Black Man

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Posts by Black Man

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  93

  Position on College Changed?

  by Maximus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  several have made outright statements and others have suggested that the society's negative position on higher education has changed.

  'the society does not discourage higher education where i live.

  ' worse, 'apostates have made it all up--the society has never discouraged education.

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  Black Man

  up...........
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  8

  Jungle Fever in the BORG

  by Black Man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  post title - jungle fever in the borg or inter-racial relationship dynamics in the borg.. back in the the day inter-racial relationships were frowned on, especially if you wanted to advance spiritually (climb the corporate ladder).

  i remember at bethel a few of the brothers in service department used to always tell brothers that it would be beneficial to marry in their own race if they wanted to be used in the circuit work.

  the premise was that the society is not biased but rather the world is and to avoid conflict, they only prefer to use couples of the same race.

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  Black Man

  Post Title - Jungle Fever in the BORG or Inter-racial Relationship Dynamics in the BORG.

  Back in the the day inter-racial relationships were frowned on, especially if you wanted to advance spiritually (climb the corporate ladder). I remember at Bethel a few of the Brothers in Service Department used to always tell brothers that it would be beneficial to marry in their own race if they wanted to be used in the Circuit work. The premise was that the Society is not biased but rather the WORLD is and to avoid conflict, they only prefer to use couples of the same race. I later knew of an inter-racial couple in the circuit work but their ascension into the work was always attributed to the fact that they were good politicians and campaigned their way into it.

  Now, if you just wanted to make Bethel a lifelong career many encouraged one to look for something outside of their race. A hot commodity for many brothers were the spanish sisters or either sisters from various island locales. Many of them were FINE and were just looking for an opportunity to get into the House of God. They really didn't care who they dated as long as they got in the house. Many of your corporate up-and-comers (who were absolutely SHELTERED NERDLINGS of all colors) saw the opportunity, dated and married many of these sisters. Thus what was born was the revolutionary NERD MOVEMENT. It was a badge of honor for various Bethel dorks and nerds to find some sister of a different race and have them as a trophy girl. The sisters were caught up in the power-trip of it all. There was this sister at my hall who married a up and coming Bethel nerd and they were so estatic. You would of thought that she married a multi-millionaire basketball player or something the way her family and the congreation fawned over this nerdy-ass bethelite. Other Bethelites would straight-up covet the trophy girl (another thread for another time), old-timers would say that it was a simply a sign of a blessing from Jehovah, while new-boy Bethelites would be WHAT DA' FUCK?

  Imagine Halle Berry with Pee Wee Herman or Pamela Anderson with Urkel. That's the type of disparity (outer appearance at least) that you would have. Many of these sisters had a hard time especially in their first year or two. I worked with a few sisters in the Homes (Maintenance & Home Housekeeping) while the Pressroom was shut down one summer and I think I doubled as a shrink. The ones who had married for the power trip were soon dissatisfied over everything ranging from their husband's performance in bed to not wanting to dance or be a social butterfly. They would tell me how they wish they could get pregnant so that they could just leave. Others just kind of relegated themselves to serving out their days enjoying the advancements of their husbands up the corporate ladder and taking whatever spotlight that they could get from that.
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  51

  When did you think Armageddon would come?

  by comment in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was just thinking about this.

  having been raised "in the truth" post-1975, i didn't grow up with any specific year in mind.

  yes, there was the notion of "this generation will by no means pass away," but by the time i was old enough to think about that concept, the people who were born in 1914 (to stretch it out as far as possible, as the society ultimately did) were still only in their 60's.

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  Black Man

  Oh, in 1986 the propoganda machine was in full-swing. There were articles on the fact that it was designated the year of peace. You had brothers creating anticipation in their public talks by putting their spin on the cry of peace and security. Wasn't nothing like '75, but there was still a great deal of speculation.
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  51

  When did you think Armageddon would come?

  by comment in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was just thinking about this.

  having been raised "in the truth" post-1975, i didn't grow up with any specific year in mind.

  yes, there was the notion of "this generation will by no means pass away," but by the time i was old enough to think about that concept, the people who were born in 1914 (to stretch it out as far as possible, as the society ultimately did) were still only in their 60's.

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  Black Man

  When I look back on it, the whole concept of everyone having an opportunity to receive the kingdom message was UNREALISTIC. To reach EVERYONE on this earth, teach them the message AND give them the opportunity to make a decision on what side they'll be on. That's not even factoring in under-developed lands and nations. You couldn't even do that with the mass technology that we have much less a grass-roots door-knocking campaign.
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  71

  Bethel Getting Paranoid, Tightening Screws

  by AlanF in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have it from solid sources that brooklyn and patterson are now recording all incoming telephone calls.. a word to the wise if you have friends there you talk to.. alanf

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  Black Man

  lol, you're on-point met.

