by JT 79 Replies latest jw friends
Art Worsley was a sad case. I think Farkel had the full
story of how he got screwed over. Folks, when you read
those pious lifestories about how wonderful life in
the 'truth' is, don't believe much of them. Sometimes
the individual is broke, alone, sick and has no where
to go. They'll testify to anything the Society wants.
Poor Art
metatron
Here's two more Bethel characters.
Remember Mike Chittick? he worked near the beginning of
the factory tour route cutting the lead plates for the
presses. He had an imitation Wolverine couch in his room
and an immense rep' for seducing attractive sisters all
over New York state - a real expert on the subject. I
think he stayed for several years - an elderly member
of the annointed in Service referred to him as "worldly".
Then there was Adam Bauerline - a really ancient dude who
might have been there since Pastor Russell. He told
dirty jokes, stumbled 'new boys' and was generally
alcoholic (but funny). When he died, Swingle gave the
funeral talk - and hinted he wasn't going to be resurrected!
("Adam always said he was sorry......")
metatron
Bauerlein liberally supplied many, many new boys over a very long time with beer, even if they were underage. Everyone knew it, went from the time the Bethel family was so small everyone had to know each other. Was a hangover (sorry) from the Judge's days that this just seemed to be winked at. So many functional alcoholics, got through the day, just got wasted at night.
Before your time, metatron, there was a poor old slob named Charlie De Wilda, whom Knorr made sit in a corner for "foul language." He was upset that NHK had married but had not permitted him to do so. Really took on the President, told him lacked love, as I recall. He was punished badly in many cruel ways. Finally left, was reduced to begging for food, letters were sent out to congregations not to give him assistance. Had given his life to the bindery on the fourth floor at 117 Adams Street, slaved over machinery that no human should have to operate. Must be in the film The New World Society in Action.
He was found dead on a park bench, covered with newspapers. My roommate, who was close to him, wept for days.
Yes, some stories are not so funny. Like Richard Wheelock jumping out of a window to kill himself after deep depression. Most saw the exterior organization man, others got glimpses of a deeply introspective man who was devastated after the premature of his wife, who died as the result of the insane blood policy. Inside, I know he knew better. Cognitive dissonance? It killed him ultimately. Some years back I was looking for something, and on my screen appeared the page in Randy Watters' Bethel Chronicles that he very thoughtfully dedicated to Richard. I was deeply touched and I immediately knew that Randy was a very special person. If you haven't checked out those chronicles, you should.
Foul language and dirty stories? What irony that Swingle spoke, who had the foulest, coarsest mouth of anyone I knew at Bethel. Earthy, they called him.
Watchtower eulogy I believe said he "spoke his mind." The story may be apocryphal, but it very well could have happened. Bethel boy complains that there is too much cursing in the Ink Room. Swingle's response: "No shit!"
Farkel has some direct knowledge of Lyman too. Art Worsley's true story will wait for another day in another forum.
Maximus
I can personally attest to Swingle's use of language. In conversation with him once, he said he thought somebody was "full of shit." I was surprised, to say the least.
Just so no one misses the point.
Years ago in the Qualified to Be Ministers book, the comment was made that the governing body was "closely associated" with the board of directors of the Pennsylvania corporation.
Lyman Swingle was on that board for a gazillion years, and when the GB was officially formed he was one of those who ruled the life of every JW--until his recent death.
How I hate hypocrisy.
M
After years at Bethel, you've got all these stories to tell
that no one will believe - and they're all true!
As to GB members, the guy that bothered me was Knorr.
In my entire life, I have never met such a twisted, negative,
sex-obsessed sick human being as this man. How could anyone be
so self -possessed as to RANT , day after day, month after month,
about the sexual sins of others. He was a good administrator and
able businessman - and a cruel man who had more in common with
Stalin than Jesus Christ.
Another story: I believe there was an ex-CO named Fred who got
a little mouthy about conditions in the factory. He got quickly
assigned to the 'gatherer' loading 'signatures' - a job for young,
physically strong men. Soon after, he had a heart attack and could
have died.
Isn't it wonderful that we have the account about Uriah the Hittite
in the Bible to guide us in dealing with troublemakers?
metatron
Michael3000-
I was at the house in 1987 and I had heard that a bethelite got caught playing his saxophone at Times Square. Since I also played the saxophone and since I am from New Orleans, I could not understand what the big deal was really. It is nice to finally meet you.
Jeff S.
Like many other JWs, my wife treasured Knorr's final prayers at the big conventions, which always left everyone (well, not all) weepy-eyed at his softness, his holy, loving attitude. Her big shock came at the Bethel table when Knorr lambasted the hell out of some youngsters who got drunk, spending the better part of the morning. Lots of sisters had their heads in their plates; there were muffled sobs all over the dining room. It was so degrading, dehumanizing ... Thank God the board of directors put a curb on that.
The buzz was that Knorr was a businessman. He may have been a good organizer, but he was a lousy businessman. If it were not for John Groh and Grant Suiter (would be quite at home with Wall Street financiers in a private club) he really would have made a mess of things. Remember the nearly $50 million dollar pressroom fiascos? Check out Randy's site; here's the fun side.
www.freeminds.org/bethel/toons/convert1.htm
Metatron, did you witness Knorr's savage attacks on Colin Quackenbush? Or those of Freddy on CQ? If that's too specific, drop me a note--would appreciate one anyway, we have so much in common. The editor of all the publications, not just Awake! (that title was for public consumption), Colin was banished to the bindery for physical punishment. Cruel? Absolutely. His hands were small, not used to the kind of physical abuse he got. The mental abuse, well that's another story.
M
Omitting the http so this won't print:
www.freeminds.org/bethel/toons/convert1.htm
Nope, didn't know about that.
Dunlap did turn up one day on the 9th floor bindery feedin'
a line with books. He said the doctor recommended it as exercise.
Yeah, right.
You folks outside of Bethel don't understand how an old-timer in
Bethel can be lower than the lowest dog. You spend twenty years
working on stuff that gives you no job experience. Your health
breaks down and you got no pension. You're scared to death of
the outside world and being forced to get a job in it if they
kicked your wrinkled butt out.
So, you do whatever they say
and kiss whatever they tell you to
You tell everyone how wonderful your life has been in Jah's service
or else....
metatron
Yes, that always bothered me. How the Society used people up and then spit them out. Of course depending on the situation, some got away with a lot. I think it just depended on the person and the circumstances.
I will never forget this guy that I entered Bethel with. He was a nice guy and evidently right before he came to Bethel he was starting to get serious with some sister back home. At the end of his first month at Bethel, he took his one vacation day and went home and visited her. He came back and let it be known that he was engaged. His overseers heard about it and were supremely miffed. The young man said that he intended to complete the year that he agreed to before they would set a date for the wedding.
About three months later, I saw him and the poor guy was in a terrible state. He was massively depressed and extremely unhappy. It seems that the overseers decided to give him the worst jobs imaginable in the press room and basically told him that he would never learn anything else because he was going to leave in a year anyway. They had him in a real catch-22. They told him if he left early that it would be the equivalent of breaking his word to Jehovah because he promised God he would spend a year at Bethel. But, they made it clear that they wanted to make his 1 year of life at Bethel as miserable as possible. The poor guy finally did the what I think now is the right thing and left not long after I saw him.
It was situations like these that really made me wonder about the organization and how impersonal it is.
Jeff S.
