bethel

musky

I am curious. How many here have served time at or have relatives that have served at bethel? I have heard different stories when people came back. Usually they didnt talk much and were very secretive.

drahcir yarrum

I was at Bethel for about two years in the late 60's and there really wasn't much to tell when I left. Lots of thankless hard work and little indication that it was appreciated for what it was. . . voluntary work. It was and probably still is considered a family and we were always admonished to keep Bethel problems inside the Bethel family.

I was just glad to get the hell out when I left and saw no need to talk much about it. If there is anything you want to know now, if I can remember it I'll tell you.

silentlambs

two years
a first cousin four years
two fourth cousins at six and eight years respectively
uncle by marriage six years

Seeker

Usually they didnt talk much and were very secretive.

That's just them, must be a personality thing or maybe they got chewed out at Bethel and didn't want to talk about it. Most ex-Bethelites can't shut up about their time at Bethel.

I was there, and loved every minute of it.

Kismet

11 years at one of the Branches but spent a fair bit of time in Brooklyn as well.

What are you looking to know?

Patriot

8 months.

I worked roofing, it was hard labor under the intense heat of the sun(in the summer months).

I was a commuter which meant that since I lived in the City you were not given a room (in those times). So I was given about 30 Dollars a month to take the Subway. Boy how big of them.

It was hell for me. The guys in my department actually went around cursing and farting and constantly spitting and talking about girls and how they were going to "get it".

I remember being so shocked that I starting thinking about my "escape plan" since I got there. I finally came up with the excuse that my father did not approve and that he was no longer going to pay for my college loan. So they had no choice but to let me go because one of their conditions to become a bethelite is to not have any major debts.

Glad I was able to leave that unrealistic life. They were all like robots---Hey remember after the meals how everyone had to get up at the same time, then when the bigshots left you could sit down again?! How stupid.

Thank God Im free.

Maverick-

MacHislopp

Hello Patriot,

an interesting experience.

"..They were all like robots---Hey remember after the meals how everyone had to get up at the same time, then when the bigshots left you could sit down again?! How stupid."

This reminds me...about military trainin camp methods!

Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp

Latte

I don't have any relatives in bethel,but I have known a brother who has been there for quite a long time. When I knew him well, he was so funny, one of the warmest people I know. I caught up with him a few years ago at an assembley. I was embarrassed at just how much he had changed. Cold, worried looking, not atall the person I knew back them. Perhaps he had other worries that day, I don't know. I can't say anymore about this, but he was very 'out of character'......Such a shame for someone so young.

I suspect that for many the 'generation' change is taking it's toll....they are sick of waiting.

Prov 13 v 12 "Expectation postponed is making the heart sick"

Latte

Room 215

I was at Bethel for four years in the mid- to late-sixties, and found it to be a positive experience, mainly becuase of the lifelong friendships formed. At the time, a fairly liberal wind blew through the corridors, and the unspoken rule that it was okay to air your gripes about pretty much anything as long as you did it among friends and didn't make waves, especially among the locals in your cong. One did rather quickly get disabused of any idealism or naive notions.... such an attitude, everyone acknowledged was the sure sign of a ``new boy'' or an ``S.R." (self-righteous).
I think it's a fair guess that ex-Bethelites and other full-timers make up the larger proportion of today's disaffected.

joelbear

I was at bethel for a very short time, 7 months in 1978. I was dismissed for revealing that I had homosexual inclinations.

I enjoyed the camraderie of Bethel. I enjoyed always having someone to talk to and to pick up a game of pool or ping pong with. I was basically an only child since my brother was 13 years older, so this was cool for me.

I had some disillusioning experiences on how the bethel elders dealt with some matters. As I have grown older, I have found that in general, the elders there, like in the congregations are a mix of good men all the way to power freaks. People are people.

I was at the Farm, so life was quite pleasant. I did have one room that faced the dairy barns and if the wind blew just right, hooowheeee.

hugs

Joel

bethel

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