  Bethel has had this cloak-and-dagger stuff goin' on for quite some time. There could probably be another thread started on this altogether. I remember there was this video store on Montague street that many Bethelites would rent movies from. Since R-Rated movies were taboo at the house, Bethel would arrange things where they would get a print-out of the rental list from the video-store and find out who was renting what. For newboys especially it was interesting seeing your movie rental rercord somehow end up on your one-year evaluation and that being one of the deciding factors in determining whether or not you stayed.
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  71

  Bethel Getting Paranoid, Tightening Screws

  by AlanF in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have it from solid sources that brooklyn and patterson are now recording all incoming telephone calls.. a word to the wise if you have friends there you talk to.. alanf

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  Black Man

  Actually, Bethel is within their legal bounds in tapping phone calls. They tapped mine when I was at the house. If they were on a witch-hunt it was legal because it is considered their private property. Sucks don't it.........
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  93

  Position on College Changed?

  by Maximus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  several have made outright statements and others have suggested that the society's negative position on higher education has changed.

  'the society does not discourage higher education where i live.

  ' worse, 'apostates have made it all up--the society has never discouraged education.

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  Black Man

  I'm pushing this back up just because............
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  51

  Gleaning at Bethel

  by Black Man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  want to see bethelites act like greedy scavengers?

  just check out the tail end of bethel family breakfast, lunch or dinners.

  for those not familar with this phenomenon, gleaning was when bethelites could basically bring their tupperware dishes down and store up on the leftover meals once the family was dismissed (usually by prayer, except for the bethel dinner).

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  Black Man

  JT: I'll probably hit you up on your e-mail sometime this week.

  TeeJay: A book, huh? I'll never say never.......

  Michael 3000: Yeah, Pizza Night was particularly bizarre. Vultures were circling tables in full-effect on that night.
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  37

  My first time "storming" out!!

  by lookingnow22 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i "stormed" out of a meeting for the first time in my life tonight.

  well, i really just walked really fast, but inside myself i was storming.

  anybody catch some of the insolent comments made in the 6/01km?

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  Black Man

  I feel what you're saying, Looking. I did the pioneer/bethel thing and found that I was sorely lacking when it came time to live in the real world. The WTS' whole focus on college has been wrong right from jumpstreet. They should have focused on how to gain a higher education and balance it out with spirituality instead straight out making it a "sin" to go to college. Now they are doing a constant backpedal routine on the whole subject. In Bethel they sorely need college educated skilled persons. If you were raised in the truth and did what you were told you subsisted on being a janitor or bank teller to promote your ministry. If you went to college you were BRANDED as a spirtual deadbeat. If you made it to Bethel you're thrown in cleaning or maintenance or bindery and told to be content with that for we are all God's workers. If you were a worldly person and went to college and THEN came into the truth and just so happened to apply for Bethel, you can be easily welcomed (depending on what field you studied) in as a doctor, lawyer, engineer and the like and no issue ever made of your spirituality because it was completely OK to do that BEFORE you came into the truth.

  In fact one brother who was on the personnel committee a while ago, said that the fact that some friends went to college before they came into the truth shows industriousness and the brothers look at that favorably along with their spirituality.

  The WTS owes an apology to the tens of thousands that forsook college education and bought into the rhetoric they were spouting for so many years and still are. It wouldn't repair the damage done, but at least it would be a consolation to those whose lives could have been way more meaningful. But no, you get the same arrogant BS along with the periodic articles in magazines and KM's about going to college now to further kingdom interests. Complete and utter bull-shit.

  The concentration needs to be on taking an encouraging and NON-JUDGEMENTAL stance and focusing on how to be the best you can be and maintain have a spiritual focus. Spirituality is applying BIBLE PRINCIPLES and not serving the selfish interests of a publishing company.
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  51

  Gleaning at Bethel

  by Black Man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  want to see bethelites act like greedy scavengers?

  just check out the tail end of bethel family breakfast, lunch or dinners.

  for those not familar with this phenomenon, gleaning was when bethelites could basically bring their tupperware dishes down and store up on the leftover meals once the family was dismissed (usually by prayer, except for the bethel dinner).

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  Black Man

  Wassup, man. Yeah, it was mos-def an institutionalized existence. The longer you were there the more weirder you got. Brothers who had been single for many years there were the most eccentric. I'd say that if you've been up there 10 years or more and don't have a mate you just a weird mofo. At least the married ones would have their wives to keep them somewhat balanced. But the single ones that had been up there for 10-15-20-25-30 years were just straight up bananas.