This is the fun one........
Health, Dismemberment, Death (natural and unnatural) murder and suicide.
The people at Bethel were killing us spiritually.......and sometimes they killed us physically too.
First off....... when you go to Bethel, you sign a document stating that if you die while you are at Bethel, the society has "the right" to keep your body. Most people, just sign it and forget about it, but don't you think that is just a little strange?..........I did. I'm sure some Lawyer had something to do with it.......but why? Here is what I believe is why they make you sign it. If you die and somehow the society had some responsibility in the matter, say bad food, safety issue, a health issue that was not handled properly, which happened all the time. They upset family members of the deceased could go after the church for lots of cash. However no body, no autopsy. Can you think of a better reason they would want your body? Maybe they put in the stew on Saturday mornings.
So let’s talk about health first.
When I was at Bethel for 3 years. I started to have problems with my wisdom teeth, so I went to the Bethel Dentist. First question he asked me, after looking at my teeth, was...."So....how long have you been here (bethel)?"......and I told him........he said "Are you planning to stay after your 4 years?"........to which I said "NO"......He said..... "Your teeth are FINE!".......So 6 months after leaving "the house of God" it cost me hundreds of dollars to get my wisdom teeth removed. Cheap bastards. I should have lied.
Then OSHA came a long in the early 70's. The noise level it the pressroom was deafening......so some of the guys started wearing ear muffs for protection! (That they paid for themselves)......The tours were going through and noticed that SOME of the "brothers" were wearing the ear muffs but most "brothers" were NOT wearing any ear muffs! So, is there a real problem with noise in the pressroom, they tours would asked? So now the society had a real problem........should we spend hundreds of dollars on ear muffs..........or make the "brothers" who were wearing them .......STOP wearing them?............Humm......what to do?......Health?....or money? Good Question? Well....we got new light in the summer of 1973 on the matter.
Every month, we would have a fire drill in the factory........we would all gather in the basement of building one and Max Larson (The factory overseer) would give us the new information, we needed to know. He wanted to help us with the question about "ear muffs"......So he said "I have a letter here, from Doctor Dixion, and he says that ear muffs are NOT good to use, because they could cause ear infections!" There, we have it, the new light about ear muffs..........So of course everyone stopped wearing them.. So some of my old friends from the pressroom are now wearing earring aids…..ah the love.
One brother went to the good doctor because he was bleeding from his rectum......The good doc told him he was wiping his ass too hard after going to the can........He spent his own money and went to a "worldly Doctor" and had some test done............He really had a bleeding ulcer.
A friend of mind we'll call him Steve D........ran his hand through a table saw in the carpenter shop....Dec 26 1972. He cut off his middle finger and destroyed 2 others..........The good brothers told him it would be BEST for HIM if he left Bethel........He and his family had no money, for the many operations he would need on his hand in the months to come......So he said he WANTED to stay at Bethel.......after many talks........ They finally gave in and let him stay............That was nice of them.
On the same day, December 26th 1972. A guy that lived in the towers hotel commited suicide. He jumped off the roof of the Towers Hotel.......and hit a parking sign on the way down........I didn't, really see him hit........but I did see his blood and his flesh on the sidewalk for weeks afterwards.....little pieces of meat, that no one cleaned up........it was some old "worldly" guy who didn't like the way his Christmas went.
Side story on my friend Steve..........He runs his hand through a table saw, it goes almost up to his wrist........they take him to the emergency room in Brooklyn.......His hand wrapped in a bloody towel......in all kinds of pain........so he is in this waiting room.......and this orderly is helping him into this gown...The orderly says we need to get a urine sample........Steve is going nuts.........This guy is grabbing Steve’s penis for the test...........just then another guy comes through the door and seeing what is going on....says to the orderly............."JERRY..... YOU SICK FAG............WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? THIS GUY IS BLEEDING TO DEATH AND YOU ARE TRYING TO GET A FREE FEEL?.......I guess you really don't need a urine test....... if your bleeding to death.
Isn't that the sickest thing you have ever heard of?..............but I must admit it does remind me of Bethel.....your down and out, bleeding on the floor and they still want a free feel That my friends is a true story, it’s too sick for even me to make up! My poor friend Steve was getting screwed over by everyone....the orderly wants a free feel and Bethel wants him gone.
So let’s talk about death now....
So the new guys would say they are never leaving Bethel.........I’d say "Really? ....what if you die....You will be leaving then...... won't you?" So sure the old timers would end up in the infirmary......and die of natural causes.......some of those poor guys in their 80's or 90'.........they NEVER even had sex once!.......that my friends is sad.......I mean don't you think everyone should have sex at least once in a lifetime?
It’s like the joke...........The 90 old virgin is having his birthday............So his friends get together and say "We need to get this poor guy a women before he dies!".........So they find this "knock out" 21 year old hooker.........They tell her what the situation is and that she his needs to give this guy "Super Sex" So she goes to his house..........and rings the bell.........he comes to the door......opens it and asked "what do you want?".........she says "I'm here for Super Sex"...........He says "OK what flavor is the soup?"
The unnatural death was the night watchman that fell down the elevator shaft in the squib building. He just open the door and walked it.............good bye.
Dennis Carlson was cleaning his KH in midtown Manhattan on a Saturday afternoon, when this guy walked in and asked were Richard Wheelock (factory pressroom overseer) lived.........He turned around to write down the address....The guy took out a 10 inch knife and put it in Dennis's back and his heart. That’s why when I left Bethel.......I made a vow I would never under any circumstances clean a kingdom hall, it can be very hazardous to your heath!
As for suicides at Bethel there were many. More to come.