Yeah, I contributed to that history issue, which I'm expanding into an 800 page book. Which isn't making certain BIble Students too happy, which is why when the special history issue had been depleted, they reprinted it and ommitted my contribution, but the original history issue is still online. Don't you just love politics???
THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE MYSTERIOUS 6TH NAME!
by Terry 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Terry
There was nothing that man wouldn't do for his own manipulative machinations
rutherford was not too different from a gang leader who could muscle people into doing is bidding. But, he had the cover of a religious leader.
He never aspired to being a self-styled Pastor, like Russell. He wasn't the shepherd type!
He was pushy, brazen, brash, cold and manipulative----but----FOR GOD! Or, so he was able to promote it that way.
If you joined Rutherford's street gang you had to hustle for him and prove your worth. He wouldn't tolerate butt-sitting in a pew.
This religion he invented, Jehovah's Witnesses, was a "What have you done for me lately" organization.
Each leader of the Watchtower Society brought to the religion a magnified aspect of his own pathology and personality for good or ill.
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Terry
How exactly did Rutherfraud get control of the Borg anyway
Rutherford had enough legal savvy to know who he was dealing with personality-wise. His rivals for the helm of the Watchtower were ambitious men, but, they didn't know squat about the legal ins and outs of the Law.
Further, these men who opposed Rutherford did not have Rutherford's connections of good-0ld-boys.
Rutherford was waiting to pounce when the time was right and he set to work with a purpose immediately upon getting the news Russell had died.
A man who knows what he wants to do and HOW to go about doing it is far more effective than a man without a plan.
The time to stop Rutherford passed quickly enough.
Rutherford defined his opponents before they could define themselves. That was their largest mistake.
He made the opposition out to be the worst sort of betrayers of Russell's work and couched his language in the typical bible-speak pejoratives.
The best thing to have helped Rutherford in the long run was the opposition!
He overcame and began to look much the kind of leader people responded to in post WWI society.
It was a time of the rise of communism in Russia, Fascim in Germany and Italy and economy disaster in America.
A STRONG leader who barks will always find a core of followers in such times as those.
The key is FEAR. Make them afraid and show them the door to go through to get to safety.
Rutherford created a zone of safety (in the minds of Jehovah's Witnesses) where they could remain strong--or so they imagined.