Changes are being seen in Brooklyn as Watchtower leaves town

In mid-July the news broke that Watchtower had sold six of its key Brooklyn Bethel properties in a $375 million windfall.

Now Brooklyn residents are beginning to feel the difference as workers have started removing signs from the exteriors of some of these well-known buildings.

A video now available online shows time-lapse footage of workers painting over the sign “Read God’s Word the Holy Bible Daily” at 117 Adams Street. On another side of the same building, workers can be seen removing similar signage advertizing the Watchtower magazine and its famous slogan “Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.”

Reportedly a number of bethelites came out to witness the events on 24th August 2013 as a well-known Brooklyn landmark revealed the first visible signs of changing ownership.

Ruben Ortiz runs a support group for current and former Witnesses on Facebook with more than 2,000 members. On hearing the news, he took to the streets with his camera to document the changes for himself.

To those closely following the Brooklyn sell-offs, which have so far brought in upwards of a Billion dollars for the Society, the changing of ownership of such recognizable bethel factory buildings will not come as a great shock. Even so, as Watchtower heads upstate in pursuit of its elaborate strategy to secure extra funding, it is only fitting to recognize the moment where Brooklyn most visibly started to say goodbye to its historic residents.

 

 

 

 

 

Further reading…

6 thoughts on “Painting away the past: Workers begin removing signs from Brooklyn Bethel buildings

  • August 27, 2013 at 12:55 pm
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    Too bad it isn’t just that simple to “paint over and remove” the trauma and pain, horror and grief, loss and very real damage that these reckless and carelessly irresponsible people have done in tangible and Human terms in the lives of people? What crew do we call for that? The authorities seem to have very little regard at this point…

  • August 27, 2013 at 12:59 pm
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    Hurrah! The Watchtower is falling!

  • August 27, 2013 at 1:54 pm
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    Gone at last…. Did you know that a lot of these building were bought after a failed prediction? Usually when the Watchtower made a prediction, people sold all they had and gave the money to the Watchtower. A perfect example is 1925. The watchtower predicted that the end would come in 1925. Individual witnesses sold their belongings and houses to wait for the end. They gave the money from all those sales to the Watchtower organization. The watchtower bought the famous 117 Adams Street building in Brooklyn in 1926, along with 4 other buildings, some of which were demolished, rebuilt, remodeled, and enlarged. Where could a religious organization get money to buy and work on 5 buildings within 1 year in NY? In the early 1980’s additional buildings were bought, after the 1975 failed predictions which led many jehovahs witnesses to again sell their properties and give all their money to the WTBTS. Now, they accept donations in the form of credit cards, property deeds, wills, stocks and bonds, jewelry, and several other ways. If you don’t believe about the purchase of properties coinciding with their failed prediction dates…. Do some research.
    People are giving free money to an organization that doesn’t give even a penny to feed the poor. The Watchtower’s so called life saving message cannot feed food to a hungry human who is dying of starvation. If you are a JW looking at this… And don’t believe a word you read, that’s ok. Living as a Jehovah’s Witness is a life with purpose. Your purpose in life is to preach the Watchtower. People go to the watchtower for salvation, not to God’s kingdom. Jesus illustration of the broad and narrow road didnt mean many roads vs. 1 road. Just do your own research to see if what you are following is the truth. So many people can’t be wrong… We all just happened to open our eyes.

  • September 4, 2013 at 4:17 am
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    Since they took down the signs, does that mean they have already turned over the buildings to the new owners or are they still in those buildings?

  • September 20, 2013 at 2:47 pm
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    Its All about relationship With Jesus Christ not following after an orginzation , remember scripture say’s we are of the body of Christ , not a peticuler location or building or some religious organuization. And scripture also states the we were created for Him to come down an fellowship with us and to abide in us , remember we are the church in what ever locality we are in.

  • December 8, 2014 at 6:57 pm
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    Estou na organização ha 50 anos, sempre me mantive ativo e participante, sou fotografo no Brasil e fotografei praticamente todos membros do CV, que estiveram no Brasil, tais homens, deram sua vidas a favor do Reino, e ainda dão, todos os bens acumulados pertence ao Rei entronizado Jesus, a obra não é de homens. Certa ocasião Jesus disse: Deixe que os mortos enterrem seus mortos. Olha para o seu aspecto, você se tornou igual a Satanás, que escarnece a Jeová, só vê defeitos e não olha para si, você vai como muitos outros ficar latindo como os cães la fora, lembre-se de Cora e seus amigos, o chão pode se abrir e te engolir vivo.

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