by johnnyc 71 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
If somehow when the dust settles it can be determined that Russell, with a pyramid erected in his memory and masonic images and references in his magazines, is not a mason.
The proof is still in the pudding.
He lived a life that caused great harm and damage to many, just as a high level mason have throughout history.
In a very real and practical sense the organization and body of Bible Students that were his devoted followers did see him as that eye on top
of the pyramid.
What I find very interesting is why and for what reason did he state in his will that no further literature should be published by the WTBS.
Did he finally come to realize in his latter years that his ideologies were invalid and shouldn't be promoted any further,
perhaps hastened by his own personal integrity.
I get the feeling that the WTBS. served his purpose for what it did for him, his personal stature in society and maybe his ego for which money and power offers
an individual, after that he couldn't care less.
It is rather funny to see how often this topic makes a grand appearance on the board, but your source is absolutely right in that regard. Russell was never a Freemason, something we have been arguing all along. The fact that he used Cross and Crown symbols proves absolutely nothing for the simple fact that many churches have actually used it over the years. I think I've posted this before but here it is again:
The Cross and Crown is a traditional Christian symbol (a cross passing through a crown), appearing in many churches (especially Roman Catholic), that has also been used in heraldry [1] [2]. It is often interpreted as symbolizing the reward in heaven (the crown) coming after the trials in this life (the cross). (James 1:12)
hey zagor.... on your link.....right after that it says..."The symbol is associated with Freemasonry, specifically the Knights Templar branch of Freemasonry." the cross and crown to be blunt is the male inside the female....similar to the compass and square of freemasonry which is a depiction of the male on top of the female and the letter "G".....means the "generative force"....again the penis......look again at the compass and square 
For those who think that the pyramid is just in honor of Russell's memory, you are mistaken. Russell died in 1916; the pyramid monument was erected in 1919. J.A. Bohnet claimed that Russell approved it, but it was intended for all those living at Bethel at that time. There is a good description of it in the Souvenir Report of the Bible Student's Convention in Pittsburgh, Pa. 1919. I tried to find a copy of the original, as I have seen it online before, but couldn't find it this time. However, there are quotes from it at the following link, but there is much more detail in the original. If anyone comes upon that link again, please post it here.
http://futuretruth.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/ct-russells-burial-and-site/
LOL ninja, your little In-Yo-Jutsu didn’t work on me mate, and to be perfectly blunt as well I'd almost say that WTBS has had influce on you somewhere in cherry picking the “evidence” and ignoring the rest, but we won't go there will we?;) To start with I will copy and paste entire text, how about it? ;)
The Cross and Crown is a traditional Christian symbol (a cross passing through a crown), appearing in many churches (especially Roman Catholic), that has also been used in heraldry [1] [2]. It is often interpreted as symbolizing the reward in heaven (the crown) coming after the trials in this life (the cross). (James 1:12)The symbol appears in the seal of the Church of Christ, Scientist, where it is surrounded by the words "Heal the Sick, Cleanse the Lepers, Raise the Dead, Cast Out Demons", from the Gospel of Matthew, 10:8.
It is also featured in the banner of the Bible Students, as well as Jehovah's Witnesses. The cross and crown were surrounded by bay laurel leaves, which first appeared in the January 1881 issue of Zion's Watch Tower [3]. The Watchtower Society later discontinued using the cross and crown after the death of C.T Russell, viewing it as a "pagan symbol". However, to this day, the Bible Students (I.B.S.A) continue to use the cross and crown in their publications.
The symbol is associated with Freemasonry, specifically the Knights Templar branch of Freemasonry. It is a modern Knight Templar group (Which does not claim a heritage from the medieval order) symbol, however, it is thought that it was never a prominent symbol of the historical military order (see Knights Templar Seal). Many military orders during the Crusades adopted Coats of arms prominently featuring a cross (often a Maltese cross) in various contexts.
The Cross and Crown symbol also appears on the cover of The Power of the Cross, by Tim Lahaye.
