Were There/Are There A Number Of Gays At Bethel? (page 3)

steve2

I've had to come up for fresh air - the stereotypes are strangling me.

I'm intrigued: How does a man or woman "practise" being " homosexual" - I mean, what is step 1? And how many steps are there in total? How long does the practise take? Months? Years? When do they graduate - and never have to practise any more because they know how to do it so well?

Given that being a practising homosexual is so roundly condemned by the Watchtower, would it therefore be more acceptable for a JW who is gay to perfect the craft of homosexuality and no longer need to practise it?

How can we be sure that the number of homosexuals at Bethel is definitive? Effeminancy is no reliable indicator or sexual orientation. I knew a JW male who minced around the kingdom hall and loved flower arranging. He was happily married with three children. By contrast, the number of non-effeminate JWs males I have known who subsequently came out as homosexual made me conclude that religion doesn't alter orientation at all - just its expression.

james_woods

@james_woods- I used to have such high regard for Bethel. But thanks to JWN I have learned what goes on behind the facade. I would not be suprised any more to find out there were cases of some bethelites engaging in homosexual activity and it being covered up while the talks and WT articles roundly condemn homosexuality.

To further emphasize the total hypocrisy at Bethel over this - Ed Dunlap told me that when the big 1970s homosexual scandal broke (not the GV people, but young Bethelites) - they did not even name homosexual conduct as the cause for DFing them. They thought that would be "bad publicity for Bethel" when it filtered down to the rank & file. So - then named the sin as "covetousness". Ed thought this was hilarious - they were "coveting" each other, or what??? Of course, it was quieted down as much as possible even with that. No public announcement was ever made about Chitty or Greenlees, either - as far as I know. EDIT to add - responding to what Steve2 said: IMHO, the WTBTS absolutely has no coherent policy on homosexuality inside their group. Like any other committee matter - it all depends on the local committee. I have known several people who were elders relatives, both gay and lesbian, who were never acted against. Others, like the Bethel people, were acted upon harshly.

mann377

Yes there were a lot of gays in Bethel when I was there in the '70's. One of my room mates worked in the subscription dept. and later worked in treasury dept., was there for 20+years. Finally came out of the closet. I also had a room mate from San Fransico that was a hair dresser (yikes). Good room mates though. They had their own click and you knew who they were. There was a press operator that was very gay. Left after his four years and died of aids two after leaving.

scotsman

In answer to minimus question, yes, there were/are a number of "gays" at Bethel. We're everywhere else so why would Bethel be different. And I agree with Steve2, the knuckle-dragging perceptions of sexuality on here are, at times, deplorable.

Minimus, what is it with you and homosexuality, is it a topic you feel hasn't been clearly explored by all your previous threads?

Heartofaboy

Yes the stereotyping of a gay man as effeminate & limp wristed is a great shame on an otherwise interesting thread.

factfinder

The stereotyping is disgusting, ignorant and stupid. According to these stupid stereotypes no-one would ever be able to tell I was gay.

Room 215

I was there in 1969 -- that's when they expelled more than 40 for being gay. I can't forget that, during my first month there, my table head, a senior Bethelite with a big job in the service department, a lifer, told me "there are a lot of guys 'light on their feet' here at Bethel. One school of thought which made rounds that it was ok - or at least tolerated -- as long as one was NPG, a non-practicing (i.e., celibate) gay.

minimus

Scotsman, keep your drawers on! No one's attacking gays. But I am attacking the two facedness of Bethelites.

PublishingCult

I'm intrigued: How does a man or woman "practise" being " homosexual"?

LOL, I was married to two different women for more than 20 years. I was a practicing heterosexual.

Even after all that time of practicing heterosexuality, I never needed one bit of practice to be who I really am.

To be false, now that takes some practice.

steve2

they expelled more than 40 for being gay

All at the same time?! My God, I can hear the humiliating stampede of exiting feet and the hushed tones of those remaining behind in the newly sanctified gay-free room.

One thing you learn when you're gay and living in a straight world is it's always a good idea to know exactly where the door is.

Were There/Are There A Number Of Gays At Bethel?

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