M.T.S. Brothers

by Black Man 23 Replies latest jw friends

  • Black Man
    Black Man

    Another avenue of service that the BORG always tries to shove down the mouths of youth/single peeps is that of going to M.T.S. (Ministerial Training School). If Bethel isn't your cup of tea, then M.T.S. is the way to go. When the program first started it seemed more geared towards training these single brothers and sending them into missionary, serving where the need is great, circuit, district, or branch assignments. But now it seems more geared to just acquainting brothers on organizational procedure and sending them back to their home congregations to promote/enforce WTS policy.

    I think overall that program is a bust! The Society would train these brothers (often city brothers) for two months and based on that would send them into assignments, sometimes remote islands or backwoods/hick towns and they would just shrivel up and die.

    Bethelites HATED M.T.S. brothers. I remember when I was at the house, there was this one brother (I'm forgetting his name) whose M.T.S. assignment was BETHEL. Get this....he went to M.T.S. so that he wouldn't have to get to Bethel and that was his assignment. Pure comedy. Anyhow, there were Bethel brothers there who were hopping mad over the fact that here they have been there for years, but yet this M.T.S. brother comes into Bethel (without having to apply), gets to sit at GB tables for morning worship, and seems like he's being groomed for future priviliges. In fact this one brother, who I believe was a Bethel elder serving at his hall would say all the time that Bethelites should have been considered first for M.T.S. before any outsiders (outside of Bethel).

    The M.T.S. brother was smart as a whip, kind of a free-thinker and was an eager beaver, but there were Bethel brothers out to get this cat. I used to overhear this one bethel elder who was in his congregation talk about how he was lookin' to nail him. They used to send fucked up congregation reports to his work overseer, would tell the C.O. that the brother was monitoring him and reporting back to Bethel heavies about his visits, they took this cat and put him into cleaning to as this one brotha said "to test his fitness", etc. One day, the M.T.S. brother just had it and upped and left. No explanation, nothing. I heard he just left all that shit and went off to college or something and was never heard from again (probably making loads of dough). I think the idiot Bethelites just broke his spirit. He seemed cool. Anyway, there were a whole bunch of bethel dudes that used that example to prove that m.t.s. brothers couldn't hack it and ever since then they seemed to just send them back to their local congo after the course was finished.

    It's something how the BORG tries to tout how they have all of these alternatives in the ministry but its all empty rhetoric. It's also something how the BORG wastes potential. I could've seen that kid as some kinda computer whiz or pr guy. I knew this other brother that went to M.T.S. and they had him stay away from his home for the 2-months. He worked out with a different congregation and got a bethelite monthly stipend ($90). He said it was lot being part of Bethel without having to be in the institution. He got sent back to his congo and then got sent to the boonies somewhere (arkansas) where he then started to do a slow fade-out. He was from Chicago. Anybody know any other M.T.S. dudes?

  • minimus
    minimus

    I know a few. They are pompous asses. They are young men who were groomed to be outstanding Society men. The 2 I knew got married right after their courses. The CO and DO were pissed that everyone's time was wasted.

  • Larry
    Larry

    Excellent post BM. I forgot all about the MTS. To be accepted into the MTS was a brother's dream come true. I remember the respect a brother from the MTS would get whenever he gave a talk or showed his presence. I also recall some speculation that they would allow married couples into the program later on. Oh well, I guess the program turned out to be a bust.

    Speaking of which, are the 'Given Ones' still in operation? I remember JR Brown didn't get picked at first, and everybody was shocked over that. But I guess it all worked out well for him - Or did it? :)

    Peace - LL

  • twain30
    twain30

    After knowing dozens I can tell you that what is stressed and impregnated into the minds of these young men is Obedience, Obedience, & Absolute Unquestioning Obedience to The Faithful & Discreet Slave. Brothers go into this program with a flair or some color in their personality and come out 2 months later like they've been stamped out of a cookie cutter! The Society then sends these men off to where there's a greater need. This program is scary, and I've successfully deterred several from going.

  • Black Man
    Black Man

    Minimus:
    Yeah...many of them were pompous. The few that I knew had a stick-up-the-butt, except the one that was at the House. He seemed grounded. I wonder where he is now. Can't remember his name worth nothin'.

    Larry:
    Yeah....I remember hearing that same speculation too. Don't know what happened, but there most certainly was a lotta pomp and circumstance associated with the whole thing. They mos-def were doted on.

    Twain:
    You're soooo right. That's what they mos-def did to that kid that came to the house.

  • mrs rocky2
    mrs rocky2

    We had one stay with us for a week. But he was older, in his early 40s. Was very down to earth, again a free thinker. Helped our family through a tough spot during that week - long story, had to do with a death in the family, JW v non JW family members and the memorial service. Anyway, he was cool, not arrogant. But maybe that's because of his age and had been around the Borg for a long time. Had a wonderful conversation with him about a guy he knew who wrote the society about something he had researched. They told him to keep it under wraps until the GB released it in the magazines. The guy couldn't keep it to himself and started talking in the congregation. They DF'd him. A year or so later the WT changed whatever they taught to what this guy had researched. The visiting MTS brother wondered why this guy wasn't reinstated and how bogus the whole ordeal was. He even bought beer to eat with our pizza on the last day of his visit. Often wonder what happened to him. We weren't the kind to keep in touch with the priveleged.

    Mrs R

  • Black Man
    Black Man

    Mrs. Rocky2:

    You'd be surprised how often those wrongful disfellowshipments happen.

  • Black Man
    Black Man

    Twain30 said:

    "This program is scary, and I've successfully deterred several from going."

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Yeah, from what I gather its 2 months of straight-up cult programming. I hear they go through everything (Bible, several publications, BIG-TIME organizational policies). Many have said its like getting a corporate gilead education (for whatever that's worth) in the span of 2-months. Are there any former MTS brothas on here?

  • Que
    Que

    A few years ago we had one of those "60-Day Wonders" as our CO. We were his first circuit straight out of MTS. He was a royally pompous ass. This was about 6-8 years ago. He was in his late 30's - early 40's back then (not a "spring chicken") and had been a banker in NY State before coming into the Truth.

    An example of his pomposity: He was on a Bible study when the topic of COs came up and he proudly crowed "*I* am the Circuit Overseer!" Oooooooohhhh....Aaaaahhhhhh!! Wow. He was always correcting people, had an over-loud singing voice (as if to show us 'how it's done' or he was just in love with himself), and once when a brother wanted to bring a serious matter to his attention just before this CO was off to lunch, the CO brushed him off by saying "What's your point?!"

    He got married to a pioneer (of course!) soon after (poor gal) and moved on to a neighboring circuit where I hear the elders chewed him up and spit him out.

    His name? Will Gorham.

  • Lieu
    Lieu
    In fact this one brother, who I believe was a Bethel elder serving at his hall would say all the time that Bethelites should have been considered first for M.T.S. before any outsiders (outside of Bethel).

    It was interesting reading how supposed people who love the whole association of "brothers" consider one an "outsider" and did their utmost to ruin him.

    Truly telling how people in Bethel do not have those 'outside' best interests at heart...only their own. Why does anyone listen to those free ride ingrates?

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