Did You Ever Make the Pilgrimage? (page 2)

cedars

I've visited Walkhill, Patterson and Brooklyn. At the time I was so overcome by hero-worship for the organization and Governing Body that I had my picture taken sitting in the chair of one of the Governing body members! It's all very sad and funny to me now. I would love to dig out that photo mind you...

Bella15

@ CEDARS .... LOL!

I visited the Watchtower, it was after that visit that I realized their only business was selling books and NOT saving lives.

Free!!

I never visited... and I had the opportunity many times... My roommate spent her life savings on the bus trip (she is an ilegal inmigrant and cannot go on a plane, no documents).... we live in Texas so that was over 28 hour ride (w all the stops).... I flew to Key West instead.......... best thing I ever did!!!

DesirousOfChange

I've visited Walkhill, Patterson and Brooklyn. At the time I was so overcome by hero-worship for the organization and Governing Body that I had my picture taken sitting in the chair of one of the Governing body members! It's all very sad and funny to me now. I would love to dig out that photo mind you...

HA! Cedars! I had my pic taken WITH the Gov Body members! I went there to visit as a teenager. (But never signed up.) We took our teenagers to visit. (But they never signed up.) Then we just started going to Disney World (like Mrs Jones). Kids seemed to like that better. Go figure. Lack of spirtuality. None of them pioneers or MS or Elders. Bunch of losers.

DOC

botchtowersociety

Made the pilgrimage in more than one country. Took off my sandles before setting foot.

EmptyInside

No,I never made it to Bethel. The only opportunities I had were on tour buses. And it's not my thing to do things in large groups.

Of course,many young sisters in my area make the pilgrimage at least once a month,hoping to catch some single brother's eye.

I know some who have family there and also go visit often.

But,now,I'm glad I never did and have no interest in doing so in the future.

00DAD

This thread really got me thinking ...

I'm a music teacher. In 2006 I toured the Conn-Selmer factory in Indiana. They make clarinets, trumpets and trombones, flutes and related instruments there.

IT WAS SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING THAN SEEING HOW BOOKS AND MAGAZINES ARE PRINTED!!!

Quendi

@Meeting Junkie No More: Thanks for sharing your experiences and I hope you have many more. I know about the Santiago di Compostela, and doing it on foot is the proper way to take it in from all that I have heard. I have never heard of Externstein and you have piqued my curiosity about that. I suppose the closest I've come to anything like it was visiting Stonehenge in 2002. I really enjoyed that and would like to go again. I've heard others talk about Mont St. Michel in the same way you have described it and that puts it high on my bucket list.

As for seeing anything WTS related, I'm glad I saved my money and my time. All the people I've talked to about their visits were all aglow when they returned and said they wanted to go again. More power to them if that is what floats their boat. But there is no way a group of factories and offices can compare with Amritsar's Golden Temple, St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, or Cordoba's Grand Mosque.

Quendi

talesin

Yes, I went to Brooklyn,,, thought the MANN press was awesome. I was a teen, and had no choice, though. What I really wanted to do was spend the day at MOMA. :(

Someday ....

tal

PaintedToeNail

We went with a bus tour arrange by someone in the cong. The elders in the group actually tried to make everyone sing 'Kingdom' songs, I refused and told my spouse that it was ridiculous-we were already doing something 'spiritual'. The factory in NYC was extremely hot. Our tour guide had the personality of a limp dishrag and spoke so softly no one could hear him. We stood rooted to one spot for at least 10 minutes after he got done talking about it because other tour groups were just breezing by whatever it was and not making it a highlight of the tour. Finally, someone else in our group jumped out into the crowd, and the rest of our group followed, with the guide chasing after us.

Went to the farm several times, very pretty country, rural New York state. Nearby, in the New Paltz, NY area is a wonderful old, Victorian resort called Mohonk Mountain House. They oversee hundreds (maybe thousands-can't remember) of acres of woods and lake(s). There are paths all over and gazebos overlooking the most fantastic scenes in the most unexpected places-perched on a cliff, in a wood glen, hidden little gems. We saw a bear run across a path. There is a glacial lake that is quite pretty and cold. It made the trip to the farm worthwhile.

CJ

Did You Ever Make the Pilgrimage?

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