by VM44 6 Replies latest watchtower scandals
The Watcthower used to call Rutherford "Judge Rutherford" in its articles.
For years though when directly referencing him, The Watchotwer calls him "Brother Rutherford" and leaves out the title "Judge".
If quoting someone's personal story and that person uses "Judge Rutherford", then The Watchtower will leave that in the article, but they will not use the title on their own.
So, when did The Watchtower stop calling Rutherford "Judge"?
...and why did they stop doing so?
i think they stopped calling him "judge" when they realized what stupid, useless f--k he was....
and possibly because most judges require an education, and we know how the WTS feels about education!
I don't know but when I was little the title "Pastor" Russell confused the hell out of me. I thought he was made of Macaroni or something.
:When did The Watchtower stop calling Rutherford "Judge"?
When they actually found out he wasn't.
Farkel
The arrogant power playing opportunist insisted that the title be used, it helped to upgrade his social stature
and appear taller in the community.
Didn't seemed to help his popularity though from what I've read.
I think the upper class cronies at the WTS. most likely addressed him that way, probably up to his death.
That is an interesting question, VM. I also found the follow-up question in the case of "Pastor" Russell interesting too. I hope those with real information would see the question and offer answers as I'm really curious.
In my years in the religion I remember that he was called "Judge" Rutherford because he did occasional work as a substitute judge while he worked as a lawyer - a public prosecutor specifically. And even when he became a "Bible Student" (as they were then known) he became the Watch Tower's legal counsel. As far as I know he never served on the bench in any court since becoming a Bible Student.
While the Watchtower publications give a rosy picture on why he was called "Pastor", from what I can find his name came about because congregations at the time relied on membership voting their church to be associated the Watch Tower organization on a yearly basis. They would vote Charles Russell as their "Pastor". Soon other congregations would adopt this title as a tradition and eventually he earned this nickname which eventually stuck through the rest of his life. He didn't mind it at all. But the fact is he never recieved any theological education nor certification from any institution.
I hope this helps but I yield to those who know more than I do.
Here's a biography from 2004 that the WTS printed but did not edit out "Judge" Rutherford.
*** w04 10/1 p. 25 An Education That Lasted a Lifetime ***My parents were religious, although they never attended church—mainly because of the distance from our farm to town. Nevertheless, in the early 1930’s, Mother began to listen to Bible lectures given by Judge Rutherford, which were broadcast each week from a radio station in Adelaide. I thought that Judge Rutherford was some preacher in Adelaide, and I had little interest. But each week Mother keenly awaited Rutherford’s broadcasts and listened intently as his voice crackled forth from our antique battery-operated radio set.
He is referred to as a "judge" in the 1993 Proclaimers book.
*** jv chap. 6 p. 70 A Time of Testing (1914-1918) ***But with Judge Rutherford and his associates in prison, what happened to the operation of headquarters?
