jw history - please clarify

atpeace

i was having lunch today with some co-workers and my jw past was brought up. always a facinating subject!

i would love some clarification - i understand how russel was the first president and was calling himself and his followers bible students - was judge rutherford also calling himself a bible student? what was his background, religion wise? was he like the vice-president at the time of russel's death? were they both into printing?

just curious. trying to wrap my brain around the crazyness of it all. ive been out for at least 10 years and felt very foolish today explaining it all! how are so many people duped?

lesterd

You dont wrap your brain around craziness. It wraps around you. Actually Russels father was the first pres, he bought more share of stock in the org. He was disguntled with the obvious lies of religion so he picked up the adventists ideas and ran with them.

greendawn

Yes Rutherford and all followers of Russell were calling themselves Bible Students until the early thirties when Rutherford changed their name to JWs. Before becoming a president he was a lawyer defending the WTS in legal cases.

In fact Russell did not nominate him as his successor or even a board member but with his ruthless legal skills he managed to grab the presidency from the legal successors.

In his pre bible student days, he was a baptist.

digderidoo

After Russells death there was a power struggle amongst the hierarchy. Rutherford came out on top and took control of WBTS, afterwards the name Jehovahs Witness was brought in being. Many of the original bible students went on to form splinter groups though, some of which are still in existence today.

If you look up Russell on wikipedia, there is alot of info there, makes interesting reading.

Paul

unfree

well they were simply called Bible Students until the WTS of PA Corp was created, along with the International Bible Students Association, Corp, which still exists today with the WTS of PA&NY. So as far as I can tell Bible Students are JW's, (I mean that the International Bible Students Association is a JW Corporation] besides those who are Bible Students following the original teachings of C.T Russell. Oh and Russell was not the first president of the WTS of PA, apparently. I think.

yesidid

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/32/3.ashx

On the page above you will find info about Russell and Rutherford.

In fact you might like to browse through the three pages of "Best of".

I believe they will answer most of your questions.