Who here has written Bethel?

unbeliever

Did you get a response? I know cruzanheart did. Any others? I wrote one letter asking about the UN. I did not even get the generic library response. Not worthy I guess.

I imagine at a certain point they are going to just ignore it and hope it fades. It's been what 3 or 4 years now...they figure they have everything taken care of and the small group of people here and there won't matter. Just like 1975's fallout faded. And so it shall pass.....

morning glory

I wrote the Georgetown Bethel last year about the NGO thingy. I guess I was more worthy than you!! They gave me the "library card" standard answer and also threw in the "criteria had changed" thingy!! Didn't believe a word of it!

tijkmo

yeah i did...and got a response...i will look out my letter and their response some time...its quite long though...(my letter that is)

Honesty

In my limited experience, I have found it more beneficial for all parties involved when I telephone them. It gives me goose bumps remembering the stuttering and blubbering out of the Bethel elder's double-sided mouth as he tries to reconcile the WT crap with God's Word.

Sunspot

I did, when I wrote my DA letter. I mentioned among other things, that I had asked God for a clean conscience when I was baptized and that my conscience NOW after having discovered X, Y, and Z, would not allow me to continue being one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

I let it be known that I was ashamed to be known as one, and I wanted nothing more to do with this organization!

I didn't expect or want an answer.....which they never sent anyway!

Annie

Golden Girl

Sunspot..my experience was about the same as yours. I really expected a letter or a call from someone at the KH..but nothing..never heard from them again...which was probably a good thing at that time!..

Snoozy..

Frannie Banannie

I began writing Bethel back in 1990....about their criteria or requirements for baptism being unscriptural....and they responded three times. Each time I wrote back to them, I sent even more scriptural proof that their structured and restrictive requirements were not necessary and did not adhere to the scriptures. They finally.....and haughtily responded that they didn't really have time to discuss the issues further as they must put kingdom interests first and had much weightier matters to attend to....like the preaching work.....I was summarily "dismissed", ie.........I figured they simply couldn't refute what I showed them in the scriptures and couldn't prove their point, so they decided to assume their superiority complex and ignore me. After all, what weightier matter to attend to than following scriptural guidelines for baptism? What did that kingdom gonna be made of? People only approved by THEM? Too Funny

Just one of the many reasons why I forced 'em to disfellowship me in 1992.

FB

CoonDawg

I wrote them back when they were being so hurtful to one of the girls who sued them and won in Canada. Since they'd offered a paltry sum that wouldn't even cover expenses already incurred, the judge ( a class A prick) decided to assess court costs to the victim of the WTS's sex abuse policies. The society was going to go ahead and saddle this girl and her family with tens of thousands of dollars worth of legal costs. Below is the text of my letter:

May 22, 2005

Watchtower Bible & Tract Society

25 Columbia Heights

Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483

Dear Sir or Madam:

This letter concerns a matter that I stumbled across yesterday that was very disturbing. I was wondering if perhaps you could clarify this for me. I have been paying attention to the whole sex abuse matter as it pertains to the congregation, so it is not surprising that in my routine news scans I stumbled upon an article in the Canadian Press. The article stated that:

"A woman who won $5,000 in damages after accusing the Canadian wing of the Jehovah's Witnesses of negligence over their handling of sexual abuse has been ordered to pay the group $142,000 to cover its legal costs."

Now, here is where I have a question.

*** w95 5/1 30 What Will Your Business Cost You? ***

Just think what a black mark it would put on the Christian organization if outsiders heard of true Christians fighting it out in court! Could it be that in such cases the love of money has become stronger than love for brother? Or could it be that one?s honor has been tarnished and retaliation is foremost in mind? Paul?s counsel shows that in such cases it would be better to take a loss than to go to court.?1 Corinthians 6:1, 7; Romans 12:17-21.

Isn?t this being harsh and hypocritical to unlovingly impose such a burden on one of the flock, even if this one is undergoing an especially difficult time in their life and a crisis of their faith? The matter is further complicated by the idea that these alleged "costs" are imposed by brothers who are volunteers for the organization. Other than minor filing fees and the like, what fees are these brothers charging our organization for?

I am sorry if I seem to be out of tune with current thinking, but in every way, this simply seems wrong from a moral standpoint. It seems almost a punitive and vindictive measure to take and in appearance, if not in fact is a lesson to warn those that would "mess with us". To me, it?s not exactly the thing I like to see in an organization that is "known by the love among yourselves."

Can you please clarify this for me? I would like to understand better and have my mind set at ease. Is this secular news reporter embellishing things, or is this really the outcome of this?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Your Brother,

Ernest Branson

I wrote the letter as a "brother" still "in good standing" ...just a confused member of the congregation. Even after these serious concerns were voiced, I never received a single bit of a reply. Not even an acknowlegment of receipt.

Bastards.

Ern

upside/down

All I got was a condescending form letter in reply... "wait on J".

I sent 3 letters... very concise... with valid accusations... proof and witnesses to such...

They told me the matter had been "taken care of"... IMPOSSIBLE... as the "matter" involved ME and I'd heard or seen nothing to this effect.

So now I'm sure I have a permanent "black mark" next to my name in their data base. Now that's "scriptural"?

So I decided to do the phone "thing' and called and spoke with the same "representative" every week for almost a year... This guy turned out to be a prick too.... Finally told me that if I didn't like it to LEAVE...

F*ck 'em all!!!

u/d (of the no bitterness here class)