I moved to the NYC area from California when I was 18. This was at the dawn of the '70s. Everyone told me I should go to
Bethel. Yet, after a couple of visits -- it was much too regimented for me. Bells here, bells there. Anyway, there was this one
really nice District Overseer (can't remember his name -- he visited our cong. with the CO). Great public speaker, really good looking. Tall, blond, Aryan -- like one of those guys on a Nazi PR poster. Father/motherless boy that I was, he took an interest in me and
encouraged me to do the Bethel thing.
He said: "With the right brothers's endorsements, doors would open quickly." Yeah, like I wanted to check into Alcatraz. I
also remember sitting down for lunch at the circuit assembly (it was at a school) and he came and sat next to me. He began
talking about the remaining time. "It's now 1970 ... the countdown has begun. At most, only a few years left. Wouldn't it be
wonderful to be in the Society's headquarters when the Great Tribulation started?"
Obviously, I was an errant, lacking-that-true-Pioneer spirit boy. But he was really nice. Oh yeah, several times, during the
meeting and in private conversation, he kept saying college was a waste of time.
About that same time, Clayton Peace rolled into the congregation like a semi whose brakes had given out at the top of the
hill. I had the No. 2 talk that Thursday night and he was checking out all the school students who had talks before the meeting. He didn't like my shirt and tie. They were not appropriate. Hey, this was 1971. He was lucky I was wearing a shirt.
Then he said: "I bet you don't even know what counsel points you're working on! "
Uhh, like I do, and they are blah, blah, blah ..."and then I proceeded to name them.
When I moved back to Santa Barbara, California, DO Floyd Kite was packin' 'em in everywhere. They even rented a
special theater when he gave a special talk. Yes, he was sincere and a very dynamic man. Man, he could put the fear of
God into you. According to his hyperventilating performance, there were only minutes before the world imploded and God
was gonna painfully kick everybody's ass.You'd be lucky if you could drive home before Armageddon started. He gave this
talk about the Great Earthquake mentioned in Ezekiel. "Every wall was gonna fall ...." Well, he apparently extended his
"New Light" batteries beyond their expiration date. The Society asked everyone to destroy his taped talks.
Regarding Bro. St. Claire -- what a cold, mean, judging guy. I've seen more human warmth in an iceberg. I remember a point
in one of his talks that recommended parents of infants spank them with brush handles. Sicko.
And Sam and Linda Roberson -- aw, come on. He was like an egomaniacal Holy Roller with a New World Translation.
What pimp did he buy his shoes from? And Linda -- she could have used a little help with her makeup. "No, Linda, brush -- don't trowel!" I think she was trying to out "makeup" Tammy Faye Bakker.
Oh well, memories ... *sigh*
Pete2
Edited by - Pete2 on 10 November 2002 21:57:41