by dolphman 169 Replies latest jw friends
@reslight:
I suspect that Russell (and/or his successor, Rutherford) was a copycat of the Freemasons, a wanna-be who wished to command an organization comparable in size and name recognition. I'd say it was a success, at least for the peak years preceding each failed Armageddon-is-nigh prophecy.
In what way did Russell and Rutherford copy masons? This doesn't even qualify as suspicion. It's speculation based on nothing but wishful thinking. Nonsense such as this, GLT, is irrational and without proof of any sort. It degrades the message of those who have reason to oppose the Watchtower.The Watch Tower articles written by both men show them struggling to copy first century Christian polity. They may not have succeeded, but that was their goal. Russell was a congregationalist as far as church government goes. This view of governance is nothing like Masonic practice. Rutherford shared this view until 1932. Between then and 1938 he evolved a 'theocratic' [Hierarchical] approach to church governance. These are the main historical interpretations of church governance and have nothing to do with Masonic practice.
AND reslight should know that Rutherford did not plan the pyramid monument. It was designed while Russell was still alive and approved by him.
From Separate Identity, vol 1
Pyramid
A pyramid shaped monument was installed in the Bible Student cemetery in Pittsburgh. The cemetery is occasionally described as Masonic. It’s not. There is a Masonic temple nearby built years later. There is no connection. The pyramid was intended as a general monument with the names of those buried in the Watch Tower plots engraved onto open books. Rather than being a Masonic symbol, the open book motif derives from the book of Revelation. Those who want to cast Russell as part of some great Masonic conspiracy claim the pyramid embodies the “all seeing eye.” It does not. The pyramid symbol refers to Russell’s belief, shared by many others who did not otherwise hold his views, that the Great Pyramid at Gizah was a divinely inspired testimony in stone to Bible truth. We trace the development of this idea in Chapter Three. The use of the pyramid as a monument was suggested not by the back of the US dollar which had an entirely different design in 1920, but by the grave marker for Charles Piazzi Smyth, a prominent pyramidologist and Astronomer Royal of Scotland.
The monument was installed in 1919, some years after Russell’s death. One source suggests Russell designed it, a Bible Student convention report saying: “The Pyramid, as you will note, has an open book carved on each side, intended by Brother Russell for the names of Bethel workers as they ceased their work and were laid at rest, awaiting the great Resurrection of the first-fruits of the Lord.”[1] A Bible Student web page takes pains to blame the pyramid monument on Rutherford rather than Russell. Neither of these statements is correct. The monument was designed not as a memorial to Russell but “as a memorial to the society.” It was “designed by Brother Bohnet, and accepted by Brother Russell as the most fitting emblem for an enduring monument on the Society’s burial space.” According to Bohnet, work started in 1914. The pyramid’s purpose was not Masonic.[2]
Separate Identity, vol 2 is in preparation, but let me share a few paragraphs [in rough draft] from it. This is from appendix 1:
We do not know how familiar Russell was with Henry Grew. Grew died before Russell began seriously exploring religion, but both Storrs and Stetson had Grew’s material in their library. In 1836, the Bank Street Church admitted a Free Mason to membership. Grew’s response was published in tract form as A Narrative of Proceedings in the Bank Street Church, Philadelphia. He soundly opposed secret societies, suggesting that a practicing Mason could not be a faithful Christian.[1]
Russell expressed his opinion in his earliest booklet, Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return:
But will the world not see Christ on His throne when they shall “say to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come.” Will they see nothing? “The day of the Lord so cometh [on the world and foolish virgins] as a thief” – a snare. The class here referred to are represented as recognizing the fact, that “the great day of His wrath has come,” the time of trouble; they now realize it. “He shall be revealed [to them] in flaming fire, [terrible judgments] taking vengeance, etc.” What sort of rocks and mountains do you suppose this will pray to have fall on them – literal mountains? No; few saints have the faith to pray for mountains to fall, while the wicked have not faith to pray for small things; besides what would we think of a man who wanted to die and could think of no more simple method than to be crushed by a mountain. But these do not seek destruction: they want to be covered – protected – in this time of trouble ... men will seek protection – covering – hiding in the great and strong kingdoms of the world. ... They will seek hiding, also, in such great rocks of worldly society as Free Masonry, Odd Fellowship, etc., but none of these (can protect fully) shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s anger.[2]
No matter what one thinks of Russell’s theology as expressed here, it is obvious that he classed secret societies including Masons as false and worldly refuges. Secret societies continued to fill a place in Russell’s prophetic speculations. He reiterated this in 1879, again presenting them as false, worldly hopes:
Rev. 6:15, figuratively describes that time of falling of kingdoms when every mountain (kingdom) and island shall be moved. The kings and chief ones as well as bondmen will recognize in this trouble that “The great day of His wrath is come,” and will seek to make alliances and to hide themselves from the sure coming storm. They will seek to be covered and protected by the great mountains (kingdoms,) of earth and to be hid in the great rocks of this world's societies. (Masonic, Odd Fellows, &c.,) but they shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's anger,” for “all the kingdoms of the world shall be thrown down,” and instead of these mountains (kingdoms) “the kingdom of the Lord becomes a great mountain, and fills the whole earth.” Daniel 2:35,45. Malachi 4:1 describes the coming day of trouble and sees the anger of the Lord there displayed – “the fire of God's jealousy.” “Behold the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up.” Here the wicked are symbolized by stubble, God's wrath by fire, and the righteous by “calves of the stall.” vs. 2.[3]
He continued this thought in the December 1884 issue of Zion’s Watch Tower, writing about social and religious institutions, specifically mentioning Free Masons. He said that human organizations were formed to project strength and influence, to oppose the views of others. They were all worldly, human expressions that gave false hope:
Looking out upon these great civil, social, and religious organizations, all must acknowledge that through their respective unions great strength has been secured. And the strength of each great party has helped to keep the other at bay. In other words, one uplifted arm of flesh has served to protect itself against another arm of flesh, as well as to exchange blows in the struggle for existence. And so the world to-day which has been banding its forces for centuries, and with increased energy during the last century, stands organized in companies of millions on opposite sides of almost every question of general interest. And what does it mean? Where shall it end? When each great band having united its forces, feeling sure that in its union there would be strength, now turns to look upon the equivalent strength of its opponent, the outlook is truly appalling from every standpoint, and men begin to fear if after all, these unions have given them sufficient strength to withstand the approaching conflict, now so manifest to every reasoning mind.
