I always end up reading RC, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox histories. This gives me a slanted picture of Christianity. When I wrote a paper on college and walked across the street to the premiere academic nondenominational seminary with untold wealth from the Rockefellers reframing the social status of Baptists in America to access their library. I was amazed. This is NOT the seminary for old boy ties. Super intellectuals attend from around the world. There was not a single book that covered RC history before Luther. I try to learn the Protestant divisions but I get too confused.
I thought Miller was very depressed. Greatly depressed. His followers certainly were b/c belief in Miller's teachings ruined their lives in countless ways.
My father was at Bethel and my mom was near during several failures. Witnesses knew everyone else across state lines in those days b/c there were so few. I never heard any stories about Russell, Rutherford, or Franz having deep depressions. Has anyone else heard? The Witnesses don't admit they said what they said. I will never forget Freddie Franz at Yankee Stadium boldly going where no one in my life time ever approached. Freddie knew the BIG mistakes and the fall-out. One, I always felt so flawed that Jehovah would wreck extra horrors on me at Armageddon. The only anointed ones in my day were already ancient, only a few were alive. Second, I was older and my mom helped me find the original sources for the past dates at home. Third, why would any sane person make such a statement?
People who knew Freddie well post-1975 fiasco post how Freddie blamed the Witnesses. I was 16, read above my grade level, and could not stop reading voracioiusly. If you ponder every word from his speech/remarks, Freddie's complaint is nonsensical. He was not addressing a bunch of hard core theology academics but Witnesses. So there may have been a misapprehension. Nevertheless, even Freddie had to know that millions of Witnesses would swear in court that they heard 1975-Amargeddon will arrive! People planned their daily life around 1975. He had a moral duty to correct the misunderstand about the remarks. When I was younger and I could not understand something, I assume I was stupid b/c I was a Witness. Now when I read something that makes no sense, I blame the author, the editor, and the publisher.
The Pope always has to clarify his remarks. Did Freddie ever clarify? Did Rutherford? Did CTR?