Pureheart,
If you gather all the Jerry Fallwell's, Jim Jones's, Osama Bin Laden's of the world together, what common trait's do they display?
FANATISISM.
Like the WTBS most of these fanatic's started out rather mild, with little to define, their ultimate demise. Charles Taze Russell started out by revealing some heretofore, new way's of viewing centuries old scripture. Paradise earth (REV.); Hell Fire (REV); Original sin (GEN);The cross vs stake, redemption, end times...all simply a new concept as regards the established thought of the day.
What seems to be the common denominator among these famous 'new thinker's' is organization/power. Jim Jones when confronted with the reality that he was losing control, that his follower's were begining to question or actually defect, his fanatisim for his cause culminated in drinking the kool-aid.
Russel's little group of Bible Students, didn't have to many problems until after the Pastor attained notority, the small group now a significant group, with levels of heiarchy. Couple fanataisim for ones belief, with all the traping of power, and it becomes clear, why a fellow like Rutherford succeeded Russell. Rutherford milked the congregation of neophytes/old timer's for all they were worth.
Much has been said here about how he did so, luxury cars, homes, fine clothing, food, reveling in the creature worship(even though he vehemently denied it) you name it he imbibed, just like all the power hungry cult leader's before and after him.
Knorr, Franz, and now the current GB member's all subject to the same malevolent virus. POWER AND CONTROL. What good is a religious doctrine, policy, directive unless you have some teeth to enforce such?
Chrisianity wasn't even a couple of hundred years old, before the same senario as described above, took root. Rome, Constantinople, Pope's, Bishop's, Priests, organized fantasisim was well on it's way to infamous legend. War's of every sort, outlandish prejudices, all appeared on the scene, because of organized/cultlike religon.
In other words, the Bible has been responsible for more death, misery and discord, than any other human document ever. Yet learned men of the cloth continue to defend, explain away, look for direction, from this fomentor of chaos. Why? Because the Bible writer's declared it 'the very words of God'. Unfortuneately the entire world of mankind has suffered, whenever man has tried to speak for God. What is even worse? That from generation to generation the 'myth' has been passed down, so it all continues even in this enlightened age.
Most all of us here, suffering deep wounds, from associating ourselves with 'men who speak for God'.
That is why I reject all religion, all those who claim a special position with him. Its the only way I can see, to be free of all the APOSTACY!
Danny
