Your most DISTURBING WATCHTOWER Bethel/Branch experience? (No full names please)

by Balaamsass 165 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  mann377

  My goodness all this went on at the Farm! Things sure changed from the time I was there in 72-76. Although two months after I was sent there from Brooklyn all the brothers were told to me in the parking lot next to building E. The Bethel office was looking for a red flannel shirt. Why? It seems that a sister was raped by someone wearing a red flannel shirt (from the const crew). They caught the person after going through every room. To this day 38 years later I will not by a red flannel shirt, every time I go to the store and see these shirts I am reminded of this incidence.

  Afairs? Lord have mercey. There was a lot. I saw a lot. I think the main cause was that so many couples married within their own little area and for the first time they are now exposed to the big world. The sisters see all of these brothers that are charming, good looking etc. and realize what they missed. They are no longer satisfied with their home town husband. I had many sisters flirt with me and I would just blow it off but if I didn't it could have gone along way. Some brothers couldn't resist.

  I know of one brother who was DF for a day. It seems that some sister he broke up with got mad and she and her friends "framed" him. This lie of theirs soon came to light and he was reinstated but was not aloud back at the Farm.

  Please reference my other post for more experiences.

  What a trip!
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  Balaamsass

  Wow -A RAPE at the farm. Never heard of that. At Brooklyn everyone was very adament about the housekeeper leaving the room if a brother came back to his room for a few minutes.
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  Londo111

  When I was 18, I went to visit Bethel with a former Bethelite and his lovely wife. It was my first time in NYC and it was all pretty exciting (*).

  Years later, that former Bethelite was accepted back to Bethel along with his wife. Unknown to many, including myself, in the interim years he had an affair…and yet, "Holy Spirit" appointed him to Bethel service. While at Bethel, he had another affair with yet another woman, often while in field service. In fact, he would say, 'me and sister so-and-so have a return visit in this apartment building'. Then they would proceed to go at it in the stairwell. Eventually, the woman got pregnant, and their hypocrisy was exposed.

  [Footnote: I had expressed interest in possibly going--of course, being that the only coordinated activity I was capable of involved a computer keyboard and I've always been two left feet at construction and other "skilled" tasks, I would have been dismissed very quickly. Thankfully the "world" recognized my skills.]
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  freetosee

  what a mad house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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  seenitall

  Bethel thieves!!! The means used to catch them - endless threats from the morning worship table to setting up with left out wallets with cash exposed. They must use hidden cameras now. Any victims of the thieves?
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  Balaamsass

  Never lost a thing to the thieves seenitall. I had a small amount of savings I left at the bank. I had a few co-workers hit by the Bethel thieves though.

  Most of the drinking goofing off stuff I expected because of putting over a thousand 20 year olds together. The unusual acts of the Governing Body members and harsh policies are what shocked me the most.

  One "policy" that bothered me was the amount of blood left over in some the organ meats WHILE blood fractions were being discussed.
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  wheres caleb?

  When I went to Bethel, I was a typical noob. I was naive and thought I was at the spiritual hub that Jehovah had personally chosen to represent the 'truth'. The same 'truth' that had alluded so many bible scholars before. It would be the JWs that were given the special privilege of dominating the humble.

  The recent Penn State debacle stirred up observations from the media that suggested that morals are learned at home, and institutions 'cover up'. The witnesses are no different.

  The intimacy with farm animals is true. Theft, homosexuality, drunkeness, psychotic episodes, brawls, suicide, immorality, deceit and control is all true. The sad thing is seeing young women wanting to marry a bethelite thinking that she is getting the 'cream of the crop' and they are probably worse than a so-called worldly person.

  I met many prominent people in that religion. Some were very cool and some were pathetic people. The cynicism was palpable. I consider it now to be one of the most emotionally unhealthy environments to be a part of. The only people that talk positively about it are socially disfunctional people if you want to be honest. (I'm thinking of a certain CO.)

  I saw congregations dissolved (not a common occurence to be fair), elder bodies removed, and extreme vindictiveness from some delusional Bethel elders.

  The whole bethel construct is pathetic but it is allowed to continue because they can blame all their failings on Satan. Belief is very powerful, too bad narrative is their real truth.

  What do you call any institution that holds others accountable and yet excuses themselves whenever it is convenient?

  I have to end with this thought: If the witnesses are bible scholars then so am I; except for the part about false predictions. They did that, I didn't.
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  3rdgen
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  N.drew

  3rdgen did you post on the wrong thread? Seems to be fitting the "who" thread.
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  Balaamsass

  One policy of the Governing Body I found disturbing from the early 70s through the 80s was the long term Real Estate and Financial Planning 5 to 10 years out ...all the while they are preaching the END IS NEAR!!!!