CTR has absolutely nothing to do with JWs. He was not a JW. There is no line of descent from CTR to JFR. Rutherford stole CTR's organization. If CTR was involved in the occult it is meaningless for JWs.
"Watchtower" is a term from witchcraft NOT Scripture
by FuzzyPaul 86 Replies latest watchtower scandals
-
-
FireNBandits
FuzzyPaul, I had NO IDEA that Russell was a Mason, let alone a 33rd degree Mason! Thanks for the info. That really is astonishing. The whole pyramid obsession makes more sense now, especially the fact that he's buried beneath a miniature pyramid. -Martin
-
IP_SEC
Martin,
There is NO PROOF CTR was a mason.
There is conjecture. Even if he was it would mean nothing to your everday r&f dub.
-
FireNBandits
Hello IP-SEC I realize it makes no diff to modern day Dubs. I was one not all that long ago. It does, however, explain Russell's pyramid obsession. I enjoy good speculation. A good scientific hypothesis begins as good speculation, a good way of accounting for the facts. If CTR was a Mason, I find that interesting intellectually, but of no actual consequence in my day to day life. It's cool. Let's all fire up a peace pipe and unlax.
-
nvrgnbk
Let's all fire up a peace pipe and unlax.
I'll be right over!
Nvr
-
FuzzyPaul
IP_Sec said
CTR has absolutely nothing to do with JWs. He was not a JW. There is no line of descent from CTR to JFR. Rutherford stole CTR's organization. If CTR was involved in the occult it is meaningless for JWs.
It appears true that JF Rutherford stole the Watchtower corporation and benefited himself greatly. He seems to have been as full of himself as CT Russell as was evident in CTR's quoted lecture. CTR felt he thought he knew more than all the churches and even other Masons. His ego and drive are the stuff of cult leaders. Moreover, the major members of the Wacktower remained. JF Rutherford didn't walk into an empty nest and he recieved the support of the majority of Russell's followers. JFR changed the NAME not the game of the Watchtower followers. Those Russell followers were still indoctrinated with the same ideas AND were also mostly invested in Masonry. I have known several mature and life-long JW sisters that were in the "Daughters of Job" part of the Free Masons. There is certainly more than a resemblance between Masonic and occult originated ideas and those of the Watchtower. The Watchtower started there and hasn't progressed out they have only hidden what they were and are. The Catholics started as a Christian religion and became more and more paganized but it still started Christian and has spawned many good Christians and Reformations of that Church have progressed back towards good Christianity. Sadly, it would seem that the leaders and professors of the major Christian religions are controlled by political powers and have to maintain the staus-quo of traditional Catholic / Protestant doctrine. Therein lies the appeal of the SURFACE appearance of the Watchtower - No Trinity, hellfire, pagan holidays and plausible reasons against. They use lies to prove what are generally truths in many cases, however, which seriously negates the arguements angainst non-Christian doctrine. That and the pollution from Books like Russell's choice "Angels and Women" which still forms the basis for Watchtower teachings on the origins of the Demons. His Masonic membership isn't as damning as his occult, paranormal, mysticism obsessions. I know many Masons, decent folk, and was invited to be one by a good friend as I said. The reality of advanced degrees of Masonry is that the rites are nearly identical to those Satanic religion churchs. Therein is the concern. What walks, quacks and swims like a Duck is likely a type of Duck. Likely. A person can MSN or Google search (or image search) (and verify most of the information) "Watchtower" & "Occult" or "UN" or "Magic" or "Pyramid" or variations of "hidden pictures" or "Angels and Women" or "Francis Hitching" who is used in the Creation book(s) as a source and who is a Pyramidologist and sci-fi writer on paranormal subjects and NOT educated beyond secondary schooling although he is represented as a qualified scientist by the WT! If one searches Amazon.com with Francis Hitching one sees the subject matter of his books and those of authors who use his books is not Christianity and WHY ARE WATCHTOWER EDITORS READING THAT OCCULT GARBAGE? Once a person is clued in on the hidden pictures in the illustrations she can get out the WT books and look. I did and I didn't believe in the outlandish sounding claims of creapy images before that. So I insist on allowing myself freedom to point out the Occult origins or the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. I think that this is a good place to let someone or others know where and how to look and decide for themselves and to have the courage to get out of the Watchtower / Jehovah's Witness religion for reason. One wouldn't be leaving any " The Truth" nor the GOD of the Bible YHVH ("Jehovah" is the name you will hear them use.) And as far as the proud parade behind the name "Jehovah" Y isn't a J sound in Hebrew and "hovah" means "calamity, iniquity, ... naughty, noisome, perverse thing, ... ,very wickedness" (Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible, Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary section, word # 1942 and 1943) Thus, the Watchtower governing body members and editors who know this are guilty of promoting a blasphemy and LEADING JWs ON PARADE WITH IT WITH GREAT PRIDE. Better could have been done, but they like it that way. "One doesn't have to convince opposers of an idea to validate the idea for oneself and others." (Jist from an interview with Bob Lazar.) Regards, Paul
-
yaddayadda
So there is no 'direct' evidence that he was a Freemason yet he is buried under a giant pyramid on the grounds of the Pittsburg Masons. Go figure.
