Did You Ever Make the Pilgrimage?

by Quendi 45 Replies latest jw friends

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  Quendi

  Hello All,

  How many of you have ever visited one of the branch offices or world headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses? I was an active Witness for nearly thirty years and was associated with the cult for more than thirty-five before finally walking away for good last year. During all those years I never made a trip to Brooklyn Bethel. I was never interested in going. When I would hear other Witnesses rhapsodize about how important it was for any true believer to visit Brooklyn, Wallkill, and later Patterson, I would quietly shake my head. Then I would say that their attitude reminded me of the religious pilgrims in "Babylon the Great" who felt their faith was incomplete unless they went to Mecca, the Vatican, the "Holy Land", or different saints' shrines. The puzzled and even dirty looks that comment elicited were most instructive.

  One Witness took me to task for this. He couldn't understand why I wouldn't want to visit the "House of God" in New York and see the New World Society in action as it produced the materials Witnesses depended on for their faith and field ministry. He told me my remarks revealed a complete lack of appreciation for "Jehovah's organization" and that I needed to reevaluate my feelings and beliefs. I replied that I saw no difference in attitude that Witnesses had about visiting Bethel with what other religious people thought about their so-called "holy places". After all, there were plenty of printing concerns in metropolitan Denver I could visit if I wanted to see how printed materials were produced; plenty of farms and ranches I could visit in rural Colorado that did exactly what was being done at Wallkill, and there was the University of Colorado in Boulder which had educational facilities that were far superior to anything I would see in Patterson. The attitude Witnesses had about their operations and where they were done was nothing short of idolatry as far as I was concerned and I wanted nothing to do with it. The Witness decided that I had a "bad attitude" and decided to drop the subject.

  Have any of you had a similar experience? Or if you have made the pilgrimage to New York or some other branch facility, what did you think about it?

  Quendi
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  compound complex

  Good Morning, Quendi:

  I made the pilgrimage and stayed for a number of years, though not the requisite four. For me, an impressionable and slightly hysterical young initiate, Bethel was holy ground. During the course of my sojourn, I became, albeit briefly, one of the elect. Fred Franz assured me that, if I had to ask, I was not. The atmosphere was heady and conducive to madness (which I became and had to leave).

  Your attitude is, truly, that of a "BA": Bethel terminology for "bad attitude." I was an "SR": "self-righteous," though not flagrantly so.

  Now I am decidedly in your camp ... !

  Cheers, my friend!

  CoCo Turncoat
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  Meeting Junkie No More

  Pilgrimages are my new-found passion! I've already gone to Lourdes (just for the hell of it!), want to do the Santiago di Compostela one (on foot) and any other pilgrimage out there...

  This is all post witness - when I was in, I did a trip to the New York Bethel because I was visiting some folks there at the time and decided to add a visit to the 'headquarters' while there - one of the most B O R I N G printing facilities tour ever - zero memorable moments...something to be endured rather than enjoyed. Felt like touring a prison but at least I could say I'd been and seen it.

  I liked your take on it and have since heard others talk about their visit as if they had been in the 'Most Holy' - seriously going on about being in the same physical space as some of the 'anointed' blah blah, blah. I knew other witnesses (pioneers) who would visit the Bethels on an almost monthly basis and take every Bible study there like it was some amazing tourist spot.

  The reason I love pilgrimages now is just to visit these amazing spots (architecture/art/history/landscape). At most of these sites, (and I know this sounds crazy), I feel like I am between worlds - especially anywhere in the south of France (Rennes-le-Chateau), north Spain...marvellous places. There's amazing books that set out the many sacred sites around the world, all so much more worthy of visits and contemplation than a printing facility IMHO.

  Sorry for the ramble.
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  clarity

  Quendi ...

  In 50yrs, not once have I ever thought about visiting "bethel".

  Just the idea of the regimented atmosphere gives me a rash, and for all your reasons! lol

  So superficial. Everybody is sooooooooooooooo happy!

  clarity
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  mrsjones5

  My parents took my grandmother before she descended into the final stages of Alzheimer's. They were impressed to no end.

  I'd rather go to Disney world.
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  Quendi

  My maternal grandfather went to Lourdes, France when he served in the U.S. Army during World War I. The visit made a very deep impression on this black man from Alabama which lasted for the rest of his life. I myself have wanted to tour the Vatican and see all of its treasures as well as the collection of churches in Moscow's Kremlin complex. Mont St. Michel and Beijing's Forbidden City are also on my list. But for me, a "pilgrimage" means visiting some natural wonder and there are plenty of those on my bucket list I've yet to see.

  Quendi
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  Meeting Junkie No More

  Quendi, I too loved Lourdes - prior to going I read the whole Bernadette Soubirous story to get the full background - the actual physical setting of the basilica and environs is stunning (I was there on a cloudy day, and it was still amazing). Mont St. Michel is a MUST SEE! Absolutely otherworldly. Saw a few of the pickled hearts at the Vatican - long time ago now ... I'll have to add Beijing's Forbidden City to my list - thanks for the recommendation.

  Externsteine (Germany) (pagan site) is on my list to see next.
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  00DAD

  I went after I was baptized in 1984. It was a factory.

  Silly me, I expected something spiritually uplifting. Surprising now in retrospect it took me 20 years to figure out that the WTBTS is not all about what they say they are.
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  jamiebowers

  I visited Bethel on a bus tour in the early 80's. I couldn't tell you about the Watchtower's printing process five minutes after the tour, because I was so struck by the sour demeanor of the workers. They all seemed so sad, stressed, and tired. One in particular was a young man who was completely bald. I noticed him right off, because he had penetrating blue eyes. I remember actually shivering, because he stared at me with such hatred. At the time I thought maybe he was self-conscoius of being bald. Now I wonder if it was because he was so unhappy in his servitude.
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  LostGeneration

  I was drug as a teenager to the compound. The highlight was a visit to the WTC, no doubt. The bus ride to Walkill was ridiculous, driving a couple hours each way to see a whole lot of nothing.

  I remember one worldly guy posting on a JW board (can't remember if it was this one) that was a bus driver for a short time. He was basically asking "WTF? Why are people going 2 hours upstate to look at a factory? That basically sums it up.