Did Rutherford Smoke?

VM44

Does anyone know if Rutherford smoked cigars?

Would that be documented in any writing?

We know that he enjoyed liquor, but whether he smoked or not is not clear.

--VM44

In 1929 Jehovah's Witness president, Joseph Rutherford built for himself a beautiful villa in San Diego, California as his winter palace. (Pictured above) While most Witnesses suffered through the great depression, Rutherford lived like royalty. He drank imported liquor, smoked big cigars and drove a Cadillac.

http://www.escapefromwatchtower.com/deed.html

However, the Jehovah's Witnesses ban on smoking is only recent (1974) and they never disfellowshipped individuals for smoking before this time since the beginning when they were founded by Charles Taze Russell in 1879. It's difficult to believe that it would take "Jehovah" nearly 100 years to alert the Governing Body that smoking wasn't a good thing. Most Jehovah's Witnesses don't realize that their second president 'Judge' Joseph F. Rutherford smoked cigars.

http://www.uq.net.au/~zzmstefa/7Points.htm

Not sure what this is based on, if anything at all.

Hellrider

Smoke `em if you got `em.

Mulan

I was pretty sure I had read he smoke cigars. I was right, if it's in writing somewhere.

Lady Lee

why do I think I've seen a picture of him smoking a cigar?

now I gotta go hunting

greendawn

It doesn't behoove God's only chosen channel on earth to smoke cigars, drink alcohol in excess and live in shameless luxury.

garybuss

I have heard of a picture of Rutherford standing beside a Cadillac with a cigar in his hand. A Gilead graduate during the Rutherford era told me personally that Rutherford smoked. I have not been able to find the proof. I talked to Jim Penton in 1996 or 97 about Rutherford smoking and at that time he didn't have any proof of it either.

Legolas

But even if he did smoke it was not banned till the 70's!

littlerockguy

That's nice to know that the first president of the WTS could grow a beard and the second president of the WTS one could smoke but none of the rank and file could do either of those things today.

blondie

It is surprising how many JWs smoked until 1973. There were even smoking breaks at the meetings.

Supposedly, no JW appointed to any position could be a smoker but I know of several elders who smoked and "held office." But they did finally get strict in 1973 and I saw several elders DF'd for smoking.

***

jv chap. 13 p. 181 Recognized by Our Conduct ***The
Watchtower, in its issue of March 1, 1935, made it clear that no one who was a user of tobacco could be a member of the headquarters staff of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society or be one of its appointed representatives. After all servants in the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses were appointed by the Society (which arrangement began in 1938), The Watchtower of July 1, 1942, stated that the prohibition on tobacco use also applied to all these appointed servants. In some areas a number of years passed before this was fully implemented. However, the majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses responded favorably to the Scriptural counsel and the good example of those taking the lead among them.

You could get baptized and be smoking.

*** jv chap. 13 p. 181 Recognized by Our Conduct ***

As a further forward step in consistent application of that Bible counsel, none who were still smoking were accepted for baptism from 1973 onward.

***

w69 2/15 p. 127 Questions from Readers ***

Consequently, in addition to the aforementioned reasons for overcoming the unclean habit, one should strive to conquer the habit so as to be available for special privileges in the congregation, such as being an appointed servant or a full-time pioneer minister.

Since the occasion of one’s water baptism is such a significant point in his life, that is an excellent time to break the tobacco habit if it has persisted up to that point.

But notice they are not "required" to stop smoking to be baptized.