by Balaamsass 165 Replies latest watchtower scandals
Cold Steel - "How do JWs reconcile the fact that so many of their GB members are either pedophiles or other morally challenged individuals?"
They don't.
Most don't even know about it, and if they hear about it through the grapevine, they disbelieve.
Until it becomes so undeniable that they have to acknowledge it.
When that happens, they either feel compelled to leave, or they fully commit to the cause, come hell or high water.
"How do JWs reconcile the fact that so many of their GB members are either pedophiles or other morally challenged individuals?"
Well, three GB members out of about 30 have been accused of pedophilia AFAIK, and considering that nothing was ever proven in a court of law, any JW who hears that accusation can easily dismiss it, for better or worse.
When it comes to being morally-challenged, I'm not sure what you mean. It's easy for us to say from the outside that running a deceptive high-control group is morally-challenged, but why would a believing JW think that way? If you mean various other stories about the GB members being rude to people, only a handful of Bethelites would know about any given experience.
Most Witnesses have not been to one of the U.S. Bethel facilities on even a tour, let alone do they actually know any higher-ups who work there. For most JWs, the whole "JW Experience" consists of what they see in their local congregation. Thus, it's easy for them to live in a bubble.
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Any new stories?
This is my first time reading through this thread. All of it is disturbing to say the least. Some of it was hysterically funny. I had tears running down my face. Thanks!!
BTW- I somehow always instinctively knew that Bethel was NOT a place for me. Never had any desire to visit there. Never, ever, EVER wanted to live there. Straight up zombie cult.
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Great thread!
While I was at Bethel in Australia, we had a dept overseer who bribed the branch committee with booze!
This overseer (single late 30's) was trying to ask out a single sister in his dept. She refused him. So he went to one of the branch committee members and made up a sob story about how "she didnt work hard, wasnt a good influence on the rest of the team, etc..."
He asked for her to be moved to another dept altogether...and while doing it, handed over a large bottle of expensive scotch whiskey!
Yep, he got his way, and that poor sis was sent packing ....her reputation ruined all because she turned him down!
I wrote about many Bethel experiences already in JWN, but maybe the most disturbing for me was when I was brand new.
It's recorded here: A Bethel Memory #3 - Hey, let's welcome the new guy by maiming him!
Brock Talon
Anyone posting here that was at Watchtower Farms in the mid 70's can corroborate this story. There was a 'flaming gay queen' Elder with the initials R.F. whose nickname was 'the Fish'. I had the misfortune of believing naively that he was an allright sort of guy and decided to room with him. In short order he began to make passes at me, pat me on the fanny when I went to bed, follow me into the shower when I showered, use the urinal when I did, bombard me with sexual innuendo and treat me like his own personal pederastic underling. I wasn't going to put up with this bullsh!t so I went to the Home Overseer Fra#k Lew!s and asked for a room transfer immediatly. He wanted to know why and pressed me on the issue. So believing that the Home Servant would have my best interests at heart I spilled my guts. Big mistake!!!!!! I was told that I have no right to speak against an Older Man, that there were not 2 witnesses , that I was gossiping, that he knew that I had problems and rooming with this Elder would help me and if I continued to speak of the matter I would be dismissed from Bethel service. In fact he said that if he had his way he would 'physically throw me out of the building right now!'. I don't know where I got the 'guts' to do it but I chewed him a new 'a$$hole', told him that I didn't 'just fall off the turnip truck' and if he wanted to throw me out physically that we could have a go at it. He calmed right down and backed right down! He found me a new room immediatly but the damage to my personal reputation had been done. The Bethel rumor mills crucified me as I found out later from 2 very kindly Elders who wanted to let me know about what was being said about me. More goes on at Bethel then the average 'Joe Publisher' could possibly imagine.
WOW Sparky sounds a little toooo close to home with my rooftop experience with GB Chitty!!! Could bring up a whole new facet in JW speak for "DELIVERANCE"....country style.
Anyway here here a little NY country music to sooth over that "country" memory:
