I married an ex-Bethelite.
What was it about Bethel that woke you up?
by cognisonance 95 Replies latest jw friends
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Christ Alone
LWT, remember how you could subscribe to sports illustrated, but you were not allowed to get the swimsuit edition? When my swimsuit edition arrived, I had to go to my home overseer and sign a statement that they could dispose of the magazine. Women with bikinis or scantily dressed in magazines were considered "softcore porn" at bethel. No joke. They actually called the swimsuit addition "softcore porn".
As a joke one of my roomates signed me up for a free issue of FHM without telling me. I got pulled to my overseers office to "talk" about it. He had made photo copies of some of the images in the magazine and asked me if I still wanted it. He said, "Understand that if you decide to keep the magazine, you will be asked to leave bethel immediately." I obviously told him that I did not subscribe to it and it must have been a mistake. What's funny is I remember that the photocopies were marked up with a marker to cover up the bikinis in the mag...
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leavingwt
Christ Alone: I recall GQ magazine and Esquire magazine being contraband. Smart Bethelites got themselves a Post Office box early on, I guess. It's hard to imagine free people letting their employer sort and deliver their mail -- as they see fit.
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Christ Alone
LWT, were you at bethel when some bethelites went to a swing dance club and were scouted for GQ? It was a huge thing when I was there, but I think maybe you left right before I got there. They were at a swing dance club (sin 1), were scouted and talked to their overseer about the opportunity for a photo shoot, and they were (supposedly) told that it was a-ok. They went to the photo shoot and appeared in GQ. The GB got wind of it and they were asked to leave. Interestingly their overseer was given a tongue lashing but allowed to stay. How does that make any sense?
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Londo111
From reading these experiences: this is exactly what the average Joe thinks of when they think about a cult. People living on a compound, living abnormal lives.
Bethel is truly a cult within a cult.
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leavingwt
Yes, I remember that story. I knew at least one of the guys. I thought it was ridiculous. I think that was in 2000.
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cognisonance
Huh? They screened people's mail?
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leavingwt
One more thing. I've stated this before.
If every Bethel elder were forced to produce list of his infractions of the Bethel rules -- big and small -- they'd all be asked to leave. The environment is full of stupid rules that people disobey, and then remain quiet about, so as to avoid the disciplinary machinery.
If the people running the place were reasonable, these long-time, valuable workers could help reform the rules that everyone is 'forced' to break.
Keep in mind that most of the time, these Bethel rules are not "sins". They're simply Bethel rules. (Example: We were forbidden to wear Bermuda shorts anywhere in Brooklyn Heights, for any reason, at any time.)
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Christ Alone
They're simply Bethel rules. (Example: We were forbidden to wear Bermuda shorts anywhere in Brooklyn Heights, for any reason, at any time.)
Or shirts with any type of logo. Big no no.
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cofty
Can you imagine living in "paradise" for all eternity under these idiots?
It would make North Korea look like Woodstock '69.