THIS got WT Leaders thrown in Jail

by Tallyman 30 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Tallyman

  How many of you were aware that Watchtower Leaders were
  charged with, tried and convicted of Sedition
  during World War I ?

  They served 9 months of HARD Time in the Federal Pen in Atlanta, GA
  with the 2nd President of the Watchtower society,
  Joseph Franklin "Judge" Rutherford serving as the Chief Jailbird.

  The main reason behind this charge of Sedition was 2 printed pages.
  These 2 pages appeared in their 1917 publication: "The Finished Mystery".
  These 2 pages displayed a disgraceful and demoralizing anti-War sentiment
  during the middle of the raging battles of World War I (The Great War),
  while brave young American men were fighting for freedom on the
  battlefields of Europe and many losing their lives in so doing.

  These are the 2 pages:
  *
  (credit to AlanF for sending the scanned document)

  When communicating with Alan, he made me aware of a fact,
  that if I once knew, I'd forgotten, but he refreshed my memory.
  The content on these pages was not of Watchtower origin (surprise!surprise!).
  Rather, the Watchtower was QUOTING the anti-war sentiments of an idiot pacifist
  preacher, named Reverend John Hayes Holmes of New York City.

  So, the Watchtower publication served as a vehicle to advocate the views
  of this joker, and by doing so, the Watchtower sided with him, promoted him.

  Some of the things this fool was spouting, which the Watchtower rubber-stamped
  were that the war was EVIL and those American soldiers fighting in it were
  EVIL, too. He called them Criminals for defending this country.
  And the Watchtower was in effect saying:
  "Yeah! Us too, also! He's right!"

  Reverend Holmes' ignorance and naivete was STAGGERING. The Watchtower jumped
  on his bandwagon (and soapbox!). He questioned that the war was a life-and-death
  struggle for the preservation of civilization against barbarism...
  which is Exactly what this present War is all about.

  Reverend Holmes' said the soldiers fighting the war were grown from Dragon's Teeth.
  Why didn't he just have the guts to go ahead and call the American military-
  DEMONS FROM HELL?? ... oh, yeah, fergot, he was a Gutless Wonder, a Pacifierist.

  If you want to read this Watchtower-Sponsored Diatribe, here ya go:

  * http://www.intrex.net/talley/SEDITION.html

  - - -

  I would like to take a poll here, on this board, which usually are not
  too popular or given too much participation, but I'll go ahead and ask anywho:

  "How many here would like to see WT Leaders put in Jail, again?"

  .
• 

  Ranchette

  Yeah,and WT is so proud of getting thrown in jail that they have twisted this event into "fullfillment of bible prophecy".They continue to plaster this nonsense in alot of their literature today.
  I just couldn't swallow this crap even when I was still a witness.
  Ranchette

  edited to answer your poll.
  Sure, why not.It would be entertaining to see how they would twist this events meaning once again.
• 

  Shaneliza

  ME !!!!!!
• 

  Moxy

  little known fact:

  on the cover of the paper back version of the finished mystery, words appear to the effect, that the reader can attach a stamp, and drop the book of in the mail and the postmaster will have it sent to the soldiers on the front.

  been a while since ive held one in my hands, so cant remember the exact wording but easy to see where someone might get the impression the publication was seditious.

  mox
• 

  Makena1

  Tallyman wrote: They served 9 months of HARD Time in the Federal Pen in Atlanta, GA with the 2nd President of the Watchtower society,
  Joseph Franklin "Judge" Rutherford serving as the Chief Jailbird.

  Good post -interesting previously unknown details!

  My question on the above quote - I thought I read somewhere (the 1975 Yearbook??) that they really did not do HARD time - breaking rocks etc., but had access to tennis courts and such? More of a minimum security, country club confinement. Hopefully someone can set me straight on this minor detail.

