Elder Resigns Because Of 9---11

by minimus 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  RedhorseWoman

  BTW, I've heard two versions of Brooklyn's reaction after everyone came running over the bridges.....one is that they opened their doors to the public, provided coffee, blankets, food, comfort and medical care. The other version I heard is that they literally locked their doors. Anyone know for sure what happened?

  The version I heard (read, actually) was posted on WOL by an active Witness who had received an email from a relative who was at Bethel. The Bethelite stated that someone coming over the bridge had wandered into Bethel seeking shelter and a glass of water. The Bethelite said that the doors were then locked because they didn't want any more "worldly people" wandering in.

  I'm inclined to believe the version I read there, since it was totally off the cuff, and posted as the tragedy was unfolding. The WTS PR department hadn't yet had a chance to get themselves in gear, so comments made at that time would, IMO, be closer to the truth.
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  James2300

  I was at Brooklyn Bethel on 9/11. When the planes hit, I was working in the 360 Furman building. I know that a crowd of people came walking across the Brooklyn bridge, including some Witnesses who were heading to Bethel for shelter. I don't know whether they let people in during the first few hours. At lunch, Gerritt Lsch announced that since NYC police would be very busy, Bethel would have to take extra security precautions. That afternoon, they had Bethelites outside of the buildings checking IDs before you could even enter the lobby. I don't think very much was offered to the displaced "worldly" people. Bethel was "locked down" that evening--meaning that all Bethelites were instructed to stay in. Later they set up a refreshments table at the 90 Sands lobby. I believe that it was intended for relief workers.

  As for comments made by Bethelites after the tragedy, I would say that reactions were mixed. What impressed me at first was the deafening silence of rhetoric coming either from individual Bethelites or from the leadership. There was no spin, no interpretation, no wisdom. I saw for the first time a moment of weakness. My department overseer, known for his loud and frequent statements, simply sat and listened to the radio like the rest of us during the morning of 9/11. Not once did he address the department as a whole. Even the lunchtime announcement by Lsch did not hail this as a coming of the end, an opportunity to witness, or a foretaste of the future. He said that we should not be surprised that these things happen during the end and to be a source of comfort to each other and our neighbors.

  Despite the criticism of NYC at times as a stronghold of worldly thinking, most Bethelites felt a loss when the Towers came down. I think that many of them took pride in the fact that they lived in the big city and came to identify with it. They enjoyed seeing the city skyline from the windows of Bethel. Although I remember a congregation publisher saying he couldn't wait to see the city come crashing down--before 9/11, that is--I don't ever remember hearing a bethelite say any such thing.

  On the 12th, we had to work overtime in the Laundry. No one seemed to rejoice over 9/11. Instead there was sadness, grief, uncertainty. One sister remarked at how terrible it was for all those people who died. I think a lot of other people felt the same way even if they didn't say it. We usually listened to the radio during overtime--this time, instead of music, we listened to news. A soundbite from a Catholic bishop was played. "We must not take the law into our own hands," he said, "rather, we should let the governments of the civilized world do their job." Another soundbite was played--"When faced with evil we must turn the other cheek and resist the temptation to take revenge." It was more sensible than any comments I had heard so far. One brash young Bethelite guffawed at these words. The interesting thing is that no one else laughed with him.
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  LyinEyes

  I have always had a struggle , even as a child, that so many kids and good people would be destroyed at Armeggedon. I could not believe that ones like my old grandmother who couldnt read, would be killed . I had all those images in my mind from the books and magazines of people being hit in the head with giant hailstones, falling in large cracks in the earth,,,,,,,, just utter destruction.

  When I watched all the coverage of 9-11 it looked like what I had in my mind of armeggedon.To this day, when I hear the stories on tv or any of the tribute songs , of people begging everyone to please call if they have seen their loved one, I cry.

  The tribute that got to me the worst was that of the firemen. It showed them going into one of the buildings even before they knew what was happening really, and the builidng just feel around them.

  It was hard to see a few minutes of a fireman talking to his co workers and the next they found him dead . They all went back to the firehouse and waited for their "brothers" to return and when they each came back, they grabbed them , cried and hugged them.

