As a member for almost 4 decades with an Economics degree, I can attest that this GREED FREE organisation, where even their most "powerful" members, the Governing Body, are given a small allowance a month, is truly Christlike where love instead of money runs the daily affairs of the organisation. Therefore, the purported wealth belongs to God where no single member has any "shareholdings" !!! This is the only yes the only true organisation for sure!!!

I found this article--searching , looking to see how the WT was faring in NYC-- because I had been deeply concerned....concerned for all those that live in NYC. I am an ex-witness, meaning that I am no longer part of their organization, they cast me out...but I still have love for them as fellow humans.
Post 9/11, I had posted extensively on various forums about the meaning of 9/11, and what the WTBTS must do, if they did indeed want to heed the command of the angel, recorded for all to see, in Chapter 18, Revelation to John.
I for one, am very relieved of their decision to leave that city.... for I was in despair.. for them, and for all those that live in that city. I am happy that the destruction still YET to come has been delayed longer than I originally anticipated, but the True God is merciful.

The handwriting was plain to see...it remains to this day...clearly in evidence. It is testimony to the TRUTH of God's word. It will not fail.

However, I do not feel that the decision to relocate has anything to do with a savvy business decision, ESPECIALLY in light of the real estate market disaster, one that has yet to see its full implications, and which, in itself is another separate piece of evidence that the time of the end began, in REALITY, on 9/11. That day was THE WARNING ALARM WAKE UP CALL... and WE ARE ALL WITNESSES to that event and the written word of testimony in scripture.

I wrote to them, and found and spoke to locals elders, pleading with them to GET OUT of NEW YORK!!... and so, it seems, that they have heeded the warning... for this I am glad.

But I am dismayed that I still have yet to hear from any witnesses that they UNDERSTAND what happened that day, and what it REALLY means. And, if they understand it? Why then are they not teaching and preaching this most urgent message to get out of that city --and to follow their own EXAMPLE of leaving?... or it is, every man for only himself and his household?

If the watchman does hear the warning, and sees coming the sword, and does NOT warn his fellow man, disclosing ALL that there is to report, then blood-guilt is upon the man that does not declare what he sees. The blood of those not warned, will be asked back, from the hand of the watchman.

Have any of you actually asked them, "What prompted this huge decision? Why DID you make this decision to move from NYC? How DID You reach the conclusion to undertake such an extensive operation to relocate the ENTIRE world head-quarters? (For this is NO small undertaking to get this move underway.)

It was revealed to me to state, and I re-state it here, that the original "Freedom Tower", (later re-named ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER) will NOT BE COMPLETED, just as in the pattern for the original Tower of Babel.
That tower will not be completed, and will be a demonstration of the truth of God's word. God's word never fails.
But the plans of men, in opposition to God's will, will always come to nothing..

Put your faith in God and his faithful word. Jesus is the Word of God. And his Kingdom IS at the very doors.

May all men, everywhere, repent, for the KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND.

[The original article that began this discussion-by-means-of-replay was about the relocation of the World Headquarters of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society---after ONE HUNDRED YEARS... And this post is designed to bring it back to the topic, and to draw attention to the REAL MEANING OF 9/11.]

The witnesses tell everybody that "the end is near, prepare for the end", then they go selling buying a building new facilities. They are obviously planning for things to be around for a while.

For a glimpse into more of their hypocrisy:

1. Their current issue (Aug 2010 page 3) of "Awake" it says "At the very least, you are entitled to truthful answers. So do not listen to prejudicial hearsay, or rumor, but search for the facts. Says the Bible at Proverbs 14:15: 'A simple man believes every word he hears; a cleaver man understands the need for proof.'"

That's how they get you in. But once you get in, they want you to avoid all folks who left the organization, and never have religious conversations with them. The are also advised to refrain from any website, book, material that questions the teachings of the Watchtower. They should only get their information from the Watchtower. Once you are in, they want you to believe the Watchtower and their prejudicial hearsay, or rumors, and avoid searching for the facts. Why the fear? The Watchtower tells it's followers that those who left the faith are liars, haters of the truth, etc. but that is nothing more than spreading "hearsay" and "rumors". And for witnesses to repeat that stuff without actually knowing all the circumstances is "gossip".

2. To read material that shines a brighter light into the deception, false prophecies, and doctrinal flip-flops of the WT, is viewed as viewing "spiritual pornography" by the WT. Why does the WT allow its believers who are professional photographers to produce images of nude/semi nude women? (Sister Cantrell)

Why does the WT allow it's members to create websites that have nudity on the sites (an elder at that)? The same site has links to Protestant websites in the ads, and links to "apostate" sites in the forums. I guess that elder in south Louisiana donates lots, and so the WT is strangely silent.

3. "theocratic warfare" - it is when witnesses lie or bend the truth in order to protect the WT organization. Jesus and the rest of the Bible has strong words for those who lie. And isn't God's enemy referred to as "the deceiver"?

4. They look with a microscope at the history of the Protestant and Catholic churches, noting anything that they can label as "pagan" and forbidding such practices as celebrating birthdays, Christmas, etc. Yet, when someone asks about the pagan teachings (pyramids, etc) of JW founder Charles Russell, then, they tell you that you are persecuting them and that it is proof that they are the true religion. Huh?

