The important question : loyalty and devotion to whom, the leaders of the WTS/JWorg. or Jesus Christ ?

by Finkelstein 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Finkelstein

  Since 1919 the men who ran the WTS. publishing house proclaimed that God Jehovah has chosen the IBSA later on the Jehovah's Witnesses, in that they were solemnly chosen exclusively for their close adherence and accurate interpretation of the bible..
  

  The truthful reality is quite the contrary, the doctrines these men created were many times false and unscriptural , causing great personal problems including suicides and deaths to those who made themselves devoted to these men.. During the baptism of becoming a JWS you would have to make a sworn vow of devotion to these men, who self describe themselves as the FDSL.

  In reading the bible and the words of Jesus Christ it's obvious the leaders of this organization enacted themselves in apostasy opposed to the directions handed out by Jesus in preaching his Gospel.

  They became discreetly unloyal to god as it were and lured in many to do the same in acts of coercion utilized by their publishing capabilities and the distribution of their literature to the public...

  More of that apostasy by this organization has come to light given the time and events which never came to past.

  Unfortunately the exploitation and manipulation by the leaders of the JWorg./WTS. carries on to this day.
  
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  Ultimate Axiom

  Not only does it carry on today, but the indications are that the controlling ambitions of this group of elitists will grow and grow. It is no accident that as the number of JWs has increased over the years, the size of the GB has steadily declined.

  
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  Finkelstein

  the size of the GB has steadily declined

  
  

  There is no question that these men are basking in the power, glory, privilege, as well the financial support given to them by the WTS.

  The lies propagated by the WTS publishing house have been advantageous and prosperous.
  
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  Confusedandangry

  Fink, when I first started doing real research into JW history I found this on Wikipedia:

  "International Bible Students Association[edit]

  The International Bible Students Association (IBSA) is a corporate not-for-profit organization used by Jehovah's Witnesses in the United Kingdom for the production and distribution of religious literature. Its stated purpose is "to promote the Christian religion by supporting congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses and others in connection with their spiritual and material welfare in Britain and abroad within the charitable purposes of the Association."[22]

  The IBSA was founded in 1914 as a corporation of the Bible Students by Charles Taze Russell in London, England, and was the first legal corporation representing Russell's ministry in Europe. The Watch Tower Society stated in 1917 that the IBSA, along with its Pennsylvania and New York based corporations "were organized for identical purposes and they harmoniously work together."[23] Other similarly named corporations operate in various countries to promote the interests of Jehovah's Witnesses."

  So if Jesus supposedly chose Jehovah's Witnesses as his people in 1919, wouldn't the IBSA be his chosen people instead? Since JWs were not technically "Jehovah's Witnesses" until 1931? Am I missing something here?
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  Finkelstein

  wouldn't the IBSA be his chosen people instead?

  C T Russell who founded the IBSA never made the proclamation that Jesus has exclusively chosen him or the organization that he ran .

  In a matter of fact he realized his theological findings were subjectively wrong and stated in his will that the WTS should halt any more publications upon his death.

  Then another guy took over the WTS J. Rutherford in 1916 and wanted to keep on producing more publications and he did so by exploiting some of Russell's theological propagations like Jesus has returned (1914) and the New Kingdom is at hand etc.

  The money and power was there at the WTS and he totally immersed himself in it.

  Even through the doctrines which he created and stood by were false and unscriptural.

  Rutherford's proclamation that Jesus had chosen him and the IBSA in 1919 later on taking the JWS name by him was just a means to create a sense of righteous viability to his doctrines he made and toward the literature he published and tried to proliferate.
  
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  Ultimate Axiom

  I take you point Finkelstein, but just to be accurate, Russell never claimed Jesus returned in 1914, he assigned 1874 to that event. After Rutherford hijacked the organisation he gradually re-engineered Russell's nonsense, well he had to, nothing Russell had actually predicted came about.
  
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  vienne

  I know and have interviewed many Witnesses. I have relatives who are Witnesses. There are Witnesses who worship God and Christ. But they're rare creatures. When forced to analyze whom they obey, most see anything from the Watchtower as if it came from God. This is not the same as trusting your brothers. It is worship.
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  vienne

  Ulti,

  Good observation. But probably more causative was tension between P. S. L. Johnson and Rutherford. In 1918 Johnson wrote the first of many prophetic expositions using typology and casting Rutherford's party as the bad'uns. Rutherford replied in kind. And the Watchtower fell into a spiritualizing typology they are now - finally - abandoning. Rutherford seems to have truly believed what he wrote. It gave him and Watchtower adherents a clear self-identity.Tension between Johnson and Rutherford persisted until Rutherford's death.
  

  Once religions start down this path they develop a centralized ecclesiastical structure with one man or a group of men in a semi-divine position. If you want to read more about this phenomenon you might consult Clarke Garrett's Respectable Folly: Millenarians and the French Revolution in France and England. [Johns Hopkins University Press, 1975]
  
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  Finkelstein

  I wonder what real bible theologains at the time thought about Russell’s teachings and Rutherford’s?

  ” Christ has returned New World order soon ! “

  Great title for a front cover of a piece of literture is it not, even if doesn’t have any scriptural backing, want to become a sales representive for the Watchtower Corporation ?

  Jesus will love you for it. ..........or will he ?
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  Finkelstein

  One thing you can take from the JWS /WTS if your wanting to start a religion is you have to be a bit of liar and a bit of a bullshiter.

  Create something alurring to capture the public’s attention, have something prepared to back up your assertions while presenting what you have with appealing sincerity .

  Someone will eventually say yes I’ll have some of that .

  Whalla you’ve just stepped into the divine.