  These men, could barely tell the horrors they saw that day, and the months after durning the cleanup.

  I for one , never could see myself rejoicing over cleaning up dead bodies of people I knew. I never felt I was better than anyone eles just because I was JW and they were not. I no longer believe that to be true, I am not sure if there will be an armeggedon, but if there is it will not be just JW' s who make. In fact , if they don't get off their high horses, none of them will make it. I think there are good people in the JW , they just are mislead, then again there are those who know what they are doing. Same with other religions too.
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  LB

  Interesting spin and one I hadn't considered. That the destruction of neighbors on 9/11 would cause some JW's to question their own doctrine. I'm sure some will take the spin as a sign to increase their ministry so as to save those from permanent destruction but it's good to see some opening their eyes.
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  badwillie

  That September I was still in my "infancy" of finding out the real deal about the JW's. Sept 11 definitely helped me to see that there was no way that God (if there was one) would do this type of thing many times over around the world. I cried (like many) observing the events of that day - then felt relieved to know that would never be an Armageddon (.."real soon") as the JW's teach.
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  Pleasuredome

  i question if this elder had any faith at all. in fact i question whether many JWs have any faith other than in the WTS. maybe it was his faith in the WTS that led him to quit God.

  unfortunately we cant escape the fact that the bible says that all those against God will suffer destruction. we have to accept it or reject it. God has done it in the past and he will do it again. thats the way it is.
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  blondie

  minimus, I would think that he had taken other hits to his beliefs and this was the final straw. I always figured that God would make any final jugdment and that making me responsible for their survival was not reasonable nor scriptural.

  I have been reading the books of CT Russell and he seems to have taught that only the governmental arrangements, commerical and religious would be dismantled in 1914, but humans would continue living on the earth and that would be the beginning of the 1,000 reign during which people living then and those resurrected would be taught about God and given their first real chance to make their own decision to serve God or not. He never taught a wholesale destruction of the human race in 1914.

  That why the only urgency in the preaching work was to gather the remainder of those he felt would be going to heaven. The idea of preaching to sort the sheep from the goats is not there until JF Rutherford shows up on the scene.

  When JWs verbally long for "this system" to end soon, I say, "then you are asking for all these people to die." Of then they deny that is what they want. I continue, "Well, if these people aren't baptized Jehovah's witnesses, what do you think Jehovah is going to do to them if the "end" comes right now? What about your family who aren't witnesses?" Then they get quiet.

  I'm glad he feels at peace now.

  Blondie
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  minimus

  This elder had questioned some things in the past, but this was his final straw. Now he does not attend any meetings. He expressed to me that he never realized how much time was taken from his normal enjoyment of life. His life is happier in spite of the fact that his own wife has practically disfellowshipped him from the household. She's even expressed that perhaps if her husband could find a "worldly" woman, he might commit adultery and then she could be free of him!
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  Pistoff

  The wife's reaction is to me the typical witness reaction: the marriage is worthless now that they no longer believe the same thing. I know many marriages where the husband and wife respect each other's belief, but this woman regards her husband as worthless because of his change, and I have to admit that I used to think the same things. I knew a man who was "stumbled" out of the truth, and I remember thinking what a waste of a life. I can't believe how arrogant I used to be, all the time thinking that it was just being "strong in the truth".

  I hope this woman can come to appreciate the place her husband is at; the faith he had in God was mediated by the org, and now that he sees through the org, he of course doubts God. Been there, done that; it does get better, but man, anyone going through it is in for some pain.
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  blondie

  Wow, minimus.

  She's even expressed that perhaps if her husband could find a "worldly" woman, he might commit adultery and then she could be free of him!

  She can leave any time if she feels her "spirituality" is endangered. He doesn't have to commit adultery to give her grounds for a scriptural divorce to protect her "spirituality."

  I would tell her if she wants a scriptural divorce, she will have to commit adultery with a "worldly man," have her husband refuse to forgive her, get reproved or DF'd (then reinstated). Sounds to me like sex and not "spirituality" is her concern.

  Blondie