by Balaamsass2 20 Replies latest jw experiences
@ Gorb - I've strongly suspected that the 2008 crash caused the org very serious financial losses via their hedge funds/stock market investments, resulting in near-fatal cash-flow problems.
Hence the property sales and unbelievable & punitive cost-cutting and money grabbing strategies invoked - to stave off Wall Street creditors.
Still believe this.
There were some fun times, but far more strange ones lol
I’m so glad I never went to Bethel! My parents asked me if I thought I’d like to go there, I declined. Makes me shudder to think about living in that horrible place. Being judged 24/7, 365. No thanks.
Looks like the watchtower made out good on this deal.
They sold it for 81 million in 2012 and it’s basically been in foreclosure since then.
Balaamsass, Memories...staying on the A train too.. long and getting off the train in Harlem one night alone. One kindly passerby suggested "Son, get right back on the train" seeing my puzzled Irish face on a Harlem St corner. 
Take the A train....just not too long. "
I was quite ignorant about how things were in a big city. In my case it was an older black woman, who went with me on the subway until I got to a place she felt was safe. (I remember Bethelites telling me to have "mugger money" and not to go in certain parks... ""Is THAT in the Bible" I was brave enough to ask that question, respectfully.
"I've strongly suspected that the 2008 crash caused the org very serious financial losses via their hedge funds/stock market investments, resulting in near-fatal cash-flow problems.
Hence the property sales and unbelievable & punitive cost-cutting and money grabbing strategies invoked - to stave off Wall Street creditors.
Still believe this." (I do too, I worked with the banking system at that time and had NYC contacts daily, and they agreed that happened to many. Cash flow problems big time!)
I stayed here while they were renovating it and jws visiting friends at Bethel could stay there (pre-renovation completion) Standish Arms Hotel (Brooklyn Heights, NYC): This building was also acquired and used as a residential property for Watchtower workers.
Stayed there once on a visit to Bethel. Seems the lobby was pretty fancy. We had 5 or 6 young guys from area congs we knew well and visited. Seems like those were the glory days of WT.
Just to compare , in1977 I drove. My brother to NYC for his new position at Sloan Kettering, and looking on our own found him a tiny apartment above a disco on 5th ave for $360/mo till he could get housing at their student residences a few blocks away. So much blo at the residences, I would get buzzed just walking in there.
My brother would show us the progress and the renovations on this hotel when we visited. He was on the slave labor demolition crew. He would show us all kinds of secret things at Bethel. I remember being in Fred Franz's office, "DON"T TOUCH ANYTHING' that was soooo special. LOL
He is still going strong as a special pioneer, living on the Watchtower's rations, still fully indoctrinated and loyal to the cult, though they were pretty upset getting kicked out of Bethel with over 30 years there. Love to know his take on this, but I'm a diseased apostate so that's not happening.
