad. There were some very good people there who truly wanted to serve God the best way they knew how, and they thought that was Bethel the way to do it, I cannot hate them for being mislead we all were.

  Thanks again.

  LITS
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  jgnat

  I like real stories. To demonize the WT we may do more harm than good. To humanize the place, exposing it as no better than anywhere else, puts us on a level playing field.

  The evil, of course, is to demand perfect loyalty while pretending perfection, threatening expulsion to anyone who disagrees.