Why isn't Rutherford on the Radio?

by jgnat 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jgnat

  We are at the part of the "Revelation - It's Grand Climax" chapter where they talk of the seventh trumpet. The book boasts of the grand broadcasts to the "world" in the 1920's, on radio. Ever wonder why the Witnesses aren't on the radio any more? Why did they retreat to print media while the rest of the world graduated to the air waves and then the web?

  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,730814,00.html

  My instincts tell me that Rutherford pushed the envelope a little too far. He was muzzled. What holds back the society from exploring the new media with their softer message these days? I suspect they're running on momentum.
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  hillbilly

  Media cost money. They could convert thousands of folks with a good media program...and reap in millions of dollars in revenue.

  IMHO they already have a pretty good cash flow... enough that they had to file a breif on behalf of Jimmy Swaggart to keep the tax man away.

  I think they just would not know how to service several million new members... they WT culture is still based on some very Victorian -era ideals as far as business and org structure goes... I think they know they are not flexible to handle a surge.

  ~Hill
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  jgnat

  Very good point, hill. The monstrous machine that is the Watchtower Society really wants to keep things the same. Their carefully structured budget predictions will remain stable that way.

  Pretty darn good thing we are not all condemned to death for failing to heed their "life-saving" message.
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  BFD

  Good question jgnat.

  It reminds me of something. My sister called me about this a few months ago. She was having a converstion with mom and innocently asked her why the WT$ doesn't preach the message on T.V. or radio. Well for some reason this made my mom go on a rant, not sure what it was all about, then she stormed out of the house. She really is unstable.

  Anyway, my sister called me and asked if I had a clue as to why mom would re-act this way. I have no idea. Maybe they consider the media run by satan or something, who knows. You would think that since their message is so important they would want to reach as many people as possible. What a wacky religion.

  BFD
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  blondie

  Rutherford basically attacked the Catholic Church in his radio broadcasts. If the pictures of clergymen in his books is any indication, he was not diplomatic in any way.

  *** w55 7/1 pp. 393-394 Part 13—Champions of Freedom of Speech and of Worship ***

  This Plainfield, New Jersey, outrage against freedom of speech and freedom of worship was going too far. In the battle of the air waves, in late 1933 and early 1934 Jehovah’s witnesses continued pressing the fight in the public interest by circulating a nationwide petition addressed to the United States Congress in Washington, vigorously protesting against Catholic intimidation and threats to free speech over the radio. To this petition 2,416,141 signatures were obtained and it was presented to Congress at Washington on January 24, 1934. Congressman McFadden, supported by others, had introduced a bill in Congress to prevent such discrimination, boycott and other threatening methods to hinder the broadcasting of programs in the public interest. The Society through its spokesmen submitted a volume of evidence in support of the petition. The net result was that Congress enacted a law placing all electrical communications under one new administrative agency, the Federal Communications Commission. This commission promptly held public hearings to enable it to make suggestions to the next session of Congress for the enactment of further laws as to broadcasting, as necessary. On October 4, 1934, the Watch Tower Society’s president appeared personally before this new federal agency at Washington and presented facts of the activities of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy in wrongfully interfering with the broadcasting service of Jehovah’s witnesses. In spite of these public protests against wrongful interferences, the Society’s Bible broadcasts for 1934 amounted to 20,743 lectures, or a drop of 3,040 from the peak year of 1933, thus giving proof of the baneful effect of continued Catholic intimidation tactics.

  Here is the official explanation:

  *** w94 8/1 p. 25 Serving With the Most Progressive Organization ***

  By the mid-1950’s, the growing ranks of Kingdom publishers were reaching more people right at the doors of their homes. This proved to be far more effective than the radio in helping individuals understand Bible truth. So in 1957 it was decided to sell WBBR and direct our resources to the expanding missionary work in other lands.
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  Jim_TX

  Blondie brought up a good point - and quote from the JW literature explaining why they sold the radio station WBBR.

  The real reason they sold it may be different though - I suspect that they made a good profit selling it - as the airwaves got more crowded, and the frequency they occupied became more valuable.

