Were there 200 JW's disfellowshipped in 1980 all at once - in Cleveland, Ohio?

I have some old notes from a 1981 circuit assembly. Brother Frank Bartell was the District Overseer. I am pretty sure its 1981 or 1982.

Anyway, in his last talk he said that there was a terrible situation in Cleveland Ohio the previous year (1980). There were 200 disfellowshipped and 200 publicly reproved. Witnesses there were making PORNOGRAPHIC MOVIES with each other. The majority that were disfellowshipped were those that had heard about it and hadn't come forward.

So I have this in one of my old notebooks from the assembly.

Is this a true experience? Or didn't someone tell a story to the D.O.?

Anyone out there know?

BF

I remember Bro Bartell in the 1990s. Very prim and proper.

He didn't like kids much and I was told to stay away from him.

Something like that story would have gone right over my head

but I'm sure adults would have remembered. How does one ask

about this discreetly... Awkward.

It's true.  Mostly people from the west side of Cleveland.  After that no one was allowed to have any kind of party or gathering.

Yes, I heard about it. I know someone from Cleveland, they told me about it.

I lived in the west Side of Cleveland in 1980. I never heard about anything like that.

But, that doesnt mean it didnt happen. I didnt know very many  people who got disfellowshipped in 1980.

And I thought I knew a lot of people. And who I didnt know my wifes large Italian family knew.

All the young people would get together for partys and play baseball and football and have picnics.

  I dont recall any great disfellowshiping in Cleveland.

200 people. I doubt there where 10, 15 congregations on the west Side of Cleveland back in 1980.

If it happened it was kept pretty hush. At least at the time.

I did move to Florida in March of 81 so I could have missed the announcement at the circuit assembly.

Still I dont recall any great disfellowshiping.

It could have happened on the west side of Ohio.

It could have happened but I didnt hear about it.

Perhaps they were the "first fruits" of the break up movement in the 80's. So in order to hide the real true, secure their possition and not to make the rest of the rank and file to start thinking, they use the old trick of fornication... 

In 1980 there were few "video camera's" around so how did they make these films....sounds alittle far feached!!

My husbands brother and sister are witnesses in the area.They told the story years ago and  it was for sex parties. And the number was higher. Several congregations were disbanded. Never heard the names of the congregations but they were in the Cleavland area.

I thought this was going to be an "African GB Member" thread.

Supposed it happend, these 200 were just walking on the top of the skyscraper and few seconds before it was announced they are DF, an astroid did struck them out of the sky... Do you thing it is good for them or bad for them???

We love you africanGBmember!!!

Albert 

lol Albert

I'm sorry, sex parties? 

Involving 200, plus another 200 knowing but not reporting?

Sounds like something the sex-obsessed JW's would make up,

not something that happens in real life.

200 sounds like too large a number to be df'd at one time, and another 200 reproved? I don't believe it.

Warlock 

I remember Bartell (he was fondly called Ballbag). He trumpeted that info. I was a new elder then and it was really stressed that these "sex parties and wife swapping" was happening there.

these "sex parties and wife swapping" was happening there.

I missed that good stuff as a JW.  Shit.

BonaFide,

I don't doubt your notes, I just doubt the story.

Warlock 

200?!

Ménage à deux cents?

Three posters have heard that before, looks like a good possibility it happened.

Wow

BF

Trouble with that theory is that I'll bet everyone who posted on this thread heard the story about Smurfs being demonized, too... that didn't make it true.

Another possibility is that there was indeed an entire congregation disfellowshipped... but you know JW rumors always turn it into a seedy sex story.  Heck, for all we know, it might have been from them studying the bible... 

Sounds like JW Urban Legend..200 JW fornicators disfellowshipped in one small area..Yeah Right!!.................Reniaa was the only one who got away!.......................LOL!!...OUTLAW