I posted this on another thread. This guy claims to know the real truth about Russell, http://pastorrussell.blogspot.com/ Just another JW apologist. He refutes the information about Russell being a adulterer. Says That Russell did not become president of the WTS by force, and says that he has proof to support it. I know some here know Russell's history very well. I was wondering if you can refute the claims on this blog.
TO ANYONE WHO KNOWS RUSSELL'S HISTORY VERY WELL.
by whereami 10 Replies latest jw friends
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james_woods
While I don't claim to know any more about him than anyone else, your thread seemed to be getting a little lonely.
I do notice in my 2+ years here on JWD that there are more than a few who sort of are still Russell apologists - mainly, IMHO, because Russell almost looks sane and rational compared to the later excesses of the infamous Rutherford.
Almost - until you look up the blatant plaigerism of 7th Day Adventism, his constant fights with any trusted associate who got to close to being in power, the coverup on the divorce and the girlfriends, and the pyramid math, occultic ideas, and homopathological medical practice weirdness. He is, BTW, buried not exactly under, but right beside a pyramid monument to him in Pittsburgh, PA with masonic-esque symbols engraved upon it.
But we can never forget that it was Russell who claimed an invisible Christ return in 1874 (when the end did not come), proclaimed the actual end in 1914 (which did not happen), and put into place the whole scheme of chronology. He also was a bombastic preacher against mainstream churches (mostly IIRC on the doctrine of hell-fire and the immortal soul) - so Rutherford was not the original hater of other religions.
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TD
He refutes the information about Russell being a adulterer.
What information? Russell's conduct with Rose Ball was certainly questionable, but there is no real evidence that Russell was an adulterer. He didn't even consumate his own marriage for that matter and didn't appear to even have the drive of a healthy adult male.
Says That Russell did not become president of the WTS by force, and says that he has proof to support it.
Russell was always in control of the money and would hardly have needed to resort to "force"
Are you maybe thinking of Rutherford? After Russell's death, J.F. Rutherford became president of the WTB&TS through a dubious legal claim coupled with bare-knuckled church politics. Most people would characterize that as force.
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kwintestal
I'm almost sure you are thinking about Rutherford, not Russell. Russell created the WTS, it was his (or his daddy's) money that got it going for the most part. As for him being an adulterer ... most of what I've read pointed to him being A-sexual.
Kwin
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james_woods
I believe that it was Barbara Anderson who wrote that while she was at Bethel, she was astonished to find documented evidence that Russell was not the first president of the Watchtower Society, or Zion's Watchtower, or whatever it was called.
There was sort of an open partnership of several contributors, and Russell cold heartedly rooted all of them out - even writing some pretty vitriolic WT articles about one of the former friends and contributors after they had a falling out.
As far as the girlfriends, the wife is supposed to have testified that she saw him kissing one of them on the doorstep of the headquarters, and that she also saw the girl sitting on his lap in the library. This was sworn testimony at the divorce hearings. I guess that the Russellites could claim that nobody got him on tape doing the old missionary position, though.
Russell himself is supposed to have said - "I am like a bumblebee - I just move from one flower to another" or some such about the lady friends. They were "secretaries", BTW - just like old Rutherford used to have.
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AudeSapere
James Woods wrote: I believe that it was Barbara Anderson who wrote that while she was at Bethel, she was astonished to find documented evidence that Russell was not the first president of the Watchtower Society, or Zion's Watchtower, or whatever it was called.
Here's a link to the thread where Barbara comments on the subject: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/99745/1.ashx
Barbara's comments are on the 2nd page of that thread.
-Aude.
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whereami
Thanks for clearing that up for me. Sorry for my misunderstanding. Either way, did anyone find this blog truthful?
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RR
That site is run by Sherlock (I know his real name) he is a pro-JW, Most of the stuff he post are taken right out of the Watchtowers. I've known him for years. He's a nice guy!
RR
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oompa
Just the grave site is spooky enough.....been there!............what a pyramid nut!........oompa
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diamondiiz
Charles beginnings - http://www.freeminds.org/history/russellnotfirst.htm
Rose Ball incident was in the 1890s if I remember correctly which may have been an act of unfaithfulness but Maria Russell didn't seem to have more prove than him gropping Rose as Rose asserted so that may be the reason why Maria denied him being an adulterer. It appears that around that time possible in early 1900 he took a vow of celibacy and Maria couldn't stand living with him so she had to leave and file for divorce.
I'm not certain how he aquired the majority stake in the WTS but it's possible that Conley walked away and Charles by default took over as his father handed him his shares. I haven't as of yet done enough research how Charles aquired 47,000 shares when originally he only had 50 or 100 shares. I will only guess that when he "donated" his money to the Watchtower "charity" he issued himself shares accordingly. But it doesn't appear that he forced himself to be the president.