So how did JF Rutherford function...?

by HowTheBibleWasCreated 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Bungi Bill
    Bungi Bill

    vienne,

    Root beer dispensers are something quite unknown in this part of the world, so I wouldn't be able to comment:

    - except that the container in the above photograph looks awfully like the ubiquitous "Four-and-a-half-gallon" beer keg once so popular in this country!

  • vienne
    vienne

    Dear Bungi, spigot in wrong spot for beer. The glasses are 'root beer' glasses not beer mugs. This is a dispenser for home-made root beer. One could buy Hires' Extract, add yeast and home brew root beer. There were fancy, porcelain dispensers found in shops and other less expensive dispensers sold for home use. This dispenser has a hand pump. Beer dispensers work with internal pressure and a spigot.

  • vienne
    vienne

    Aside from that, there is no sign that anyone in this photo is drunk. Is drinking a small glass of beer a sin? If so, I'm doomed

  • Bungi Bill
    Bungi Bill

    It seems that I might have opened a can of worms here!

    I know of a lot of beer kegs that did feature some sort of external pressurisation. The old "Four-and-a-half" had mounted on its top a non-return valve of the type also used on bicycle tyres; and indeed was often pressured by means of a bicycle pump (seen that more than once!). As for the selection of glasses, I don't recall any of my drinking acquaintances being too fussy about which type of utensil got used. In fact, there were more than a few social occassions in which beer was consumed from china tea cups.

    Nobody in that photograph was flat on the floor - yet. Just like there are various stages of consciousness, there are, too, various stages of inebriation - ranging from just mildly "tipsy" right through to an alcoholic coma.

  • cobweb
    cobweb
    Every picture I have seen at him at Beth Shirim and other private places are with a bottle of alcohol.

    How many pictures have you seen like this?

    I know there are a lot of reports of Rutherford's heavy drinking and bad character. Jim Penton's book goes into this I seem to remember, and there is the Olin Moyles court transcript which reinforces this impression. There are enough sources of information for me to be convinced. But I don't think i have seen pictures of Rutherford with an alcohol bottle, besides the one posted. There is a youtube video with him gurning a bit at Bethsarim but there no bottle.

    Are you sure you haven't misremembered the photos because they fitted the image you had about him?

  • HowTheBibleWasCreated
    HowTheBibleWasCreated

    It's possible cob ..

  • dozy
    dozy

    In those days the society was much less "corporate" than it is now and Rutherford could basically run the show by producing books , dictating sermons etc with a few trusted confidants in New York. Much of his time was spent in California , where he could keep things pretty quiet and off the radar.

    By all accounts , "Rather-flawed" was a bully and I would guess people would be very wary of standing up to him - especially as he ( claimed to be ) the anointed one.

  • shepherdless
  • Vidiot
    Vidiot

    Fueled up on alcohol.

  • dropoffyourkeylee
    dropoffyourkeylee
    There is a video out there of Rutherford sitting at a table and drinking, but there is no bottle and while it is likely it is alcohol, it is uncertain. I detest Rutherford personally, but I think his drinking is overblown. His general mean- spiritedness did more to hurt the JWs than any alcohol usage.

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