by freddo 10 Replies latest jw friends
1. In January the first UK bethelites will be hitting the streets. Are any coming to a circuit near you and what effect do you think they will have on the local congregation they are sent to?
2. If you know of bethel closures/reductions already - such as Spain, Italy, NZ etc. - what effect did that have when the bethelites were reassigned?
3. All speculation welcomed!
I haven't heard anything about booted bethelites coming to my wife's hall, but she said last week they read a letter asking for applications to Bethel!
19 to 35 years old only, of course.
That must not sit too well with those who were just let go from Bethel.
P
Mostly no effect at all. Bethelites are just workers, most of them not spiritual but Some of them want to look like being from the " in-crowd".They have No experience in field-service, as it is hard to get ten hours a month as a bethelite, and most don't like the responsebility having bible-studies. They hardly have time to underline their own Watchtower. So it is like having another publisher in your hall.
When the earlier US bethel layoffs happened, they were followed with some of the "dearly departed" appearing at Circus Assemblies and Discrap Crapventions relating their "personal experiences" of how they were "helped" by the brothers to get settled and find work, and how they were "blessed" with the "privilege" of returning to the field and helping local congregations.
Some of them seemed a little sincere. Some sounded like there was someone with a gun pointed at them behind the curtain.
I had left shortly before those layoffs began. A few that I'd stayed in contact with admitted it was a terrible and fearful time that they would get booted with minimal notice. It's not just losing a job in 30 days, it's leaving your housing, no unemployment, no health insurance, no savings, no nothing. Although I'd made up my mind and tried to make plans before I left, the actual leaving and watching the doors and gates close behind you was rather terrifying.
I used to be so brainwashed as to think, "I don't think I could survive outside this wonderful bethel home. This is the best place on earth. I want to stay here forever." Now I cringe when I think about those terrible, wasted years. And when I dream about still being in bethel, it's all a nightmare that I'm trying to escape from. I'm so happy to wake up in my small apartment... that is palatial compared to anything I had in bethel. Ugh, those tiny rooms that I had to share with at least one other roommate.
Sorry freddo, my comments are wandering. I hope something in there answered some part of your question. If you happen to meet any of them, pass along this advice from me: Don't look back, stop attending meetings, go to university, and get an engineering or any other degree that will get you a good career. It worked for this ex-bethelite!
México Branch Office: 500 Bethelites and 1500 Special Pioneers discharged. Read their reactions here, in Spanish:
One thing that's worthy to note is that these Bethel workers who were at these branches aren't able to collect Employment insurance, so they have to get back into the work force right away., they have to grab whatever work they can or go on social assistance.
I wonder if they feel they've been exploited and abused seeing that the people remaining will be living in brand new modern facilitates ???
