Did the WTBTS really print this stuff?

by Giordano 12 Replies latest social entertainment

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  Giordano

  I am not going to delve into the opinions and information provided by the good folks on this forum on matters of health and science in another post. Instead I want to make clear that the WTBTS provided a fountain of information on this subject. Feel free to add any other misinformation you received. P.S. health warning! Don't be drinking coffee while reading this.

  Dating back to the turn of the 20th century the WTBTS was actively anti medical research........ anti results and was actively disseminating false information.

  The entire history of the WTBTS and it's followers is to kill themselves off sooner then later with quackery.

  Lets take a quick look at the advice the Society was offering:

  “Pastor Russell....discussed the mysteries of.......mental telepathy, mind reading and women’s intuition.” Golden-Age Feb 15 1925 pg 332-3 (referring to a much earlier time)

  “Disease (is caused by) fermentation and heat.........not germs. GA Aug 25 1926

  “....current agitation over birth control (is evidence that) the ‘New Age’ is at hand.” GA Apr 7 1926

  
  "Many have wondered how accidents would be avoided during Christ's kingdom, since we are told that nothing shall then hurt or destroy. Most accidents are due to gravitation and its effects. Falling from airplanes... etc., may be avoided by an individual negative gravity device.
  "Scientists tell us that there is enough atomic energy in a finger-nail to propel a battleship. The people of the future may carry a little of this energy around with them, and if they fall down an elevator shaft they can let themselves down easy. Then they can turn a little more on and go back up. ... No danger of falling down stairs then." - Golden Age, March 24, 1926, p. 404.

  Say What?

  And of course everyone's favorite
  

  “Air baths are good for preventing colds. What you do is strip naked mornings and evenings and then bob up and down for a while.” Golden-Age Feb 1926 pg 310

  I'll tell you this last bit of New World health advice may be on to something! I am going to encourage my wife to try this last recommendation and I will stand by her to make sure she doesn't fall down and I will lend her a helping hand (that's the kind of guy I am) until she gets her own personal individual negative gravity device.
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  blondie

  Yes, prior to 1950 during the days of the Golden Age and Consolation, a lot of articles featured the absurd ideas of that time (and of the editor...I forget his name). Some jws (Bible Students) carried that onto the next generation and seems to have a life of its own. As outside the WTS, ideas became more up to date and modern, the WTS adjusted their own ideas; examples of some that persist, vaccinations were wrong, microwaves were dangerous.
  
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  bennyk

  Clayton J. Woodworth?
  
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  Anders Andersen

  To be fair, much of the crazy Golden Age stuff was not written by Watchtower staff, but letters they received.

  Of course one can wonder why they would print insane and ridiculous statements that people sent them by letter...
• 

  jaydee

  Remember 'RDK' (The Radio Disease Killer)

  

  See 'Merry Magdalene' for some info on the story

  here
  
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  Finkelstein

  The WTS in its history as a religious publishing house wrote up a lot of alluring hypothetical bullshit to attract its readers.
  

  It even went as far as to say Jesus the savior Messiah has returned and a New World Order under him is just around the corner.

  Freedom of religion combined with open unregulated publishing via the American government did well for the Watchtower Corporation over the years.
  
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  vienne

  C. J. Woodworth was enamored of Bernar McFadden's heath cure regimen. This was the last-gasp era of electro cures and eclectic 'medicine.' Many took the Golden Age's claims seriously, and in fact the GA simply repeated what others said.
  
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  blondie

  I forgot Radio Biola. We saw one in an antique store in Florida. Thanks, bennyk.

  http://ajwrb.org/quack-medicine
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  I believe that the blood ban had its origins in this time period as well. Ignorant pseudo science.
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  smiddy3

  I`m not sure whether these were actually in print or not however they were certainly taken seriously by the JW`s when I was in.

  Aluminium pots and pans were a no /no to cook in ,you would collect all manner of ailments if you did so.

  Another one was don`t put your trust in doctors because they were in cahoots with the drug companies producing pills and prescriptions to fill their bank accounts.

  Rather go to a Naturapath or their equivalent who will give you the right vitamins and herbs to cure your ailment.

  We had two very good JW friends when we were in that were sticklers for healthy food ,vitamins ,herbs ,and Naturapath`s , they both died at a young age from breast cancer and none of them ever smoked ,both born into the religion.

  They never went to a doctor .