The Royal Black Preceptory use the Cross and Crown over a motto scroll featuring the words 'in hoc signo vinces' as the symbol for their organisation.
so lets see
hey zagor.... on your link.....right after that it says..."The symbol is associated with Freemasonry, specifically the Knights Templar branch of Freemasonry." the cross and crown to be blunt is the male inside the female....similar to the compass and square of freemasonry which is a depiction of the male on top of the female and the letter "G".....means the "generative force"....again the penis......look again at the compass and square
Actually it doesn’t say right after “that”, it is only after several paragraphs down that it is even mentioned (forth paragraph to be precise), after introducing wide acceptance of the symbol across very different groups, hence making it clear why introductory paragraph stated “The Cross and Crown is a traditional Christian symbol (a cross passing through a crown), appearing in many churches”
And you are leaving impression that text after also makes claim of your interpretation of phallic symbolism, which it doesn’t. (If you took that from somewhere else then I would expect you to provide adequate reference, else impression is that everything is from the same text, which it isn’t)
Now back to the symbols, what you are trying to establish is “cause and effect” relationship, which goes something like this. Branch of Freemasonry uses crown and corss, early JW used the same symbol, therefore JW must be Freemasons or have link to them” Corrent? Actually, we could have argued it differently too. Since the text also stated that symbol was especially used by Catholic Church by the same kind of logic we could have concluded that JW are in fact part of Catholic Church. It actually gets even more David Icke if we go along this kind of ‘reasoning” we could have concluded that all those groups are somehow connected by some grand conspiracy, never mind they hate each other guts and would gladly destroy each other if they could get away without consequences. Do you see the pattern?
In fact, cross and crown is not even main symbol of Order of Knights Templar, this is 
I will agree however, that to different groups crown and cross may have different meaning.
I’ll give you another example. The infamous swastika was used as official symbol of the Nazi party under Hitler. Now many people get mild shock when they see exactly the same symbol on houses of some Indian families. In fact, there were cases of vandalism by some thinking that those innocent people where somehow connected to Hitler and Nazis. The fact is, Hitler borrowed the symbol for his own purposes. And since we are already quoting Wikipedia extensively why not do it once more.
Archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates from the Neolithic period. An ancient symbol, it occurs mainly in the cultures that are in modern day India and the surrounding area, sometimes as a geometrical motif (as in the Roman Republic and Empire) and sometimes as a religious symbol. It was long widely used in major world religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SwastikaThough once commonly used all over much of the world without stigma, because of its iconic usage in Nazi Germany the symbol has become controversial in the Western world.
The simple truth is, just because one group is using certain symbol and another group is using similar or equivalent symbol does not automatically make direct link between them in any way, not even ideologically as illustrated in example of swastika.
As far as, Crown and Cross are concern I shell quote it one more time:
“The Cross and Crown is a traditional Christian symbol (a cross passing through a crown), appearing in many churches” end of quote.
The cross and Crown was adopted by many Christian groups.....he may have put some symbols on his books to attract Masons.
Even if he may or may not have been a Free Mason what is wrong with that, I was a Free Mason for many years they are a great brother hood, so what, if they use strange symbols and hand shakes, they don't hurt anyone if everyone were Mason's it would be a more nicer world.
You know, it is amazing how many things that can be passed as "truth", or "anti-truth", which become essentially slander. There are so many who have passed on the "FACT" Russell was a mason, and that ALL those symbols are directly related to his cultism. The fact is the very "winged disc" used by Russell on so many of his books was Hebrew in nature. You can do a simple search in google to find this very "fact" out.
I can see that many who make comments holding to the fact Russell was a mason really show their true colors. The reality is that though you have "switched sides", you have not actually changed your way of thought. As impossible for someone within the WT to see error in their teachings is as difficult for you to see any other truth than what you now want it to be. I guess the pendulum can swing too far.
Johnny
Mary - the more I consider my heart, perhaps I may see that my disfellowshiping wasn't without fault. The simple fact that I ran here to talk about things could be an indication as to my true disposition towards the WT. Maybe I deserved to be disfellowshiped...? I guess I am now saying that I did.
In a weird way, Crisis of Conscience, this web site, and others, showed me that most "apostates" (with certain exception) carry a radical viewpoint with the need to pass that information along. They do this by stating the WT has a radical viewpoint on theology and are focused on spreading that information along to the masses. My mother would rather live her life a JW (clean and moral) than be agnostic or an atheist. Since I have found only a very small number of ex-jw's end up going to another church (by percentage), why would I want to take away from her joy in life that comes from her belief that she knows God and follows him correctly. JW's, for the most part, are best were they are in life. If you claim they are ignorant - well, then perhaps that is bliss. No one can convince me that the WT does more harm that good - and no one can convince me the WT is anything but sincere in their efforts. Not to say they are perfect, or that they have 100% truth. I just do not believe they have any malice....
