or we could go the other way and all wear clothes that are pictured in WT pubs from the 60s.
Acceptable and unacceptable dress for visiting Bethel
by smiddy 70 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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undercover
"When Attending Bethel, Dress as if Attending a Meeting For Worship"
Problem is, you're not attending a meeting for worship. You're touring a factory. And no matter how clean and organized a factory is, it's still a factory.
I can understand not being overly sloppy, dressing like you're going to dig a ditch or spending the day boating on the lake. But the level they expect people to dress to walk around a printing facility is unreasonable and out-of-touch with reality. This brochure screams "CULT!" more than about anything else they've printed in the last few years.
The photo of the man in slacks and polo shirt...and he's deemed "overly casual". Every 'normal' factory I have to visit these days, this is how management usually dresses. The workers are in uniforms or jeans/t-shirts, while the office guys who have to go out on the floor, but may have to interact with clients are dressed neatly but not overly formal. This is deemed "business casual", acceptable in normal, everyday businesses across the country. The execs and the CEOs wear the suits and dress to impress at their board meetings.
And in the same photo, the lady in a skirt but wearing athletic shoes...and it's deemd "overly casual". This one really gripes me...and I'm not a woman who is expected to wear heels or toe cramping shoes. It's one thing to wear dress shoes to the Sunday talk/WT study. You're sitting. It's quite another to expect someone to wear those same shoes while walking on hard concrete floors through factories. What if she has foot problems and can't walk extended time/length in heels?
And then they have the gall to tell you how to dress while walking around in the neighborhood. Fuck that, pal. I'll dress however I want when I'm out doing what I want, where I want, when I want. You might have a dress code on your property, but you don't own the entire city/county.
And do you think Jesus would really give a good goddamn if he came back and wanted to visit his father's printing factory and not everyone was dressed as if they just got out of an assembly program? Oh wait... Jesus wouldn't be let in...he's wearing sandals.
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iCeltic
I still find it hard to believe that the WTBTS think that wearing a suit or a dress is somehow fitting when visiting a factory. To be honest, I don't think God could care less if you have a matching suit and white shirt or if a woman wears trousers to the KH, what difference does it make? I remember a friend of mine years ago was on the platform at a circuit assmbley, as a householder or something like that, he wasn't wearing a matching suit so they sent him home to get changed. Clearly missing the important 'food' wasn't a problem in the hour and a half it took him, as long as he set a good example. Insane.
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iCeltic
And God forbid you grow a beard and encourage 60's style free love, because that's what would happen to all around you if you didnt shave...
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ziddina
"or we could go the other way and all wear clothes that are pictured in WT pubs from the 60s..." Shades of Grey
Okay, here's my EEEEEEEE - vil idea...
Dress in REALLY antique clothes - Victorian era, Edwardian, or maybe even...
ELIZABETHAN garb!!!
Hey, at least I'd be wearing a dress....
Zid
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cedars
I was thinking more about this thread, and my thoughts led me to a disturbing recollection - which demonstrates how people can take direction such as this to the nth degree.
My friend and I were in London once, and we dropped by the British Museum. We had heard that regular 'unofficial' (i.e. not recognised by the museum) guided tours were being conducted by brothers who gave the Society's spin on the museum's exhibits, and we thought we might tag along. I was in my jeans and a hooded top, and my friend was in similar casual dress. After all, we were regular tourists in London, and not about to attend a business seminar.
We approached the brother who was leading the tour, and asked if we could join them. He was wearing a suit and a namebadge. He frowned at us, and scurried off to consult with one of his colleagues. On his return, he told my friend and I that we couldn't join them because we weren't suitably dressed. When I asked him what he meant, he said that we needed to be dressed as though we were attending a meeting (even though we clearly weren't). Bear in mind that we were in a public place - the British Museum - where visitors can wear pretty much whatever the hell they like so long as it doesn't come with an explosive device attached or reveal one's genitals.
Confused and bewildered, we left. I can remember telling my friend how petty it all was, and how if I was a bible study or interested person (the brother who turned us away had no way of knowing) I would be well and truly stumbled.
THAT'S how far these freaks take it all...
Cedars
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ziddina
It's all about control, control, control.....
Do they ever let NON-Witnesses into those Bethel tours??? Or does one have to flash their 'publishers' card' to be allowed in???
Whoops.... I meant, "general public".....
Is the general public EVER allowed on a regular "Bethel" tour - and I'm not talking about being part of some political bigwig's group, like the Mayor of Brooklyn if he should happen to want to tour the Watchtower HQ...???
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3rdgen
Zid, Hahahah, You know they would forbid your lovely frock for being "immodest" (calling undue atten. to yourself as an individual) The WT$ must own stock in Wall Mart. If 7 mil people are required to wear only cheap, ugly, polyester crap 24/7 think how that would improve sales! LOL
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PrincessCynic
This thread has just brought back memories of a really AWKWARD conversation I had with a bible study (in her 60s). I had to try to explain to her and her daughter (in her 20s, not studying, but we were trying to get her interested) that they had to wear modest skirts or dresses to tour a printing factory . The worst thing was, the daughter worked in a local printing factory herself, so we must have seemed a total bunch of nutcases to her. Then I had to explain that despite the fact that we were going on New Years Day, all the 'Bethelites' would be working as they weren't allowed to celebrate New Years. Then they asked if they were getting paid double time anyway....
Ziddina I would LOVE to get a bunch of people to show up at Bethel like that
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ziddina
"I would LOVE to get a bunch of people to show up at Bethel like that ...."
[Whoops! Forgot to attribute that quote to PrincessCynic - er, Princess Cynic... [wish I could add a little crown to that...]
Me too!!! Maybe "koolaide man" should put his energies towards an event like that; at least he'd have an actual event to discuss on his broadcast... "With film, at 11:00..."
By the way, most SCA'ers are up for a bit of mischief - if you're in New York City, you could try talking to the local SCA group - just be SURE to tell them that it's strictly for mischief and fun!! And warn them about the JW attitudes, ahead of time... Heck, it would be SO much fun if a "heavy fighter" - that's a guy in armor - showed up, and for REAL fun, invite the Norsemen - Vikings - and/or the MONGOLS!!!
I dunno how FAR your group would get, but... And I'm stuck out here in the west - almost the desert southwest - with no plane ticket to get there...
But SOMEDAY...