by maninthemiddle 48 Replies latest jw friends
Oh yeah, Ann, the didn't want us TOUCHING them, I just read the titles. Had I not had a squirming almost 2 year old in my arms, I'd have broken that rule for SURE. I was too curious, and then later labeled as being prideful, and a fault finder.
Wouldve hurt, you know, if I hadn't FOUND fault. Just took a few years to act on it. I swear though, I never was very interested in following the Society after that, it was like seeing the man behind the curtain.
Totally disappointed. Tour is totally overrated. It was four day tour...after the morning of day 1 I felt as if I had seen enough.
At the time i was okay with it, i thought the whole thing was perfectly above board and completely honest. Now of course i know differently.
the factory tour was ho -hum, but i went with some friends back in 81 and we spent two days up at the farm.
That was a little more exiting.
But the hit for me was walking in the woods and we found an old hermit type of guy who sold maple syrup.
That was the coolest part of the trip, the old man.
Not the bright-shiney WT org.
YES. A few years back my family and I were in NY for a week, and half that week was spent seeing all of the Watchtower facilities - Brooklyn, Patterson, and Wallkill. I wanted to see the city and hit up some vintage shops, and instead I spent hours and hours on end being "encouraged" on the Bethel tours.
Plus, they wouldn't let me wear just jeans and sneakers, so my feet were killing me. My mom got angry at me and started screaming in the hotel room because, on the third day, my feet were so swollen that I just thought "fuck it", and wandered through Patterson in my stockinged feet, carrying my high heels.
I never had money to go on the tour, but if I had I probably would have loved it, just for a chance to get away from the house and do something, anything. Besides being a JW, which meant that fun of any kind was verboten, both my parents are the kind of people who never do anything. We went camping one time when I was growing up, and by going camping, I mean we drove to the next county over, set up a tent, took a nap in it, and packed up to go home before dark. And that was the highlight of the whole summer. I had never been outside of Ohio until my twenties, and that was for work. I can't remember us ever really going anywhere or doing anything as a family. I was so desperate for something to do, I used to cry actual tears if I didn't get to go to the grocery store. Everyone else came back from the tour and couldn't stop gushing about how wonderful it was and I really felt left out at the time.
I went back in 85. Took the tour at Brooklyn. Friend took us up to Ganga's office and the library nearby. The bethelite showed me/us Angels and Women. He said that people were kicked out for reading it. I was so shocked that it was there and promoted by the WT. It was the start of my loss of faith in it all.
I went in the early 80's, and it really struck me that the factory workers looked either angry or sad. I don't remember seeing one happy person there.
I don't understand why it's a suit dress-up occasion to watch people printing up littera-trash. As for workers being happy, the ones that fake happiness the best probably did provide some illusion of happiness. But, it is all a scam.
We went to Patterson and Walkill a few years ago with some family members that used to serve there. I was a bit creeped out by all the happy people working in the factory. We were shown a "very exciting" page from a new Bible translation that was soon to be released. And then a bethelite woman came over and chatted with us and was touching me and my husband. She seemed kinda tipsy and mentioned she had enjoyed some wine. She reminded me of Stepford wife...too happy to be for real.
I also saw a picture of our circuit overseer on the wall and the creepiest feeling came over me. My subconscience was picking up on the cult vibe I guess!
