What was the appeal of Judge Rutherford?

by VM44 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  VM44

  What was the appeal of Judge Rutherford?

  Each year when he was alive, tens of thousands of people would travel many miles, and camp out for days in tent cities to hear him speak. People read his book, listened to his recordings, and basically did everything he told them to do.

  People gave Rutherford expensive gifts, an air condidtioner for his office in Brooklyn, Cadillacs, the Beth Sarim home and property, and so on.

  It is quite clear that Rutherford provided something that the masses "bought", but what was it?

  This question is raised because Rutherford wrote and said so many silly things that one wonders today why anyone would bother to take him seriously.

  If we can figure out the answer to this, then we will know the secret of how to be a charismatic cult leader.

  --VM44
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  greendawn

  I think it was his powerful assertive and aggressive personality that drew ppl with a subconscious desire to be dominated due to a masochistic tendency in their psychological make up. Even so by the time he died in 1942 he had just around 100 000 followers and many left because they thought he was too anti Russell. He was too domineering and castigating to be liked by his close associates.
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  DanTheMan

  For the same reason that Saddam was loved by many Iraqis. Brutal, megalomaniac leaders probably stimulate some primitive fear/awe area of our brain, for some people more than others apparently.
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  dvw

  good answer, greendawn.

  he made alot of dumbass statements. its hard to understand why people would follow him. maybe a 100 years from now people will look back at the watchtower of today and say; "they sure said a lot of stupid stuff."

  wait, that is happening NOW. nevermind.
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  VM44

  There were a few people in the innner circle that liked Rutherford, Bertha, his dietician, and the Heaths, who would eventually live at Beth Shan. These people traveled along with Rutherford many times, including some trips made to Europe.

  Knorr was in the inner circle, but did not like Rutherford. The WT lawyer Covington did. I never heard anything at all about Fred Franz's opinion of Rutherford.

  --VM44
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  VM44

  Knorr was an usher who is said to have hid during the Madison Square fight with Father Coughlin's goons, as a result, Knorr may have been among those Rutherford called "sissies"

  --VM44
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  M.J.

  How about his personality? Sounds like he was charismatic at least.

  I'll bet if someone compared the personalities of famous cult leaders they'd all have a lot in common. I wouldn't doubt there is something like that on the web.
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  daniel-p

  Strong leadership. Charisma and ambition lead to ultimate power.
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  VM44

  The Watchtower had to become more anonymous after Rutherford, with no central leader, because the person in charge, Nathan Knorr, was not very charismatic, in fact, he is said to have been downright boring, especially when giving talks!

  --VM44
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  M.J.

  maybe he ordered this book:

  http://www.mindcontrol101.com/cultcontrol.html