I would be curious, however, to know how JW's would talk if the planes HAD hit Bethel and killed 3,000 people there.
From what I understand, it was quite a few. It's amazing re: all the of callous remarks made by witnesses until they realizied that numerous victims were witnesses.
Regarding 9/11 - one of the most inappropriate examples was used by a visiting brother to our hall giving the public talk. He told the story of how one young brother was contemplating taking a job in the WTC that started 9/11. Supposedly, the job would have required longer hours and less time for meetings and ministry.(JW hallmark example of testing one's faith). Well of course he prayed and on 9/10 decided not to take the job, and the brother concluded with saying..
"Because the brother trusted in Jehovah, he did not perish with the thousands of others in those Towers. That's really something to consider friends."
I was new, still baptismally wet behind the ears, but I remember thinking 'WTF???' What about all the other witnesses that did perish who worked there? (By then I believe the was an email or something circulating that had the names of all the witnesses that died.) It shocked me that this brother did not consider all those other dubs that were simply doing their jobs and showing up to work, and lost their lives somehow their faith was lacking?
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Another comment given from the platform directed toward parents. The brother stated that "we didn't beat our children enough, because we were becoming too middle class"
After that, even though I still believed at that time, I listened to talks with a grain of salt as I realized that a lot of what was being said was opinion rather than bible based.