Bethel Rules

by brotherdan 194 Replies latest jw experiences

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    A vow of poverty? Just like the monks are supposed to take.

    Except, the Catholic church takes care of their monks. A monk is fed and housed with "communal property"--everything they bring in is "communal property". You own nothing--everything is shared equally among your group. And, while they have plenty of rules, they also take care of monks when they get sick. They will not throw out monks simply because they get sick, nor for breaking petty rules without plenty of warnings.

    Also, before joining a monastery, you are warned properly about the rules. It is difficult to be accepted in the first place. Then, once you get in, you have three more chances to honorably discontinue membership before you are stuck in for life. At each of these stages, you are aware of all the rules and expectations. They are upfront about that you are expected to go to church 7 times per day, including once that interrupts your sleep. The church is right on the property, so there is no charge to go to and from church. (Unlike in Beth Hell, where you get charged $3 per trip to the Kingdumb Hell). And, all their rules are posted online, if you know where to look. They generally abide by the law of St Benedict, which is fairly easy to research online. Which is more than can be said about the rules at Beth Hell: You find out what they are after you signed in, and you cannot honorably discontinue your Beth Hell membership.

  • JimmyPage
    JimmyPage

    After high school I regular auxiliary pioneered for over a year. The hour requirement was 60 a month, which is more than regular pioneers are required to do now.

    I applied for Bethel at age 19 but was turned down and told that I needed to regular pioneer for a year to be accepted, which was 90 hours a month back then. I knew I couldn't honestly make that quota. There were regular pioneers in my congregation, but I think they fudged a bit on counting their time. My overly sensitive conscience didn't allow me to do that.

    About that time I realized that I needed to get a more reliable car and so started working more to pay for it. I didn't apply for Bethel again and reading this thread makes me so happy I never went.

  • brotherdan
    brotherdan

    I'm happy you never went either, Jimmy Page. You saved youself a ton of heartache.

  • ultrabimbo
  • Theredeemer
    Theredeemer

    BUmp!

  • Etude
    Etude

    Yeah, this thread really deserves a bump. I read it all and I'm reminded of how much I've forgotten. I'm still so cloudy about my 2 1/2 years (mid 70s) that I'm going to need a hypnotist to retrieve my suppressed painful memories. I do remember the following:

    • No bulletin boards (at least when I was there)
    • No bear bottles to decorate anything
    • No pressed blue jeans (at least at the farm, but you could in Brooklyn)
    • No extra furniture in your room (unless it was authorized, which was seldom)

  • confusedandalone
    confusedandalone

    Not sure if this one was mentioned but ther ewas to be be "NO DUNKING" in the gym.

    Good old Dennis Carey and his overlord of the gym days

  • cult classic
    cult classic

    ^^^ I think someone must've been jealous because they didn't have that skillset

  • confusedandalone
    confusedandalone

    he would purposely come to the gym and mess up games because he was awful.

  • Theredeemer
    Theredeemer

    My best friend was in bethel and he said there is a "story" about a resident who watched the Exorcist on cable and the tv wouldnt shut off even after they unplugged it. A near by couple "felt something was wrong next door and upon investigation heard screaming and called someone higher up and yadda yadda yadda he was out by the end of the week. My friend stayed there a year and said the only good that came out of it was he lost 30 pounds.

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