Bethel is the new Orange
Bethel experiences sound like a prison sentence.Why even go?
by goingthruthemotions 24 Replies latest jw experiences
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OnTheWayOut
I am glad some enjoyed their life there, but I agree that for many, it will be a life with nothing to show when they give you a shove out the door.
As a young adult, I studied with a pioneer couple that wanted their two kids to go to Bethel so badly (and they did). The pioneer couple actually tried to make Bethel my goal too. I was coming out of 6 years in the military and just said "No, I don't think that is for me." I chose a more traditional path of working and getting married.
My wife and I took the pilgrimage to visit Bethel about a year into our marriage. So we are talking 1992 or so. Forgive me Bethelites, if some of my details are wrong but I will tell them as I saw them. Our friend invited us for a meal there. He couldn't get anymore lunch guests so we had dinner. I saw the strictness of the eating thing, and he described how it was even worse at lunch with a bigger crowd and no seconds until such a time, and only if they had seconds. It seemed that most of these folks took every last morsel because it wasn't enough.
We had it better in the military. We just washed our hands and did not have to put on clean clothes for a meal. We had rituals involving the flag and saluting officers in the military, but not as bad as Bethel life.
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cult classic
OTWO yep that's pretty much how it was/is at mealtime. I absolutely hate crowds and confined spaces. Breakfast and dinner (lunch) were very stressful for me. Too many people, too rushed, too cramped... I was always so happy to go out to eat at lunch or just go back to our room and unwind for a few minutes.
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DesirousOfChange
You're right! When someone leaves there they have nothing...no 401K, nothing. Just the clothing on their backs.
No worries........Jehovah...........ah.......the WTS...............your non-witness family might take care of you.
Doc
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luna2
When my son was offered the opportunity to tour Bethel with some brothers from our KH, I jumped at the chance. He was a teenager and had done an about face from a sweet, obedient kid to being very rebellious. I thought if he just saw wonderful Bethel (not that I'd ever been there), he'd change his ways and work to be able to qualify to go there. What the tour did was scare him to death and made his rebellion worse than ever. Guess I should have gone first before sending him there...better yet, I should have never gotten involved with JWs in the first place.