by LivingTheDream 42 Replies latest members private
I knew some young Bethel brothers who played tackle football at the farm even knowing that at that time it was not allowed (1983-6). One injured himself quite badly.
I was not aware that Bethelites were required to participate in sports. Seems like a Catch 22 situation when they punish people who get injured.
I know they built basketball courts inside Bethel property in Brooklyn when the Bethel brothers "hogged" the courts in the area ticking off the neighbors.
Blondie,
My bad. I was trying to be facetious when I said "we had to play sports". I didn't mean to imply that it was required of us.
I meant that the prevailing peer pressure of that time for those of us that considered ourselves "in shape" or "athletic" meant that we compelled each other to get together in various sports activities. It was pretty hard to say "no", even if you were exhausted.
I think that sports participation was pretty much frowned upon, but we did it anyway. Mostly the Bethel ruling class put up with it as a "boys will be boys" kind of attitude, unless of course, as I found out later, somebody got hurt.
LivingTheDream
I wondered; when I lived near both Brooklyn Bethel and the "Farm" I knew of injuries incurred playing sports. There was a basketball court at the farm that was easily visible on the tour (one of the tunnels on ground with glass) and I saw a brother from my congregation break his leg. THEY were not amused.
Now as to the sisters, although often in the pubs the WTS equates women being the "weaker" sex with their menstrual period. when some sisters would claim being ill and staying in their room, they would be checked up by the housekeeper who would provide soup and crackers making sure they were 1) in their room 2) and in bed. They would also keep track to see if you had a "period" more than once a month.
They had little compassion re illiness even in some older jws. I know a brother who ran the animal killing on the Farm and had a heart attack. They waited till he was better but then handed him his walking papers and with hardly a thank you and promoted his assitant. This Bethelite ended up in the Las Vegas area helped financially by some friends he was lucky to have made.
Blondie
living let me tell you... I worked with hanger man and two other just like him.. the hanger room was indeed the fifth level of hell... it was in the basement of the 117 where the old laundry was, before it got moved to furman st...
I toured Bethel a couple of years ago, and was invited to "supper" as well. At the time, I was amazed at how smoothly the Bethel facility operated. Now, looking back, I can see what you are saying. I just didn't recognize it then. I wonder how I made the Bethelites feel with my "how wonderful it is to be in a spiritual paradise." I feel sorry that I couldn't recognize just how robotic the place was. I am amazed that people stay as long as they do!
elderelite,
Yes! Now a remember! It was the basement of 117! Awesome memory dude. As you can see from my story, I only went there one time so I didn't remember exactly where it was. But, I never forgot what it was like.
I also forgot what Hanger Man's name was. Maybe your or somebody else can remember his name. I can't believe you worked with him! Good Lord, that means you worked there for more than one day!?!?
LivingTheDream
Blondie,
It's interesting you talk about being sick. I have been bouncing around a story about that in my head. I was really only sick once or twice in Bethel, but I think it's important to explain to outsiders just what it was like to say catch a cold or the flu at Bethel.
It never dawned on me at the time though how much worse it would have been for sisters in that regard, especially due to their menstrual cycle, until just now that you mention it.
LivingTheDream
I've know more than one young man who came back from Bethel very disiliusioned and became inactive. I never could understand why until I started reading comments from XBethelites . It must be like finding out your favorite place to eat has a ongoing rat and roach problem and the help seldom washes their hands, the health dept has cited them several times for violations, the boss is crazy and goes on rants they exploit illegals for cheap labor.
LTD, was "Brother Hanger Man" a very old man by the name of Peterson? Arthur Worsley said Peterson was a drunk, lived alone, had a job assignment (I think in the Hanger Dept.), and hated everybody. A housekeeper for Peterson's room said his trash can regularly contained liquor bottles. No one cared if Peterson showed up for work or not, but he did. Why did the powers that be let him stay at Bethel? I have no concrete idea, but he probably came into Bethel in Rutherford's day, knew where all the skeletons were buried, and didn't have anywhere to go, so they left him alone to mutter to himself. In eleven years, I only saw Peterson once.
One thing about the old guard at Bethel, before the new bunch took control -- they were loyal to the old people who gave their youth and energy to the WT without complaining. If the old people were loyal to "Jehovah's organization," and never publicly doubted WT teachings, or were not a threat to the organization in some way, or never got on the wrong side of someone at the top, they were provided for no matter if they privately drank themselves to death.
AndersonsInfo,
Wow, interesting. "Peterson" doesn't ring a bell. But, I only met him that one time in my story. You got the "hated everybody" part right though. I felt NO love from this guy at all and he didn't even try to fake it.
Maybe the funny way he smelled was due to all the booze? I never was around hard drinking people before in my short life, so the glassy eyes and the mumbling and such might have been due to that.
As a young guy, to my eye, he was beyond old, he was absolutely ancient.
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Change of subject. I'm just starting to follow your stories now. I wish I could remember you guys, but I don't. But, we were definitely there at the same time. You were there longer than I was and you ran in much more important circles than I did, but there together none-the-less.
Thank you for your important work now, especially in the child abuse issue. It's funny, but when I was very young, we were Catholic and I remember my parents decrying the perversion of the Catholic Church and the priests and so on and leaving it. It's so ironic that they became JWs later.
If they only knew...
LivingTheDream
