Judge Rutherford steps off a curb, is struck by a truck and dies.....

by Terry 29 Replies latest watchtower medical

• 

  Terry

  Pastor Charles Taze Russell died on a Train outside Pampas Texas in October of 1916.

  Shortly afterward a phonecall was placed to J.F.Rutherford that "the old man is dead."

  As we all know, Rutherford wasted no time. He engineered a series of moves that placed himself at the helm of a publishing company

  which went on to affect millions of lives....including YOURS and MINE.

  I have a thoughtful question for you.

  What if it is that same day in October of 1916 and Judge Rutherford, upon hearing news of the death of Russell, dons his hat and swiftly

  leaves his dwelling to commence his agenda. In the process, Judge Rutherford steps off a curb, is struck by a truck and dies instantly!?

  No Rutherford, no takeover.

  The Last Will and Testament of Pastor Russell is read and the Watchtower Society is only used to reprint previous materials without anything NEW being added.

  No "Organization", no "Russell guides us from heaven", no virulent articles against Government, Religion, Military and no further END TIMES hogwash.

  No Cedar Rapids Assemblies and no Resolutions. No letters to Hitler. No name change to Jehovah's Witnesses. No door to door "ministry".

  Nothing to impact YOUR LIFE or MINE with that moment of decision that changed the course of our personal history as it di.

  ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

  Here is the Question: WHAT specific POSITIVE impact would be LOST on the world from Rutherford's sudden death in October 1916?

  In the balance between what we KNOW followed his LIFE.......compared to this imaginary DEATH....what is the actual IMPACT either way?

  Give it your best shot.
• 

  Billzfan23

  Hmmm....I would have to pull a "Field of Dreams" and say - "Is this heaven?"
• 

  sir82

  WHAT specific POSITIVE impact would be LOST on the world from Rutherford's sudden death in October 1916?

  I answered similarly on a related topic you started a few weeks ago.

  Judge Rutherford, through his cantankerousness and bull-headedness, forced a number of religious freedom cases before the US Supreme court, While it was certainly not his intention, the effect was that certain religious freedoms enjoyed by all US citizens are more firmly entrenched.

  Had Rutherford not been in a poition to exercise the influence over JWs that he did, those issues may or may not have been heard, and if heard, may have been heard by a different court, and the outcomes may have been different.

  Regarding the Bible Students & JWs in general:

  Had Rutherford been hit by the proverbial bus, the group started by Russell may or may not have continued united, or it may have splintered. At any rate it likely would have dwindled gradually, and would likely function like (and be about as insignificant as) the current few dozen "Bible Student" groups that are scattered across the US and a few other countries.

  And the 7 million JWs of today, being of a certain mental & emotional disposition, would belong to other (non-JW) high control groups and/or cults.

  There are 10's or even 100's of millions of people who function best under authoritarian constructs. JWs have a significant market share of such individuals, but by no means have the market cornered.
• 

  Open mind

  Essentially, this sounds like a re-phrasing of the "What Good Have JWs Done?" question.

  Or am I missing something?

  om
• 

  unshackled

  And the 7 million JWs of today, being of a certain mental & emotional disposition, would belong to other (non-JW) high control groups and/or cults.

  Was thinking the same thing sir82. My parents would instead be Mormons and I'd now be on an ex-LDS forum wondering how the hell I ever wore magic underwear.
• 

  james_woods

  The Last Will and Testament of Pastor Russell is read and the Watchtower Society is only used to reprint previous materials without anything NEW being added.

  A side point - but this kind of hubris (nobody past Russell was supposed to write anything) tells me a lot about this egomaniacal mind. I believe he really did think that he (and he alone) was God's messenger or faithful slave.

  Back on the main point: To me, if Rutherford had been struck dead at that moment, somebody else would have just taken his place. The doctrines would no doubt have ended up somewhat differently (great crowd?) but there were plenty of others to step up. After all, weren't Knorr and Franz around by then?
• 

  OUTLAW

  My parents would have found another Shit for Brains Religion..

  ..................;-)...OUTLAW
• 

  Intel

  My mother would have donated EVERYTHING to the Vatican (as her mother and several aunts did! MORONS! Again: STUPID morons....)
• 

  designs

  I would have read Studies In The Scriptures 12 times instead of 3.
• 

  thetrueone

  If the remaining members of the WTS and the IBSA were to really keep to Russell's last will and direction of the publishing corporation

  to what he had predisposed for the WTS. after his death, there would most likely be the same amount of public interest as there

  is now toward the IBSA. not much. How Rutherford grasped the reins of the WTS. as he did and then continue on publishing his own works,

  brings the question of the moral and rightful legality of his actions. There are some pertaining aspects in regarding his take-over thats worth

  mentioning, one being that he most likely knew of the financial assets accumulated by Russell that the WTS had since Russell used him

  as his chief lawyer over most of his business dealings. It was there, the money that is, who was going to get a handle on it was really up

  for grabs, so he played the opportunist and went for it. I'm pretty sure also that he realized what the said presidency could mean to him personally,

  with all the power and control, as well of the attaching attention, equal to what the position brought Russell.

  There's no question in my mind that Rutherford made what the JWs are today, a high controlling religious publishing cult.

  The people that came after him absorbed his personal tactics in how to mange the publishing organization and how to expand its growth.

  Power and money does make men act strangely at times, when its observed in how they cultivate it and the way they maintain it as well .