  Peace,
  Makena
• 

  Bridgette

  Mox, you wrote: "attach a stamp, and drop the book of in the mail and the postmaster will have it sent to the soldiers on the front."
  Now, THAT'S interesting!! Not something they tauted when they were retelling that particular part of their history.
  Now, to answer the poll, Tallyman: No.
  But not for the reasons you might think. This organization, esp. their leaders are collectively paranoid to the point of psychosis. If they are put in jail, can you imagine? Martyrdom is what they crave. It would whip up a little bit of fervor if only for a moment, and feed it for a little while longer. This religious corporation, like any outmoded corporation is dying, as it does not sell a useful product. Let it go of its own natural causes. It goes the way of the dinosaur. Its people tire of empty rhetoric filled with fear mongering, lovelessness, and oppression. The organization, being solely dependant upon these R & F, who grow weary, will die out, or evolve into something totally unrecognizable from what it is today: something useful to the human race.
  Pax,
  Bridgette,
• 

  Room 215

  And please, someone correct me if I'm wrong:
  I understand that Rutherford and his stooges extricated themselves from this mess by removing the offending pages from future editions of the Finished Mystery. So much for their ``undaunted courage.'' Sounds like a capitulation to me.
• 

  Tallyman

  Makena1:
  

  I thought I read somewhere (the 1975 Yearbook??)

  Oops, Makena1... "1975 Yearbook" ? earlier version of "Proclaimers"
  ... Watchtower propaganda and revisionist history.
  NOT to be trusted.

  that they really did not do HARD time - breaking rocks etc., but had access to tennis courts and such? More of a minimum security, country club confinement

  Point I was making is that ANY time in a Federal Penitentiary is "Hard" time. That Atlanta Jail in 1917-18 was no country club.
  Part of those 9 months of their confinement was during winter months
  and Rutherford caught a case of pneumonia, from which he never
  fully recovered.

  Later, when he was released, he Vowed Revenge against those who were
  behind convicting him... something about wanting to take a sword
  and plunge it into someone's belly and until "Eglon's Excrement"
  flowed out... (I'd have to look that up)

  Bridgette:,

  Now, to answer the poll, Tallyman: No.
  But not for the reasons you might think...

  Point taken.
  And you know, besides (I didn't think of this) even Mafia Dons can run their Empires from inside prison cells...

  But let me quiz you once more, Bridgette,

  if some Watchtower Leaders (of whatever rank) were tried and convicted
  of harboring/aiding/abetting Pedophiles (the SilentLambs issue)
  would you want to see those put in jail?

  .
• 

  Moxy

  Macmillan's book Faith on the March included a humorous little anecdote where he was trying to finish a tennis game in the penitentiary while rutherford kept bugging him about the WTS's board re-election. the account was repeated in other publications (dont recall if 75 yb, proclaimers or wt)

  mox
• 

  Bridgette

  Tallyman, you asked: "if some Watchtower Leaders (of whatever rank) were tried and convicted
  of harboring/aiding/abetting Pedophiles (the SilentLambs issue)
  would you want to see those put in jail?"
  Yes, wholeheartedly. One, it is just (not that being jailed for sedition, isn't, but hear me out.) It would be FAR more difficult to wrap themselves in the martyrdom banner with child molestation, than sedition. Simply a matter of public opinion. Anything to do with the harm of children (myself included) and we (Joe and Jane Public) go nuts, and don't want to hear lousy excuses. Even those of the Rank and File (whom the WTS view as merely amaharets--dirt people) would take notice, it would be the straw that broke the camels back for many mothers (and fathers). Now, sedition is so very subjective. I can see the ACLU getting involved, the WTBTS wrapping themselves in the Martyr flag (12 old, decrepid men, going to prison--a basically "harmless" organization--blah blah blah). Not to mention the Rank and File, who has been taught that the government is literally Satan's organization would see this as an attack on their beloved, innocent leaders by Satan and it would positively strengthen their faith. They see NO PROBLEM whatsoever with sedition. They in fact see it as their duty to detract allegiance away from earthly governments. Whereas, shedding light on the pedophile issue would cause a lot of people to see the truth about the trooth.
  Your posts are always intriguing, Tallyman.

  Bridgette