1919 and Jesus' selection of the Watchtower corporation

by biometrics 44 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  reslight2

  biometrics stated:

  10. Teaching that the "other sheep" were to be in Heaven and number approximately 411,840,000 - (1918 The Finished Mystery page 102-103)

  In reality, there is no mention at all of the "other sheep" on those pages. It does mention the "great company" (the great multitude of Revelation 7). As far as I can tell, Rutherford and in associates, in 1918, were still holding to Russell's view that the "other sheep" are those whom become Christ's sheep (on earth) during the age to come. Rutherford had not yet brought forth his "new light" that the great multitude are part of the "other sheep".

  http://mostholyfaith.com/bible/ScripturexRef.asp?parm=KJV^John^10^16

  Russell, however, did not believe that the great multitude of Revelation is a part of the "other sheep" who are to live forever on the earth; he believed that the great multitude of Revelation 7 would go to heaven in the resurrection, and that is basically the same thought that the authors of The Finished Mystery presented on pages 102 and 103 of the Finished Mystery.
  
  Nevertheless, from the standpoint that God would not approve of error, and from the standpoint of projecting the JW organization back into that time, and then claiming that God approved of that organization by what it was teaching, it does present a paradox that would have God and Jesus approving of such an organization because it was teaching what that organization today considers to be error.

  See also:
  John 10:16 and the "Other Sheep"
• 

  garyneal

  marked
• 

  reslight2

  Finkelstein stated:

  Reslight2, you'll note that there's a Cross & Crown on the top left, which is still used today by Free Masons and a Knights Templar symbol

  on the top right.

  There is indeed a graphic illustration of a cross and crown on the top left; I have no reason, however, to call upon the spirit of human imagination so as to imagine and assume that because the Knights Templar use a similar (not the exact same) graphic, that I must assume that the illustration that Russell used, based on the Bible, is a Masonic symbol, any more than I would have any reason to imagine that the Bible is a Masonic book because some of the Masons use symbolism that is from the Bible. Biblical symbolism does not become Masonic symbolism just because some of the Masons may use such symbolism. The cross and crown symbolism, however, has been used by all the major denominations of Christendom; does this mean that all of these denominations that have used such symbolism were actually promoting the Freemasons by doing so?

  Again, I urge you to see what I have written on this at:
  http://ctr.reslight.net/?p=1155
  and also at:
  http://ctr.reslight.net/?p=170
• 

  reslight2

  Finkelstein stated:

  I think it would safe to say that Russell was a plagiarizer of many things. religious theologies as well of symbols from other organizations

  including the Free Masons.

  plagiarism

  anact or instanceofusingor closely imitating the language and thoughts of anotherauthorwithoutauthorizationandtherepresentation of that author's work as one's own, as by not crediting the originalauthor

  While Russell did adopt and adapt theological ideas from those who came before him, he did indeed many times credit those who came before him. Russell considered them to have been brothers in Christ.

  Russell did, on occasion, also adopt some terminology from the Freemasons to illustrate God's secret society, the Christian church. This in no wise means that Russell was approving of the Freemasons, or any other of man's secret soceities, nor does it give us any reason to imagine that his use of the cross and crown illustration had anything to do with the Freemasons.

  See:

  The Watchtower and the Masons

  I Am a Free and Accepted Mason

  The Temple of God

  Russell's Comments on the Freemasons

  Reply to: "Charles Taze Russell Founder of Jehovah's Witnesses Was a Mason"
• 

  Finkelstein

  There is another connection with the Free Masons and Russell that your completely forgetting about and that is the theological idealogical concept

  of Pyramidology that Russell supported and hence the reason why the IBSA has been associated with the Free Masons to this day.

  Another conjoining fact that your forgetting about is that Russell gave most of his public speeches in Masonic Halls in his home town and abroad.

  As I said before Russell was a plagiarizer of symbolism from other beliefs even though he may have NOT been fully embraced toward those actual beliefs.

  He saw himself individually as Free Mason in that he was promoting Christ's return and a protector (Knights Templar) by his own theological

  expressions .
• 

  biometrics

  I just searched the Watchtower CD-ROM for "Masonic". There are quite a few references to the JWs using Masonic halls.
• 

  reslight2

  Finkelstein stated:

  It is true that the WTS. would give away magazines to those who claimed they were impoverished, particularly in Russell's era,

  but it also has to be realized that most of the publications produced by the WTS. had a profiting number figure placed on each item ($),

  for example the books and bibles which were sold for decades at the many Kingdom Halls.