5. They say they love everybody, and they will as long as you don't ask questions, and embrace their teachings. If you walk away from the JW's they treat you in a very un-loving way. If you are obedient to the Aug 2010 Awake, and ask for proof, you will NOT see a lot of love.

6. They are all taught that the unusual "translation" of the bible they use is accurate. But, when you ask them who served on the translation committee, and if they knew the original languages, the JW's won't answer directly and hid the fact that nobody on the committee knew the original languages with any authority. Only one had any knowledge of the original languages, and his knowledge was limited to one of the three languages, and he had only a basic understanding of that language.

If any of you Jehovah's Witnesses think my words are lies, deception, or otherwise, please for the sake of your own eternity, look it up. Dig around. "Search for the facts" That is what the WT told you to do. You now have not only permission, but you are commanded to by the WT.

May God bless you.

jehovahs witnesses i just wanted 2 remind you of 1cor. 15:33 this site is full of apostates.

If you have energy to spend on trying to improve people, why not start with more concrete situations such as helping out in foodbanks or volunteering in any number of public/private organizations to really help people

Well, obviously complaining on the internet does not preclude doing any of those things.

Some of us complain because we actually know a lot about them from direct experience. We provide a counterpoint to the way they portray themselves. Their image, is, after all, carefully crafted and part of their pitch.

Despite your positive view of them, they are not benign. The consequences for families can be quite severe. Their apocalyptic worldview and "us vs. them" attitude is, to put it plainly, immoral, deeply irrational, and bad for the welfare of the individual believer. And unlike most religions they aggressively seek converts (and have a high turnover) - proselytizing is the point of the religion, not just something unusual they do.

There's nothing wrong with offering a critical perspective on it. People deserve to know more about the person knocking on their door.

I'm coming late to this discussion following a link from LAist....

I am not a JW, I belong to another church but...

In living in a small town I observed:

When other people were out getting drunk and having auto accidents, the JWs were home, or at Kingdom Hall

when times were tough financially, they helped each other out...not all other local churches did anything to help their parishioners

If neighbors, they didn't gossip or spread rumors

They might not agree with what the schools were teaching but their children were sent/taken to school--unlike some other parents who couldn't be bothered.

What I did see:

People criticising the JWs fro not observing birthdays or Christmas or Halloween, and the usual complaint was about how they were denying their children the experiences. Often these are the same parents who had little or no parenting skills themselves.Pot-kettle?

Most of the people who complained about the JWs were people who were not part of a church or group and of those that were, were often part of a small pentecostal church without trained ministers. I remember once such chapel where the minister's wife ran away with a truck driver because she couldn't stand being his wife and the way the congregation tried to control their lives. Not the best representative of a Christian congregation.

I have also observed (in that small town, and now in LA) that people who criticise certain religious groups (I do not include Scientology in that category) are often people who criticize religion in general.

If you're happy with where you're at religiously/spiritually/personally, then why are you worried about what other people are doing?

If you have energy to spend on trying to improve people, why not start with more concrete situations such as helping out in foodbanks or volunteering in any number of public/private organizations to really help peopel--instead of spending your time complaining about how people [who have the constitutional right to worship as they please] live their lives.

As far as selling the Brooklyn property, just sounds like a good business decision to me. And, I imagine, the people who work there would be happier to live in a less stressful environment.

You can smell a Watchtower cult troll shill a mile away!

Man oh man does this JW cult ever shill a lot,like the carnival snake oil sales geeks.

Hello! I was a 3rd generation JW my entire clan was defrauded of our financial assets by the Watchtower racket.

The JW cult is a deadly scam.

Zombies but that is what organized religion creates.

Lol, Their still around ? I thought they went out of business .

All churches are the same.

JW or OCM. Same Sh*t.

Wow! Totally green facilities. That's really motivating...

Green facilities seem kind of pointless for a society founded on prophecies of imminent apocalypse.

It's not "pointless" when you take time to consider we also value our Earth and want to keep it as clean and green as possible.

Its a waste of time trying to argue with a JW - they are blind to anything apart from what their head publicists tell them.

For the more open minded the second half of the attached blog is an amusing take on JW's

www.religiosityandintelligence...

The cult and its apparent authority are so contradictory its hard not to find it amusing - if not for the tragedy that comes with people being drawn apart and so many wasting their lives believing in such zealous extremism.

All you can do is hope they come to their senses, and leave them to it.

no one says you have to join;it's your option,just don't complain about the consequences of your own choice.& remember handsomedevil,they weren't the ones getting excited & saying it was God's punishment on USA,it was the rockcandy mountain preachers[who promptly backed off when everyone screamed].at least someone thinks you're worth saving--what will it mean when they quit knocking?

if muslims, jews, hindus, atheists, or buddhist went door to door trying to convert people you know that there would be riots.

Don't worry about rioting, start worrying when they stop knocking !!

Good Riddance.

Good riddance to you too!

In addition to the buildings, they also own a bunch of parking lots scattered around DUMBO which they will presumably no longer need. One of them is an entire square block, right next to the York St station: $$$$$