Bethel Tour-long sorry (page 3)

samiam2b

Maybe this requires a new subject line but here it goes: in my employment I have done quite a bit of ghost writing (ha, maybe pun is intended here), which has led me to wonder about the ghost writings of the bethelites and GB. How exactly does the GB direct the writing/doctrine development? I have no clue and wonder because people in positions in bureaucracies are often "blamed" for things that they do not directly do but are blamed because they represent a bureaucracy with their titles (oh wait, the GB have honored titles and are highly regarded men?). One of the posters we were shown on the tour talked about six committees, each having a GB member assigned. One committee has the responsibility of the writing of talks/conventions/books/mags/etc. Does the GB write an outline, a topic, a first rough draft, or any other material that is taken by trained editors to be edited for spelling and grammar prior to printing?? or is it bethelites who pass the SAT test equivalent that are just given free reign to write stuff? maybe it is the circuit overseers who the major policy writing because they know what the people on the ground will tolerate or "need"? I have always wondered about this and never heard anything conclusive. Even the president doesn't write his speeches, senators don't write bills they sponsor them, and many of the other laws we are subject to are written by either special interest groups or bureaucrats not the elected officials. Hows does the WTS do it? and what if another bethel (the people, not the building) disagreed with points being made, how do they resolve that? -samiam2b

moshe

I would have had to go to the men's room on every floor and have left some "appropriate" reading material in the stall. heh, heh

greendawn

I suppose they go there hoping to catch sight of a GB member not realising that they are the ones deceiving and exploiting them and the main pillars of the WTS oppressive religious system. Most ex Bethelites posting here said there was nothing truly spiritual at the seat of God's only ones.

darth frosty

I was at bethel from 94-96 and was a factory tour guide. The main thing about giving tours is it gets you off of the press or bindry line your working on. Also when they call you to give a tour you have to change from your work clothes to your morning worship garb shirt and tie. They look at you as there representative so you tell the visitors how great it is. Also after the tours there is a good chance that you will get the green handshake;)

In the office bldg's, where it seems you were, things are different, you have people there who just give tours so they may be a lil stuffy. In the factory you wanted to get a nice green handshake so you try to show groups different and interesting things and share lil known facts with them.

The big thing to show people when I was there was the sands bldg(it was just built and was all the rage when it first came on line.) Groups usually oo'ed and ahh'ed over the fact that all the Bldg's where connected by cross walks and that they had to rent the airspace for there use. But, like I said the main thing is it got you out of work for an hour or so and if you were lucky you had an extra 10 bucks in your pocket for some twins pizza that night.

samiam2b

oops, was I supposed to give a tip? They didn't have that on the website either. ;-) Should I bump my other questions to a new subject??

Shawn10538

As for tour guide training, all there is to it is that you shadow another experienced tour guide for a tour or two. You have a step by step outline that corresponds with the tour route, so it's a no-brainer. There may have been a thing or two that I forgot about it, but no, it is not extensive training. In fact, if you have family visiting you can get a fast pass and give them their tour yourself regardless of what department you are in. Only certain departments are "on the list" of depts. that contribute tour guides. If you are in construction for example, you are usually not trained to give tours. I was in mailing at first, so I got to give tours in both English and Spanish. As for money, YES. There was almost always the green handshake at thew end of the tour. I've gotten up to 100 dollars for a tour before. You are allowed to keep the money too. I figured out once how much I was averaging per month on tours and it was about 70 dollars per month. Considering that out reimbursement was only 90 dollars a month this was a considerable sum.

Shawn10538

Don't you know? Holy spirit directs the appointments in all cases.

Gayle

I gave tours of the Brooklyn Bethel Home back in the early 70's ('69-'74). I never heard of "green" handshakes back then, and back then we only got $14/month. I was a privileged housekeeper. :( Wow, that was another life ago, thankfully. Left the organization in the mid-80's. I wonder how many are at the Brooklyn Bethel now? I read somewhere that a few hundred there were requested to leave there due to a down-sizing & go back pioneering or something. I shutter to think if I had made that world my "career." I had two brothers and a sister there also. We are all "out" thankfully.

ush419

The Bethel tour I went on was so unimpressive. I have seen better organizations and accomodations on a Air Force Base. The tour for my spouse was enjoyable for some reason, but i hated it and was so happy when we left. The accomodations for lunch were nothing less than nonsense, the food was bad and not much of it and they had to eat it in such a hurry too. I won't ever waste my time again going to one of those dens or pedophilia protectors.

gymbob

I gave tours at bethel two days a week from 76' thru 79'. I was a tour guide at Mammoth Onyx Cave, Ky. for 2 years before going to Brooklyn, so I guess they thought that counted for something...

The one big thing I remember about tours was all the young "babes" looking for husbands. Most were not even shy about why they were there either! Just looking for a good man, and as anyone knows, they are all in Brooklyn! What a joke!!

I'm sure most guy who were at bethel back then could tell you some stories about all the parties, drinking (the first 3-4 times I got drunk was at bethel), girls, etc.

And tours gave tips, big tips. Most witnesses on tour just wanted to be able to say that they knew someone at bethel.

Most local witnesses would take a new bible study on tour as soon as possible. I knew one pioneer gal in New Jersey (for you guys she was smokin' hot too!) who would ask for me to be her tour guide with a new BS about once a month! I was such a naive idiot then.... GYMBB

Bethel Tour-long sorry

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