Hi all! I know that this is unlikely but has anyone ever heard that Russell converted to Christianity before he died?
Charles T. Russell's Conversion?
by freddi 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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fullofdoubtnow
Actually, he thought his misguided ideas were Christian, so he wouldn't have seen the need to convert.
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deaconbluez
Oh geez.
Russell was Christian. He wasn't one of Jehovah's Witnesses. He didn't start or "revive" the Jehovah's Witness movement. If he were a "witness" today, he would be disfellowshipped. But that doesn't matter because if he were alive today, he wouldn't be going to any Kingdom Hall.
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james_woods
Welcome, deaconbleuz...you are absolutely right about Russell being disfellowshipped by JWs today. Just the christmas party would have done the trick, let alone that young "secretary" chick.
However, you also posted this:
that doesn't matter because if he were alive today, he wouldn't be going to any Kingdom Hall.
May I ask how you know this for sure?
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deaconbluez
james_woods,
Because Jehovah's Witnesses are everything Russell was against. The absolute power among the GB and the elders, their equating legalism with a close relationship with God, their caste system. Russell wouldn't go anywhere near that if he were alive today.
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james_woods
Russell had absolute power. Anybody that disagreed with him got run off. He had designated successors, but after he was gone Rutherford grabbed power. No one can say today what Russell might have done in the succeeding decades if he had somehow lived through the Rutherford years.
Pardon me for saying, but neither you nor I can really "know for sure" that he would not have continued in charge of the organization he started, and be attending "kingdom halls" or whatever they might be called under his administration. We can speculate, but not know for sure.
What you are saying is essentially like saying that L.Ron Hubbard was not the founder of Scientology, and that he would not be a Scientologist today under the reign of David Miscaivage. I say that this is rubbish...if L.Ron was still alive, he would still be running Scientoloty - granted it might be a different flavor than what David M has done, but L.Ron would still be in charge if he were here. Same with Russell and the "bible students" or "witnesses" or whatever they would be calling themselves today.
L.RonHubbard was very much like the "Russell" of Scientology and Miscaivage very much like its "Rutherford".
I think it is sad to see Scientology splinter groups who cannot see the error of the whole thing, and who did not break free from Scientology as a matter of philosophy. They form pathetic little offshoot cults claiming to more correctly follow Hubbard's nutcase science fiction religion.
I think it is equally sad to hear from Russell worshippers who essentially have locked themselves into the same trap. I just had a long debate with two or three such guys here, who were insisting that 1874 and 1914 were still right. Being out and free is just that - out and free to think for yourself and see through all the BS.
Sincerely, James