When Jehovah's Witnesses changed from Society to Religion and why

by Terry 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Finkelstein

  I think the answer to this question comes in the arrival of J Rutherford fighting struggle of the take over of the WTS.

  Corporation. That personal take over created a power structure within the organization that wasn't there before under

  Russell. He disregarded Russell's own Will and started to publish his own books and pieces of literature penned by himself.

  While the organization slowly grew in public support, at the same time more illusionary power grew within the heads from

  such men as J Rutherford. More and newly devised doctrines were created out of that psychological delusion of power,

  which eventually created the religious organization that exist today.

  C T Russell was more concerned and focused about literature distribution which his publishing company was producing

  and printing and as a vital means to express his own religious ideologies which in actuality were mostly not of his

  own creation.

  So readership was Russell's core agenda where Rutherford was also concerned but he added

  something else and that was absolute power and control as the organization's leader.

  Remember he was the one who in 1919 came out and stated that god himself has selectively chosen the WTS.

  organization as its earthly spirit directed organization.

  This growing self perceived power grew from there and continued on to what appears today with the WTS.
• 

  BackseatDevil

  I remember when I was little (probably about 6 or 7) that one of the questions on the Written Review (?isn't that what those tests for the Theocratic Ministry School were called?) was something like 'Religion can solve all of mankind's problems.' and I answered "false" because in application I was a Jehovha's Witness and Jehovah's Witnesses are not a religion. Every year I had to give an explaination to my classmates about not standing up for the flag salute... and NOT say "because of my religion". Same thing with blood. Etc. Etc.

  My mom answered "true" to the statement. And she was called on and I tried to stop her because I thought she was wrong. She was "correct". Religion can solve all on mankind's problems, if it is the correct religion.

  THAT confused the hell out of me. We were a religion, and we had rules, BUT we couldn't say that what we did/did not do was because of it. I don't think it was something I really got over because I couldn't understand the difference in terminology verses concept.

  And it proves that there is this drastic difference between what JW's intend, what they do, and what is reality.
• 

  Finkelstein

  Thats true BackseatDevil, JWS don't recognize their religious organization as a religion at all.

  Thats because they want to distinguish themselves from all other (false) religious organizations or institutions.

  Therefore their organization is titled or identified as being God's solemnly chosen earthly organization.

  The WTS. has intensionally diverged itself in identification as being a typical "religion" of sorts.

  That identifying name tittling belongs to Satan's run religions of Christendom.
• 

  BackseatDevil

  And there is a long history of the JW's doing things for no other reason but to be different from all other religions. They would have church services on Saturday or Sunday afternoons because only Christendom had services on Sunday mornings. They exterminated words like "church" to seperate themselves even though by definition there is nothing wrong with the word. A large part of the Bible Students history is nothing more than trying to NOT do what all the other "religions" were doing... but not with any real directional point, just reactionary rebeliousness from the "norm".

  Later, that calmed down (less radical leadership I suppose), and terms like "false religion" and "christendom" were popularized to continue the mental separation of the group while still trying to function within the realms of normal society.

  Now, we have scientology claiming to not be a religion and everyone across the board finds it laughable. I personally think that the JWs are BARELY slightly over that hump, but as a religion they are BARELY older than scientology.
• 

  gingerbread

  An interesting post Terry.

  I found the scan of Enemies by J.F. Rutherford on archive.org. In the chapter that you quote from, Rutherford's condemnation of religion primarily focuses on the Catholic church.

  He states "The Catholic Church organization in America holds title to property valued at more than two billion dollars." Their wealth is spread across the world in the amount of "many billions." Rutherford raises the question of where does that tremendous wealth come from...."from people who put themselves under the dominating control of that organization."

  This book was written during the darkest days of the 1930's depression. Perhaps the Watchtower leadership was coveting it's religious neighbors wealth?

  ginger
• 

  Terry

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• 

  clarity

  Hey Terry ....we have been waiting for this!!!!

  >

  Congratulations & the best of luck with it.

  >

  Can't wait to read it!

  clarity
• 

  Terry

  Hey Terry ....we have been waiting for this!!!!

  >

  Congratulations & the best of luck with it.

  >

  Can't wait to read it!

  Thank you. I think I first announced I would do this back in 2006.

  I couldn't force myself to reopen the wound, I guess.

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  I have gotten incredibly positive feedback from people like Barbara Anderson and tec and others.

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