British dubs are invited to attend a Special Convention next Summer in Dublin , Irish Republic. O K, this kind of trip has been done many times before. However I have never seen such a crude and rigid set of rules that would apply to their own people going on a trip, at their own expense of course. As I understand it, they must book their own flights but then these intructions start to apply :-
There is more but I have only obtained a copy of the first page...
NB. Their requirements
1) Over 19's who are Elders, Pioneers, M/S or family that are EXEMPLARY only, may go.
3) Not too much overweight !..or in need of assistance (might be a burden ) How Christian is that?
4) The convention is three days but one has to book seven nights at the swanky venue which doubles as a Hotel and conference centre. Just get a look at this place....Things sure have changed since we used to spend days shivering or sweltering in crumbling old football stadiums.
Scroll down and view the 360 degree tour . I found it jaw dropping....
"Applicants must be exemplary in every respect including dress and grooming". See the "Bethel visit brochure" .. O K , I can even accept that in the conference centre, [I am a reasonable man] but to dress for a meeting in a collar, tie and jacket for sightseeing ! for God's sake??? So you undertake to dress up like a prat when taking the family around Dublin Zoo in your extended stay, or when you treat yourself to a quiet trip to the Guinness Brewery while the girls go shopping.....Hmmm , I think not.
And then the second last paragraph calmly advises (or warns) that if one should lose the valuable "exemplary status" between booking and travelling , you are banned from the trip and have to forfeit all the money that you paid out!.. So you have made a personal booking with an airline and a hotel, but a third-party (the WTS ) now says that you must not take up that booking and bear all the costs............No, No, NO. There has to be something wrong with that...
As it says at the end, "Arrangements for this special convention are quite different from previous years"....I think you can say that again!
What does this tell us about The Borg??