Always amuses me when posters who are so quick to ascribe just about every conceivable deliberate mind-control and lying tactic to the Society in the next breath mock those who say there is subliminal artwork in the publications. Although much of the alleged subliminal messages are indeed the result an 'overactive imagination', without a doubt there are some glaringly clear examples of 'subliminal' artwork. A few of them are so obvious they are hardly even 'subliminal'.
"CTR has absolutely nothing to do with JWs. He was not a JW. There is no line of descent from CTR to JFR. Rutherford stole CTR's organization. If CTR was involved in the occult it is meaningless for JWs."
WTF?? Russell started the Watchtower magazine and founded the Watchtower Society and the JW's teach the same core doctrines he originally taught, including the 1914 chronology, which many posters say is the JW's prime doctrine. CTR's background is hardly 'meaningless' for JW's. -
LittleToe
Yawn
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/11/101470/1.ashxI specifically refer you to the following work, to help clarify Russell's own opinion on the subject:
http://www.exjws.net/museum/russell_freemason.htmAnd for those who can't be bothered letting fact prevail over fiction to the point of clicking a link, the following extract from that page:
Wt June 15, 1895
To a question of a reader who asks :
DEAR BROTHER:--I would like to have your opinion on the subject of life insurance. They are organizing lodges all around here--United Workmen, Knights of Pythias, Red Men, Masons, Odd Fellows, etc. They are working it just about like sectarianism in the churches. Would like to see an article in the TOWER on the subject. Yours in the love of the truth, W. E. KILLAM. OUR REPLY TO THE QUERY.
Russell answers :
" We notice as well as the order of Freemasonry, if he is judged by his past history, has some secret object or schema, other than brotherhood and grant in the times of diseases or death. And as far as we can judge it, there is certain degree of profane worship or of mumeries connected to the rites of this order and of some the others, as far as members do not understand, but which, in a lot of case, serve for satisfying the tendency of the natural spirit, for the worship, and consequently prevents them from looking for God's worship in spirit and really - through Christ, the only authorized Intermediary and Grand Master. In this measure, such societies waste a precious time in madnesses, rites and ceremonies divested of sense, and by substituting the worship of their officers, and the use of words and symbols which have no sense for them, in the worship of God, of a way suited through Christ and according to the spiritual knowledge of the Spirit of a healthy spirit. In this measure, these societies are cruelly bad, without taking into account earnings or financial losses in connection with the membership to one of them "
Russell criticizes austerely Freemasonry in this Watchtower. He didn't put it any more in the category of a simple brotherhood of mutual aid as he seemed to perceive it in 1877, and as his reader seemed to perceive it. But what was interesting in this message, is that Russell made a mistake in this statement about Freemasonry and that a former freemason pointed out him its errors in the Watchtower of the 1 er in August, 1895 :
“A BROTHER, once very deep in Secretism, and who knows that the Editor has had no such experience, writes as follows:--
DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--Your remarks under caption of Secret and Beneficial Societies in TOWER, of June 15, '95, seem rather funny to me. You hit the nail very fairly considering that you were hammering so much in the dark. I am glad that you defend the principle of protection as afforded by legitimate or old line companies, life, fire and accident. With you, however, I think their days are numbered. No human business was ever organized with broader and more philanthropic intentions than Insurance, and no business has been so abused and diverted from its real purposes. When Insurance fails (as it has failed) from the effect of selfishness, we can not hope that any human work will succeed. As to the secret societies, they use a ritual applicable to each different degree, which is fully as reasonable as that of many of the churches, and like those of the churches, it is usually of heathen origin. The worship of the Sun appears prominently in Masonry, and so it does in the service of the Catholic and Episcopal churches. The term "Worshipful," as used in masonry, is now practically obsolete, but was formerly and generally used as a term of respect. I occupied the station of "Worshipful Master" for three years, but I never received the adoration of my fellow mortals, and I certainly never gave it to others. Your suggestion, that it is done ignorantly, is a good suggestion, but it does not apply in that case. Perhaps no man in my state, during the twenty odd years I was a member of the fraternity, gave more careful study to the symbolism of Masonry, its moral teaching, and its jurisprudence.
While masonry does not inculcate the worship of its officers, it does what is worse; for in its essence the symbolism used in the ceremonies are derived from devil worship. Although no longer unequally yoked with those unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14-17), I do want to say for those who are still in the bondage that they have much excuse. Masonry consists very largely in a series of moral instructions, taught agreeably to ancient usage, by types, symbols and allegorical figures. It is a system, and a very beautiful system--as is very much of Satan's work--when seen from the worldly standpoint. Your fellow-worker in the best (not the worst) of bonds.” -
LittleToe
Does Russell have links to the elusive Norman invasion of Britain?!!! OMG, He may even have had British ancestry and/or a Celtic bloodline!
-
IP_SEC
Does Russell have links to the elusive Norman invasion of Britain?!!! OMG, He may even have had British ancestry and/or a Celtic bloodline!
You are a master symbologist dude
You are a master symbologist dude