by Cellist 61 Replies latest jw friends
There's an article on e-watchman giving the latest spin. I don't know how to cut and paste, but I hope everyone goes and checks it out. It is truly nauseating. The thread has the title, "Bethel Departures".
Cellist
Edited to say: Well, the posters over there don't seem to be very impressed with the WTS spin either.
Here is a link to the e-watchman "Bethel Departures" thread. --VM44
http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1247
This letter is making the rounds. I am including it here in its entirety without any comments because it is so lengthy. I’m sure it will generate some comment, especially in relation to 1 Thess. 2:6,9 where Paul mentioned he did not want to be an expensive burden, so, note the appointment of Bethelites as Special Pioneers.
This letter was received from a sister in Bethel whose parents are currently in the Circuit work. The chariot is on the move!
Dear Friends,
It's not often that I write a "newsletter", but what is happening here at Bethel is so tremendous that the news has to be spread. Some of you may have already heard of Bethelites being reassigned to the field.
Many whom I have talked to have received a 'secularized' view of what is going on. Bethel is downsizing. And while it may be true that the number of Bethelites continue to dwindle, there's certainly a lot to be said for the reason why.
After hearing talks by two Governing Body members and two members of the Branch Committee, we Bethelites really came to realize the need in the field. Statistics given in the talks noted the number of English congregations that lacked sufficient brothers to take the lead. Also discussed were the more than 1 million inhabitants of the US that live in unassigned territory and quite a few more who do not receive a regular witness. And we're still talking about the English field! I'm sure that many of you know of foreign language congregations that could use more help inside and outside of the congregation.
The slave class has taken these needs into consideration and asked Bethelites to help out. A specific plea was made for Bethelites not to jump ship" as it were -- don't leave thinking that we're trying to get rid of you. There was a very pointed plea to allow the Slave Class continue to use those who had been trained at Bethel for so many years. After having invested so much training in these, their ability to be of further use in the congregations was stressed. Where would they serve? Some would be asked to serve at different branches around the world. Others might be transferred from one complex to another as the need arises. Still others will be asked to serve as special or regular pioneers. All of such ones would have the backing of the Jehovah's organization behind them. How? Special pioneers will have their medical insurance, eye care and housing provided through Jehovah's organization. While the amount of time required of them will vary (130 hours for most), they will receive an allowance to help with finances.
But there is more to this than just the financial aspect. As Bethelites are contacted, they are asked if they are willing to be reassigned to the field. Consideration is given to their preferences - near their families, what climate, etc. Once the Bethelites respond on these issues another Bethel family member follows through on their requests.
Calls are made to the congregations in the area desired to see where the former Bethelite would best be situated. Though the former Bethelite will only be serving in one of the congregations, all of the Presiding Overseers are contacted so that they can give full support to any arriving brothers.
The local friends information regarding job opportunities and housing is really beneficial. As more and more former Bethelites are being placed, the Society is receiving calls from congregations asking for Bethelites to come and serve in their area! Many of the local publishers, after learning that a special or regular pioneer is coming, have said that they will pioneer along with them the first month they arrive! Certainly the effects desired are already being seen.
Even those Bethelites that have been here for 20 or more years have mixed feelings about the initial request to serve elsewhere. With few exceptions they see Jehovah's hand in the matter. Some who had been dealing with aging parents are finding that their new circumstances will allow them to still care for family while successfully fulfilling their obligations to Jehovah. Others had never intended to stay at Bethel so long but yet would have felt guilty about leaving. And yet others would never have left Bethel. How do those feel? Let me tell you about Jill and Nathan. She cried for the last 6 months of her stay at Bethel because she really didn't want to leave the place she loved so much. She was bitter and angry. Her and her husband were reassigned to serve in the state of Pennsylvania. The next time I saw her, 6 months later, she was aglow with a different joy. She and her husband had started 12 Bible studies. Her husband, who was used very little on the circuit level, had already given 2 talks on the Assembly programs. They had both lost weight, improved their health and were growing a garden! Her exact comments were, "I don't know why I didn't leave sooner!” Truly Jehovah knows how to care for us both in and out of Bethel.
One brother provided me with a great illustration. Suppose a good friend of yours has asked you to help in preparation for a dinner. Though the food will be served out in the yard, initial help is needed in the kitchen to get the food ready. But once those chores are done, attention will need to be given to the yard -- cutting the grass, setting the tables, etc. Should those who were privileged to work inside the house now feel too important to care for the work on the outside? Would that show a true interest in the needs of the one hosting the gathering? So, too, those receiving changes of assignment appreciate where the help is needed in our day.
The slave class has asked us to turn our attention to the field. Having invested so much training in former Bethelites, these ones will be ably take the lead in the field, maintain a close contact with the organization and help strengthen the local brothers faith in the decisions made by the Governing Body. Though we have not yet been contacted, if we are, we hope to continue serving with the Portuguese congregation in nearby New Jersey.
These are truly exciting times. And when the Proclaimers Book II comes out sometime in the New System, I feel that these years will be noted as being very special. So if you've heard the news about Bethelites being reassigned to the field, hopefully this letter will help you to appreciate what Jehovah is doing. Jehovah is preparing us for things to come. May we stay ever vigilant.
It is TRULY sickening to see how the GB is always right in the minds of True Believers TM, despite the incredible mental gymnastics needed to make it so.
Again, it is getting harder and harder to tell the parodies from the real stuff!
NOW WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE!!
I thought it was just said not too long back by the WT that the slowing down shows we are at the threshold of the end????
Why would they want to get the Bethelites in unassigned territory and help cong. w/their territories if the "end is near". If they speed up the work wouldn't that delay the end????
I'm confused.
Juni
I could only read a couple of paragraphs of that letter. I was getting to worked up. Some people will swallow anything.
I was a witness 29 year, and left 5 years ago. I was so exhausted and burned out I was probably on the verge of a physical break down. I regained my health quickly after leaving when I cut out all the JW stress I'd endured for years and years. All those years of expecting the end to come, the preaching, and all those meetings just wore me down to a nub. I can't imagine how witnesses who have been in it for more their 30 years now and at their age continue with all that never ending expectation of the end that never comes. I remember some of the really old friends who had been awaiting the end to come in 1975 who were very elderly. They were dying off and were so tired. They would say what happen to the end coming? They suffered depression because they were sure they would be in the new system by now. They ended up dying with no end in sight. My own mother was one of them.
Now the oldest of the GB are dying off and still the end as they see it has not come yet. What must they be thinking?
Balsam
I'm willing to bet it's real, because it uses the proper buzz words lololol
as it were
These are truly exciting times.
I don't know if this letter is authentic or not BUT!
My brothers name is Nathan and his wife is Jill and they had been at Bethel over twenty years and they were reassigned to palmyra PA as special pioneers. They have been reassigned to Tremont PA now as
Special pioneers.
Sureal!!
I hope this doesn't blow my cover!!
