A Century Later, Watchtower Leaving Brooklyn
The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, which in the past couple of years has begun to unload its vast portfolio of buildings accumulated in Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo over the last century, is officially pulling up its roots and moving upstate. We have submitted a proposal to the Town of Warwick to build a complex…
The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, which in the past couple of years has begun to unload its vast portfolio of buildings accumulated in Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo over the last century, is officially pulling up its roots and moving upstate. We have submitted a proposal to the Town of Warwick to build a complex there that we’re calling the World Headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Richard Devine told the Brooklyn Eagle yesterday. The liquidation of the Brooklyn properties is not on a fast track at this point, though, because of the relatively weak real estate market. The Jehovahs Witnesses began selling back in 2007, managing to unload the Standish Arms before the market turned. A deal for the Bossert Hotel on Montague Street fell apart when RAL had to walk away from a signed contract in late 2008. In addition to its massive headquarters at 25 and 30 Columbia Heights (700,000 square feet combined), other properties in the area that still need to be sold but are not actively being market include 165, 161 and 183 Columbia Heights as well as 105 Willow Street and 34 Orange Street. We’re particularly curious about what this means for the two large parking lots in Dumbo.
After Century in Brooklyn, Watchtower Pulls Out of Heights [Brooklyn Eagle]
Jehovah’s Witnesses Plan Exodus from Brooklyn Heights [Gothamist]
Watchtower Officially Bugging Out of Brooklyn Heights [BHB]
Photo by madams girl
Organized religions might go underground if it were illegal, but I don’t think taxes drive people underground.
You know drives people underground? Executing them. Like the Ugandans want to do to gay people. You know who loves these Ugandan morons? The Fellowship Foundation (“the family”) — the people who bring us the National Prayer Breakfast. The people who may own that C Street townhouse. They also hate muslims. Sure glad they don’t have to pay taxes!
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/02/04/obama.prayer/index.html
“You would drive religions underground if you were to tax them.” I know I should let this go, because religion is a topic that doesn’t lend itself to rational discussion, but what does that statement even mean? We’d have “off the books” praying?
Everyone should be free to worship who or whatever they want, be it God, Allah, or the Flying Spaghetti Monster for all I care, but there’s no reason religious institutions should not pay taxes.
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That’s true Rob, but I can’t help but point out how ridiculous that is coming from you, given that you just condemned an entire group of people as “trash” in this very thread, while blindly defending a religious cult that you know nothing about and that did serious damage to a neighborhood. Right that’s not selective at all. No, you’re the epitome of evenhanded tolerance.
lol. i never said i was 100 percent tolerant. of course i am selectively tolerant. just like everyone else! and yes i think that religious organizations should pay taxes too i guess. or just go away. im not a fan of religion to begin with. but im less of a fan of the kinds of people that these buildings will house in the future. that’s my point.
*rob*
All the years I lived in the Heights, the JW’s were good neighbors. I’m no fan of their beliefs and such, but every one of them I ever came in contact with was polite, cleancut and respectful. There was a time when even Bklyn Hgts had a lot of crime, and dodgy characters, but the JW’s were not the problem.
I don’t know that taxing all religious institutions is a good idea but I think we need stricter rules and enforcement. Those big Megachurches that rake in the bucks just so their beloved pastor can drive a fancy car and live in a fancy house? No way- tax the bejesus out of them. Those churches that try to force their views on our political and legal system? Tax them- they are breaking the laws that give them their special tax privileges. Those religious institutions that refuse to keep their end of the bargain should lose their tax status.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses might seem “nice” when they pass you by on the street. They walk politely down the block, wearing their tastefully conservative clothing and give you a polite “hello” and a smile.
But give them a minute to tell you their beliefs and it’s all based on fear and hatred. (while presented in a kind and gentle manner)
Agreed- good riddance!
I also have a problem with ministers who advise their flock to vote for a particular candidate or issue. Seems an unfair advantage and melding of church and state.
You would drive religions underground if you were to tax them. In other civilized countries such as Britain and France, the government does not only not tax religion they support them finanically in order to restore and maintain their buildings that are listed as “National Patrimony”.
“people only seem to be selectively tolerant of others.”
That’s true Rob, but I can’t help but point out how ridiculous that is coming from you, given that you just condemned an entire group of people as “trash” in this very thread, while blindly defending a religious cult that you know nothing about and that did serious damage to a neighborhood. Right that’s not selective at all. No, you’re the epitome of evenhanded tolerance.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124031022
Is this C Street townhouse a church? Seems to house all the guys in Congress who like to have affairs. They worship at the altar of what exactly?