spiritual paradise and Bro. Gangas (GB)

by D wiltshire 12 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  D wiltshire

  When I was a bethelite 1974-76 the evening meals were what we called free-seating (no asigned seating).
  I sat at a table with (GB member)George Gangas. He would regularly have questions that he would ask the younger brothers (kind of a Bible trivia).
  But being that I was only baptized 2 or 3 years I didn't want to answer questions, but I had one I wanted to asked him.

  What is this Spiritual Paradise that the Society keeps talking about?

  When I asked him he choked on his soup, and said he didn't know.
  I felt bad that he didn't know.

  About 2 days latter I sit at his table and basically the same brothers are their. And so I say I have another question, but this time another brother(who was there for the first question) say emphatically "Only If It's Upbuilding".

  The question was about slander.
  I asked "If we tell the truth can it be called Slander?
  I don't remember his reply to that one, but I asked it to Albert D. Schroeder,and he said istill could be callled slander.

  Replies anyone.
• 

  ofcmad

  D--
  I gotta luv ya. I think the reason why they stopped the free-seating policy was because of Bethelites like you!
  

  "Noah was a drunk and look what he accomplished." The Metatron/Dogma
• 

  Seeker

  There must be something lost in the translation, because that story just doesn't add up. Gangas was well known for asking that particular question (what is the spiritual paradise) to everyone and anyone. He would explain it endlessly, every time he asked.

  Now, he might have misunderstood your question, or he might have taken it as you saying there was no such thing. But there is no way he didn't know the answer to his favorite question of all time.

  I'm not trying to be harsh here, but this is something that just couldn't be. Let me illustrate: it would be as if someone said they went up to Rutherford and asked him, "Religion is a snare and a what?" and they claimed that Rutherford had no idea. That's how closely the "spiritual paradise" and Gangas were entwined. Anything else, maybe, but not that particular question. It must have been a cross-communication misunderstanding or something.
• 

  D wiltshire

  Dear seeker,

  You are correct about Gangas asking everybody that question.
  But if you check he must of started asking people what is the spiritual paradise after or around 1975 which is when i asked him.
  In fact about 8 or 10 years after I had left bethel he ask me the very same question I asked him about the spiritual paradise, and then proceeded to give my familly and I this long explantion (he didn't recognize me (who could blame him) ).

  He also ask and answer a question about the covenants.

  So he must have asked other GB members or studied up on the S.P. after I ask him the question in 75.

  The point: If the spiritual paridise is so real a GB should not have choked on his soup,and said I don't know.
• 

  Seeker

  I still tend to think he must have misunderstood the question, something he was wont to do in English. He was asking that question prior to 1975.
• 

  Maximus

  Mmmmm. Seeker is right, George G started that two decades earlier when the term New World Society was used, replacing New Order (doesn't translate very well into German as Reich!) which followed New World. Famous for catching you in an elevator.

  Many years later took notes on an hour talk I gave in East Manhattan, whose outline called for covering Matt. 24:14 in a few short minutes. He good-naturedly lambasted me for not spending the bulk of the hour on this. "They want to hear about thee Keeeeng-dom!"

  A Greek, he explained "kosmos" to persons who DIDN'T ask, with careful application about the lion and the lamb lying down together having fulfillment --breathless pause -- NOW!

  Something is out of kilter, as Seeker says. Maybe he thought, "I cannot believe the level of ignorance of this kid, because I've told every human just exactly what this is and by now everyone HAS to know what the spiritual paradise is." Maybe he thought you were going to point out which personalities at Bethel were particularly lion-like. <cough>

  It was embarassing when he couldn't keep up with whether it was a covenant or law or ... because he was on the GB and apparently wasn't hearing what God was whispering in his ear--or maybe he didn't understand God's English.

  Thanks for some great memories. For some it may be refreshing to know that one guy did talk about Scripture. By the bye, had you sat with Grant Suiter I guarantee you the conversation would not have been about Scriptural things. Hard to imagine the two of them together in GB meetings, eh?

  Schroeder the judge could easily see how telling the truth about someone could be grounds for slander; e.g., the truth about Rutherford's drunken antics.

  smile
  Maximus
• 

  Mishnah

  D_wiltshire, I notice that you now claim to have been at Bethel. Your claim to have been an elder coupled with the appeal letter you allegedly wrote was really something. Do you honestly expect anyone to believe that you served in such capacities and thought it would make any difference to write the letter you wrote? Do you really expect anyone to believe that Mr. Gangas replied to you as you claim? I guess most of the exs here will give you support, because they need to do so in order to feel part of a group after having been cut off from one already. But stop insulting the intelligences of the few sane people aboard this ship.

  Mishnah
• 

  Seeker

  Maximus, you make a good point about Gangas. I knew most of the GB, and Gangas was the one above all that seemed most sincere. If there was one GB member who wasn't a rat, he was it. His whole life revolved around the Bible, and preaching. Other GB members might have avoided service, but not Gangas. I have to believe he was sincere.
• 

  D wiltshire

  Dear Mishnah,

  I see you do you home work. If you go back and read my Appeal post a little more carefully you will understand why I'm making an appeal read all my entries please.
  I have served as an elder in several(4) congregations 2 congregations in Connecticut and 2 in California.
  I've worked in bethel at the Bindery sewing book together,checker, and demolition when they bought the Towers hotel and since my user name gives you my name, you probably can check it out.

  I've been on committees to df so called apostates.
  Followed instructions from the legal dept. in handling so called apostates.
  What I said about Gangas is true and what I said about Schroeder is true.
  Also read my post about Mind control you might find something in that post that you feel does't match up. I would like to hear more of your observations.
• 

  Maximus

  ::I guess most of the exs here will give you support, because they need to do so in order to feel part of a group after having been cut off from one already.

  Mishnah, I ordinarily ignore childish drivel. I will not in this case, but I'll give you the doubt and assume that you are sincere.

  I posted above. I assume you refer to posters above when you say "they need to do so ... after having been cut off." I have not been cut off.

  Make no assertions on this board. Or face the consequences.

  The Mr. Gangas you refer to was indeed a spiritually inclined man with no pretensions. Would that you were.

  Maximus