  Anyway - as always - times change. Things change also. There is now FM in addition to AM - and also Shortwave (SW). The price to get on the air today would not be very much - and they could go low-power - if they wanted to do so - creating a network of localized low-power AM or FM radio stations to broadcast their message.

  There are several problems with this, though - that pretty much make this impossible.

  1) They would need to first apply to the FCC for the station license - and frequency - and location. This might take a while - but their 'religious' status might mean that they get a tad preference.

  2) They would need to build the stations. While not a major project - it would cost dollars.

  3) They would then need to staff this station. While it could certainly be automated today, they would still need a minimal staff to 'man' (or woman) it, and keep it legal per the FCC. This requires at least one individual (unless the FCC has changed their rules) with an FCC license - at least a Third Phone - if not a General Class license. Money. Education.

  4) Once they are on the air - they need program material to broadcast. How many hours are they on the air? 6? 12? 24? One can broadcast the same drivel only so many times before it gets repeated. (A good example of this is a radio station that broadcasts 'oldies'. It repeats the same songs - daily.)

  5) Many - most - radio stations use advertizing as income to support the radio station. (There are bills that need to be paid - electric - water - staff - etc.) Would they also play advertizing? Chances are - they wouldn't. That means that their income would need to come from other sources. Contributions?

  I guess the bottom line is... it's all about money. Why pay a staff and spend dollars on something like a radio station when you can get the same (or similar) results using 'free' laborers. People who can be convinced that they MUST go door-knocking - spending their own time, gas, and incurring other expenses that come out of their pockets - all in the name of religion.

  Regards,

  Jim TX
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  onacruse

  Part of the picture is that the national radio companies began denying Rutherford airtime; he ranted and raved at length about this in the Watch Tower (especially in the 30s). The WTS began to cobble together their own chains with independent stations (still much bragged about by the WTS, as jgnat points out), but that became prohibitively expensive.

  Up through the 60s the WTS did procure TV airtime in selected cities.

  hillbilly and JimTX, how are you dudes doin'? Been a while.
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  Leolaia

  When Rutherford was regularly on the airwaves in the 1930s, he was a minor radio personality. He butted heads with other radio personalities, like Father Coughlin, who had a very large following. But he was definitely on the radar of the average American, so to speak, like Glenn Beck may be. He appeared to have a fan in Congress, Rep. Louis T. McFadden, who took up Rutherford's cause when protests against Rutherford's broadcasts came close to pulling him off the air.

  If the Society had kept up its profile in American culture, it would be Rutherford's successor on Headline News instead of Glenn Beck, who would daily discuss how current political realities indicate how the world is going downhill, and who would occasionally interview someone on biblical signs that the end times are here (how Beck can get away with this on CNN, I'll never know). Or at least the Society would have its own cable channel.
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  AWAKE&WATCHING

  They have no paid ministers. Workers receive bare expenses. Excess money gathered from believers go to further their spread of "Pastor" Russell's, now Judge Rutherford's, ideas.* Those ideas are that the Bible, the Prophets and Revelations especially, forecast and prefix all earthly doings. By judicious use of Biblical excerpts Bible Students have "established" that three periods of time, termed "cosmos," have governed human affairs. Cosmos I is assumed to have begun with Adam and ended with the Flood, at 4128 B. C. Its duration was 1,656 years. Cosmos II is assumed to have begun with the Flood and ended with the War, at 1914. Its duration was 6,042 years.Cosmos III is assumed to have begun with the War and to end in 2874. This is the time of "Christ's invisible reign." The "Kingdom of God" will have filled the whole earth. His 144,000 true members of the true Church of Christ will be sorted out and lifted up "to reign with Christ" for 1,000 years." This selection is supposed to have been going on since 1874. The War was one great proving of the chosen ones. By 1928 will have come, the predictions go, another great cataclysm, a grand bust-up. "Nations will battle; the dead will be dung on the earth."

  After 2874 the "Ages to Come" will begin.

  *He was for 14 years a circuit judge in Missouri; "consecrated myself to the Lord" in 1906. He is now 58 years old.

  Interesting article,I've never seen these dates before.