One of the more amusing aspects of pretense maintenance in this "spiritual paradise" concerns comments made in the
meetings. They often give publishers the opportunity to project an image of what they would like others to think of them
- or an unintended contrast with their personal reality. For example:
Sister Wallop finishes a pious comment about lovingly reasoning wth children - and then smacks her interrupting kid.
Brother Elder gives a heartfelt comment about the wonderful opportunities available to those who remain single -
while seated next to his wife and three kids.
Brother Eager recommends personal study - despite his avoidance of reading and books.
Sister Pioneer gives a stern warning about loose conduct and touching the opposite sex ( she is 30+ and single with
no prospects - she ain't gettin' any)
The funniest example was a Bethel brother who ranted during a morning text comment about brothers "with bad
attitudes" who won't eat "that stuff they call supper". He got severely counseled about saying such things to the
Bethel "family" ....... but the elders didn't catch on that this was all a put on , that he had a "bad attitude" of his own,
and that this was his way of venting it!
In that context, I sometimes wonder about warnings in the publications about the organization getting "assimilated"
or going "mainstream". Is this a warning - or a sly injection of an otherwise heretical notion? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.......
metatron