I think one could view the "Apostle" Paul as a type of "Jugde Rutherford."
Both essentially took over an existing religion.
Was the "Apostle" Paul a Judge Rutherford?
by VM44 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Narkissos
Reminds me of an old silly joke: "What's the difference between a tyre and a hammer? -- None. They are both made of rubber, except the hammer."
I'm not sure what the "Apostle" tried to take over was a religion, and while he objectively contributed to make it one, he was not quite as successful as the "Judge" in taking it over within his lifetime...
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MissingLink
Yep, both took basically nice teachings (although Russell's were nuts) and turned them into big business based on rules.
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Black Sheep
Chuck & Joe both borrowed control tactics from Paul and improved on them.
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slimboyfat
They both taught that the time left is reduced. (1 Cor 7:29)
They both frowned on marriage in view of the time. (1 Cor 7:29-38)
They both said to note the man, and have no company with those who did not follow their instructions. (2 Thess 3:14)
They were both anti-intellectual. (1 Cor 1:27)
Both viewed apostates are worthy of death. (Rom 1:32)
Both made rhetorical use of their status before conversion - as a Judge and as a Pharisee.
Both had a very dark view of what forces were in control of the world around them. (Eph 6:12)
Both engendered strong reactions of either loyalty or disagreement among believers. (1 Cor 3:4)
Both believed that God was sending them signals about how they should proceed in their life and work and that others should pay heed. (Gal 1:16, 17)
They believed their special insights were from God not from any man. (Gal 1:12)
Both hardly mentioned the life and work of the founders (Jesus and Russell) of their religions in their writings. Paul wrote a lot about the heavenly Christ as he saw him, but very little about Jesus' life and ministry on earth.
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possible-san
The Apostle Paul said like this.
“For such freedom Christ set us free. Therefore stand fast, and do not let yourselves be confined again in a yoke of slavery.”
GALATIANS 5:1 (NWT)
http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/ga/chapter_005.htm#bk1Rutherford does not resemble Paul at all.
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MissingLink
Rutherford also claimed that his people were free from enslavement to "Babylon the Great". And like Paul he didn't mention that his own group would be enslaving them instead.