by new boy 58 Replies latest jw friends
Thanks for posting your experience at Bethel NB. It makes for excellent reading.
Thanks to Randy as well. Like Alligator Wisdom, your site Freeminds was the first one I ever visted on the net back in the early to mid '90's
Again thanks for a bridseyeview of what really happens there.
PS:Thanks too to ithinkisee
Dismembered
Thanks for sharing New Boy!!
Hey there newboy (or is it oldboy? LOL)
The 4-year vow haunted me for a long time. About 15 years later (after leaving with only 1 1/4 years served of the 4 that I had prayerfully promised), and after having been df'd for apostasy and reinstated, I was sitting at a District Assembly, visiting with the Circuit Overseer, and I sincerely asked him what my chances were to be accepted back to Bethel, so as to finish out my last 2 3/4 years of promised service (that's just how I put it to him).
Though not in the prison, I literally asked to go back to it.
Graig...........You really should tells us about your experience too........Your 1 1/4 year sentence at the mountain farm was like serving 4 years in brooklyn.......the people that run that place were insane!
I just wanted to add my thanks to the others for posting your story - hurry up with part 2 please!
Hi Alligator,
I didn't know him personally. Those were names of some of the ones you'd least expect to leave, for the sake of humor. :-))
Randy
In the late sixties a young man from our cong. in Santa Barbara, Ca went to Bethel. His father was a servant and he had several JW family members. He showed up back in the cong. about 2 years later (as I recall) and was a different person. There was talk that he had had a 'nervous breakdown'.
Thanks for sharing New Boy. It would be great to get together over a beer with you and Craig. I'll buy the first round.
In the first congo I attended, there was much excitement when the son of our PO was invited to join the Bethel family. Golly Gee, better than going to college or getting a great (part time) job or anything. Everyone was so proud of him. Well, he was there just a couple of years and, from what I understand, when he returned he was not the same person that everybody had so joyously sent off. He soon packed up and moved out west...and the rumour was that he had become inactive. I often wondered what had happened to change him at Bethel. These experiences from newboy, onacruse, Dogpatch and all of the other Bethel alumni have answered that question. I now can't believe he lasted as long as he did.
Thanks Newboy and Randy. Love those old stories about Bethel. I knew so many Bethelites, Governing Body members, Ate and drank with some of them. Lived nearby the headquarters and attended Kingdom Hall at Bethel. Glad that my two boys never signed up for Bethel.
Blueblades
Dear "brother" Casarona
Just thought I would make you sick to your stomach. Nice to hear from you again. It has been a long time. I wonder if I ever caught you up on the progress/lack-of regarding another good friend of ours from the press room, 'the animal' ? PM me and I'll fill you in. Actually it's disappointing. Hope your life is great. Continue the fine work and keep 'reaching out for greater privileges of service'. May Jah bless you. Steve