While we have remarked the expressions and indications of fearful apprehension on the part of the great civil organizations, we also note the same indications on the part of prominent exponents of the great religious systems. While each secretly trembles for its own safety, yet outwardly boasts of its security, they note and delight to point out the elements of disintegration at work in each other.[4]
[1] An Internet troll posting on one of the controversialist sites claimed without proof that Storrs and Grew were Free Masons. This booklet gives the lie to that unfounded claim.
[2] C. T. Russell: Object and Manner of Our Lord’s Return, Rochester, New York, 1877, pages 56-58.
[3] C. T. Russell: The Day of the Lord, Zion’s Watch Tower, September 1879, page 1. This was reproduced in the 1881 booklet Food for Thinking Christians.
[4] C. T. Russell: View from the Tower, Zion’s Watch Tower, December 1884, page 1.
Except from interpration from symbology
(primadoly, winges sundisk, etc) en wrongly intepreted citations from
Russell's wrtitings, Fritz Springmeier en Robin de Ruiter claim they
are supported by sources from the 20s and 30s. These sources are used
without critical use and it is shown that these Sources all have an
anti-Semitic impact. The accusation that Russell would be a freemason
can be redirected to the accusations against Bible Students in
Germany in the 1920s and 1930s.
In 1905, a scripture was
published in Russia, which we now know as the Protocols of the Elders
of Zion. This scripture was a forgery. It had to show that there was
a plot between the Jews and the freemasons to overthrow the existing
order and establish a New World Order. In Russia this writing was
used to justify the Pogroms. After the World War I, these protocols
ended in Germany and in 1920 they were translated into German by
Gottfried zur Beek (a pseudonym for Ludwig Müller von Hausen). The
German translation contained a commentary thtat was not in the
original Russian Protocols. This commentary states that the Bible
Students are committed to the Jewish World Empire. Reference is made
to Studies in the Scriptures of Russell.
Since the publication
of the German translation of the Protocols, the accusation are made
against the Bible Students. They are called followers of Jews and
Freemasons. In Switzerland they are accused being funded by
freemasons.
The Protocols are the most influential anti-Semitic writing of the 20th century. This writing eventually served as justification for the Holocaust (Hitler refers to the Protocols in Mein Kampf). Several times it has been scientifically demonstrated that the Protocols are a fake. It is therefore amazing that this writing still has so much influence. The writings are an important source of anti-Semitism in the Arab world.
The protocols are also read by
conspiracy theorists.
Robin de Ruiter believes that the
protocols are written by the Illuminati. According to De Ruiter the
Protocols are proof that there would be a conspiracy by the
Illuminati/the Elite /the Satanic bloodlines/ Jewish bankers like the
Rothschild family.
De Ruiter uses anti-Semitic writings. He uses these writings to accuse Russell, and to support his conspiracy theory.
Someone, who uses anti-Semitic writings
that were clearly meant to discredit Bible Student, cannot be a
reliable source.
Sources:
Antisemitismus in der
Stadt St. Gallen 1918-1939 p.159, footnote 225 (Thomas Metzger,
2006)
Between Resistance and Martyrdom
Jehovah's Witnesses in the Third Reich pp. 53-54 (Detlef Garbe,
1993 , 2008)
Geschichte der Zeugen Jehovas. Mit
Schwerpunkt der deutschen Geschichte, chapter 7 (Manfred
Gebhard, 1999)
De zeven levens van De Protocollen van de Wijzen van Sion (Klaas Smelink, 2010)
Supposedly these 13 families, such as the DuPonts, Mcdonalds, Kennedys,
Onassis, Rockefellers, Rothschilds, the Li family of China, etc, all
have their fingers in investment banking, politics, sciences, etc.
Then....
freemasons technically only started in 1700'something, when a group got
together of the above families and began fermenting a plot to overthrow
the british and french empires.
Pretty sure the MacDonald and Li family's, not to mention the Kennedys and Russell's, were busy digging up potatoes or rice from some Godforsaken bog back in the 1700's😂
Your typical Freemasons are usually boring dentists or black cabbies, not billionaires with their fingers on the pulse of world events .....
I myself am very sceptical about all this stuff.
I admit there's no smoke without fire but I just don't think, that in the grand scheme of things, it really works like that.