  I am not with the JWs, and there were no "Kingdom Halls" in the days of Russell. Since most of the publications of Russell were fully given away by volunteers, I cannot agree with the statement, at least concerning Russell, that most of his publication had a profiting number figure place on each item. Unlike the JWs' "publishers", the "volunteers" simply gave away publications without even a request for a donation. This work was supported (1) from voluntary contributions of those associated with the WTS, (2) from funds obtained through compainies such as the "United States Investment Company", or (3) from Russell's original funds that came from the sale of his earlier clothing business. To repeat, there generally was no sell of literature being done by the volunteers who distributed literature in the days of Russell; they simply distributed the literature without soliciting any kind of donation, etc.

  For instance, in Russell's last year (1916), the British branch alone reported for 1915, " The free distribution of Volunteer matter, free SCENARIOS and B. S. M. amounts to nearly eleven million copies." And this was reported as being lowered than that distributed in 1914. Note that this was only for British branch, it does not incude the US, Canada, France, Germany, etc.

  http://www.mostholyfaith.com/bible/reprints/Z1916JAN.asp#Z8:1
  I would have to disagree with any thought that the WTS in Russell's day was realizing a great profit by distributing millions of pieces of literature without any charge whatsoever.
• 

  Finkelstein

  The theological concepts between the Free Mason organization and C Russell are obviously there, once its clearly realized what

  is the meaning behind what the Free Masons and the Knights Templar represent/are. Russell described himself as a Freemason

  although he may not have been deep within that organization as a designated member.

  The correlation although between the two got faded away during Rutherford's take over of the WTS. and Rutherford threw Pyramidology in the trash.

  When the IBSA finally broke away from Rutherford, they still stuck closely to the Free Masons and are still closely associated with

  that organization to this day.
• 

  Finkelstein

  The Colporteur work has been greatly aided by the PHOTO-DRAMA. Indeed had it not been for the DRAMA the output of books would, to all appearances, have been very much less. The regular Colporteur work lost some of its most successful workers soon after the outbreak of the war, when the first pinch of money was felt. We cannot but feel sorry for this, for the country recovered from its panic when the demand for war material began to be felt, and since then there has been plenty of money in circulation, and the people are perishing for need of the Truth. We still think there is plenty of room for good Colporteurs, and it is still true that ground already gone over can again be canvassed to advantage.

  Sorry Reslight2 your statement that Russell's Colporteurs didn't ask for money or other restitution for the literature they brought door to door is invalid.

  True it could be said that they were volunteers as JWS are deemed today, that doesn't mean that there was nothing asked in exchange for the literature

  offered. There is a part of the Colporteur hand book where it goes on to describe what to ask and where they might be able to make the most

  probable chance of getting something.

  There's even a suggestion to stay clear of any Black/Negro neighborhoods for they most likely wouldn't give out any money.
• 

  reslight2

  Finkelstein stated:

  The theological concepts between the Free Mason organization and C Russell are obviously there, once its clearly realized what

  is the meaning behind what the Free Masons and the Knights Templar represent/are. Russell described himself as a Freemason

  although he may not have been deep within that organization as a designated member.

  The correlation although between the two got faded away during Rutherford's take over of the WTS. and Rutherford threw Pyramidology in the trash.

  When the IBSA finally broke away from Rutherford, they still stuck closely to the Free Masons and are still closely associated with

  that organization to this day.

  Since the tens of thousands of pages of Russell's works overwhelmingly testify that Russell was not in support of any alleged "theological concepts" of the Free Masons, I can only assume that the above is being stated out of ignorance of what Russell actuallly did teach and believe. Russell described himself and all Christians as freemasons for Christ, yes, but he was not advocating that Christians become members of the Freemasons' organization. Indeed, he advocated just the opposite.

  I have no reason to call upon the spirit of human imagination so as to imagine and assume that Biblical study of the Great Pyramid as God's Witness in Egypt has something to do with supporting the Freemasons. In reality, it does not!! Such a thought has to be imagined and assumed!!!!

  I know that I am not in support of the Freemasons, and I don't know of any of the Bible Students who are. Generally, if a member of Freemasons becomes associated with the Bible Students fellowships, they disown their membership in the Freemasons. I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that Russell certainly never stuck closely to the Freemasons, and I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that I certainly do not stick closely to the Freemasons. Indeed, the teachings of the Bible Students in generally are totally out of harmony with the Freemasons.