Barrold Bonds

Joined

• started 8 topics
• posted 866 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Barrold Bonds

• 
  24

  Will gay marriage hurt freedom of religion?

  by jam in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  sorry if this have been posted before.. but in my local newspaper today an interesting article.. red blue america... the first amendment and same-sex marriage cannot coexist harmoniously.

  something will have to give---and it will start with the freedom of conscience.. here's why: if the law says there can be no "rational basis" for treating the union between a man and a woman as something unique-if a union between any two(or,perhaps someday, more) consenting adults is a "marriage"----then it really doesn't matter what your conscience tells you.. we don't prosecute people for holding unpopular beliefs--yet- but the authorities do look askance at discrimination.

  that's why we hear so much lately about caterers, photographers and florists running afoul of several states' civil rights laws for refusing to do business with gay couples.. it's only a matter of time before what we understand as "freedom of religion" is whittled down to little more than the freedom to worship whatever deity you choose in a special building one day out of the week.. this is not the entire article, just a few key points.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  A gay marriage thread? *gets popcorn*

  The last one was amazing. All sorts of bigots came crawling out of the woodwork.
• 
  9

  Luxury facilities @ bethel

  by KSFernando in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the gb encourage sincere jws to maintain a simple life, to sell their luxury houses, electronic equipments etc.

  however if you look at the life style at bethel, its like a five star hotel.

  im in a asian country.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  Yeah that program was called Admin 2000. Basically an all in one thing made at bethel. When you were there stuff was changed in that the WTS executive officers were GB members but that was changed. Those executives are typically BC members. When I was there the US officially became a branch with a BC and Zone overseer visits and stuff. It's possible that the seniority thing was changed in between our stays :)

  Blondie: Yeah before Sands most of the rooms were awful. Hell, even Wallkill had awful single room dorm style stuff until a few years ago. They call it Ghetto 7 (107 Columbia Heights) for a reason.
• 
  9

  Luxury facilities @ bethel

  by KSFernando in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the gb encourage sincere jws to maintain a simple life, to sell their luxury houses, electronic equipments etc.

  however if you look at the life style at bethel, its like a five star hotel.

  im in a asian country.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  I was in Bethel in the early 2000's. No one I knew there ever mentioned seniority based on baptism. When were you there?
• 
  9

  Luxury facilities @ bethel

  by KSFernando in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the gb encourage sincere jws to maintain a simple life, to sell their luxury houses, electronic equipments etc.

  however if you look at the life style at bethel, its like a five star hotel.

  im in a asian country.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  Just a minor clarification, seniority is based on years in full time service (pioneer, bethel, CO/DO, BIF, etc.) not baptism.

  If anyone can get a copy of the Bethel phone book, you can easily find out where GB and Branch Committee members live.

  I never really had a problem with most of the housekeeping rules. They're housekeepers, not maids. I usually kept stuff simple and minimalist before I was there, so I guess everyone is different though :)
• 
  9

  Luxury facilities @ bethel

  by KSFernando in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the gb encourage sincere jws to maintain a simple life, to sell their luxury houses, electronic equipments etc.

  however if you look at the life style at bethel, its like a five star hotel.

  im in a asian country.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  What do they have at this branch? Perhaps you can go into more detail. What country are you in?
• 
  9

  Do the GB go to meetings?

  by zound in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to those in the know, what congregation do the governing body go to?.

  is it in bethel?.

  are they all bethelites that attend or 'outsiders' also?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  Aside from a high percentage of Bethelites it's seriously a normal congregation.
• 
  9

  Do the GB go to meetings?

  by zound in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to those in the know, what congregation do the governing body go to?.

  is it in bethel?.

  are they all bethelites that attend or 'outsiders' also?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  Yeah they do that. As for security, The lock up certain doors and put brothers to watch entrances and exits to prevent non-bethelites to get to areas other than the KH part.

  I was just thinking of what's going to happen with the firesale. I doubt they'd build a KH anywhere so they'll probably dissolve that congregation.
• 
  9

  Do the GB go to meetings?

  by zound in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to those in the know, what congregation do the governing body go to?.

  is it in bethel?.

  are they all bethelites that attend or 'outsiders' also?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  Yes. I'm sorry. 107 Columbia Heights. Part of the home. Yeah you can go right in. 124 Columbia Heights is the main part of the home so that's the number I had in my head.
• 
  9

  Do the GB go to meetings?

  by zound in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to those in the know, what congregation do the governing body go to?.

  is it in bethel?.

  are they all bethelites that attend or 'outsiders' also?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  I will try to answer these to the best of my ability from my time there at Bethel.

  1. They are in different congregations. Some go to The Heights cong. Some go to other halls. The older frail ones would all go to 107 since it was easiest.

  2. The congregations they go to all have 'regular' pubs including the Heights cong.

  3. Yes

  4. Yes

  5. No, but during the summer they all get sent out to conventions all the time so I guess they miss meetings then.

  6. Yes

  7. Yes. No idea if they donate. At Bethel we were encouraged to donate, which makes no sense whatsoever.

  8. They do serve as elders. I don't know if any handle much in the congregation. I do know some of them would conduct the WT study. My guess is they'd be too 'busy' to do stuff like PO or Service Overseer.
• 
  48

  DC Drama stirs up drama of it's own!!!

  by DATA-DOG in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  remember the drama about persecution,suffering, that a modern-day job experiences?

  the jw's under ban in a " landmark ruling", our faithful brother conversing with job in the new world, it' all too wonderful!

  especially job wearing pants and a tunic style shirt!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Barrold Bonds

  Yeah they very obviously tap danced around Job's wife. I was waiting for her to show up and then I figured they didn't want to commit themselves to answering the 'will my spouse and I be together in the resurrection' question.