New York Police Stream Video of Pastor Mocking 9/11 Deaths: ‘God Doesn’t Care’

An upstate pastor leading a Bible study broadcast live by a state legislator callously claimed that God didn’t care about the nearly 2,800 New Yorkers killed at the World Trade Center on 9/11 The victims themselves are to blame for the deaths because they were unrepentant.

The vile comments from Michael Cesar of Grace and Truth Church in suburban Buffalo were aired on the police department’s Facebook page by state Rep. David DiPietro (R-East Aurora). DiPietro often hosts the Bible study.

“God doesn’t care about the Twin Towers getting hit,” Cesar said in the Sept. 16 video, filmed just five days after the 23rd anniversary of the massacre.

“What was God thinking on September 11th? He knew what was going to happen. Do you know what he was thinking? Every single one of those people should have been saved,” Cesar said, referring to “saved” as born-again Christians.

In the 76-minute video, the passionate proselytizer claimed that those killed in the terrorist attacks were responsible for their deaths because they had enough time to “be saved” but chose not to.

“It’s serious stuff, guys. “If you sin, you will surely die,” said Caesar.

DiPietro is a member of the Church of Caesar along with his wife. He has shared dozens of the pastor’s vile videos over the years, The Buffalo News first reported.

On September 17, DiPietro re-shared the video, calling it “a fantastic lesson!!!! “If you want to know where you’re going…HEAVEN or HELL…What’s REALLY happening!!!”

The families of the 9/11 victims were horrified.

“He doesn’t know what someone’s faith was, what religion they were or how they practiced their religion,” Terry Strada, whose 41-year-old husband Tom was killed in the North Tower, told The Post.

“Advocating such a vile mindset is a slap in the face to all the victims’ family members who continue to struggle with the loss, pain and suffering to this day.”

Retired FDNY Lt. James McCaffrey, whose brother-in-law, firefighter Orio Palmer, died in the South Tower, criticized Cesar for mocking the first responders who gave their lives to save those trapped in the towers — and DiPietro for sharing that hatred supported.

“They knew they were going to die, they did it anyway, the selfless sacrifice, and this guy is denigrating that,” McCaffrey ranted.

“Shame on the MP and anyone else who agrees with this [Cesar] spits,” he said.

Cesar, a former anesthesiologist, was accused of medical negligence and did not deny the allegations as part of a consent decree in 2008, state records show. In 2010, he agreed not to activate his registration or reapply for a state medical license, records show.

According to The Buffalo News, in a series of videos shared by DiPietro, Cesar denigrated other religions and made fun of Muslims and Hindus, among other things, using racist phrases and insults.

In an April 22 clip that DiPietro also posted, the priest mocked Catholics and explained that the Bible doesn’t tell people to “eat waffles” or “go into a phone booth with a pervert.”

“I hate the Roman Catholic Church,” he said. “Because we who love the Lord hate evil. And that’s the mother of all whores.”

DiPietro, who has served in the state Legislature since 2013 and will face Democratic candidate Darci Cramer in the November election, has donated at least $2,285 in campaign funds to Grace and Truth Church since January 2020, according to state records.

DiPietro emphasized in a statement on his Facebook page Friday that he has “always stood for the values ​​of respect, understanding and coexistence between people of all faiths.”

Strada, chairman of 9/11 Families United, said DiPietro voters should think twice about their representative “posting this vile sentiment on his Facebook page and supporting a man who could be so callous and heartless.”

“This man’s sentence should be a matter of great concern,” she said.

Cesar did not return a call seeking comment.