Was anyone at Bethel on 9-11 or know of anyone who was? I was just wondering the reactions to the bethelites there on that day. Also, was Bethel close enough to ground zero to have any effect on the publishing that day? I had a sister in my congo. tell me that the Bethelites were the only "place of business" to open their doors to poeple trying to flee the area and that the bethelites fed them and gave them comfort. Just wondering if it is true.
Was anyone at Bethel on 9-11-01?
by snarf 15 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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purplesofa
I got alot of info from Bethel at that time. They did open their doors, from what I remember and help alot of people.....Some took lodging there as well.
On my other computer I had alot of pics that were taken from Bethel of the towers and the city. People walking over the bridge or a bridge......is that close to Bethel.
Some from Bethel had video that was floating around for awhile. My impression as I remember it ......they were pretty shook up.
I had friends who had kids there at the time and I remember it was days before they could get any information on thier safety.
And I am trying to remember, but I think it was Four witnesses that lost their lives that day.
For Immediate Release
September 11, 2001Reaching out to those hit by tragedy
"I got rocked out of my chair." Timothy Eng was on the 83 rd floor of World Trade Center's Building #1 and felt the first plane hit this morning. "At first I thought it was a really heavy wind, but then I saw one of the traders I work with; he was burned from head to toe. I rushed to put out the flames. People said a plane hit the building. All we saw was debris flying out from above. I helped the trader get down the stairs. As we came down it was dark and there was water and debris everywhere."
Michael Wityk was on the 59 th floor in Building #2, preparing for a 9 a.m. meeting. After a sudden loud noise, he saw that Building #1 was on fire, with paper and glass flying outside. "We were told to evacuate. When we were in the stairwell and got down to about the 20 th floor, an announcement indicated they were about to let us go back up, thinking that only Building #1 was being affected. All of a sudden Building #2 shook. There was some other kind of violent explosion, then everyone started getting panicky. It changed the mood, the terror really rose at that point. My knees literally started to shake."
Both of these men were survivors of today's tragedy, two of the thousands who made their way across the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges to escape the aftermath of this catastrophe.
Linda works on Wall Street and had to evacuate with throngs of other New Yorkers. "One of the tenants was trampled, but thank God she was all right. Others saw the second plane hitting the tower. Everyone was scared. . . . Hatred can do so much harm. So many innocent lives were lost for no reason. We pray we can assist others who were going through such a hard time."
Arriving in the lobby of the Watchtower buildings across the Brooklyn Bridge, Timothy, Michael and Linda breathed a sigh of relief. They were able to join many others who sought shelter in these buildings. The billowing smoke across the river is a reminder of what they just survived.
A volunteer brings Timothy a cup of water and offers him a chair. "You don't know how happy I feel to have made it to Brooklyn, coming down from 83 floors in the air." When he realized he really was out of danger, he added, "I feel safe."
Food and refreshments are provided to the people who streamed in the building. "They are looking for a haven," Jack, one of the helping hands, remarks. "There was some panic. A lot of people who work here volunteered to help provide whatever was needed."
The Watchtower buildings in Brooklyn were not damaged in today's tragedy, but the people working in them felt it deeply. As spokesman J.R. Brown expressed it, "Today's explosions sent a shock wave through the heart of New York and the rest of the world. Everyone will be touched by this tragedy . Comfort and cooperation are the necessary survival kit right now."
Contact: J. R. Brown, telephone: (718) 560-5600
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sf
Comfort and cooperation are the necessary survival kit right now."
Says J.R. Bozo. LOL! As if.
Yet per phone call TO Bethel yesterday, "our ministry does not involve going to Ground Zero today".
Comfort and co-operation, at it's WATCHTOWER FINEST!
Such a disgrace they truly are.
Purp, I recall back in the chat days when 9/11 happened, the news on the four jws. So does the brother at Bethel whom I spoke with yesterday. When he stated what he did about "our ministry", I said to him that today is not about ANYONES MINISTRY. It is about comfort and paying respect to those who perished that worked at organizations in N.Y. that allow you to keep your "machines" at WTBTS PUBLISHING CORP. running.
I wish I had said what a friend said to me as I related my phone call yesterday to her...that "a plane could have very well hit one of YOUR buildings." Wish I would have said too, and I still may [ CALL BACK...LOL ], What would you THEN expect of the world, that you print-to-teach your members to hate so much and be no part of, to DO FOR YOU?
It amazes me how audacious WTBTS seriously is.
sKally
sKally
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heatherg
My brother was there on one of those bus trips to Bethel when it all happened. It messed him up pretty bad, he's on all kinds of meds for it now
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RR
I wasn't there but a few friends were. The Society DID open its doors, but only after some backlash. They actually locked all the doors, not allowing anyone in. After all, you can't have wordly people inside the Lord's house, covered in ashes. Later they realized this wasn't going to look good for them, so they opened the door selectively.
RR
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What-A-Coincidence
I witnessed it. I was at BRK Bethel.
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Justitia Themis
What-a-Coincidence:
Is what RR said about locking the doors true?
Justitia
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What-A-Coincidence
More than likely but I was not aware.
They had told us to stay inside the buildings and to return to work as normal. WTF? Normal???
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cabasilas
Makes me wonder if the people described in the press release were actually JWs?
Wouldn't it have been quite a positive witness if the kitchens at Bethel had prepared food and drink for some of the thousands of people walking across the Brooklyn Bridge?
Oh...I keep forgetting that the JWs are engaged in the more important work of preaching the good news...
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Jim_TX
What-a-coincidence's experience parallels what I heard/read.
I was not there... but on one of the ex-JW forums - that no longer exists, a friend (ex-JW) had a letter forwarded to her by a JW - who received it from someone at bethel, at the time of the incident.
If I remember correctly, the way that it happened... there were folks inside bethel - the printing area I suppose - who were concerned with the goings-on at the twin towers (no doubt thinking that armageddon itself was upon them).
They were looking out the windows, and the 'overseer' - or person in charge - came over, shut the blinds, and told them to 'get back to work'.
Regards,
Jim TX
