TEST YOUR INSIDE KNOWLEDGE: Watchtower Origns: a Saga begins

by Terry 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  diamondiiz

  George Bell and John Aquila Brown also played a part which influenced Russell's understanding of what he taught? Bell with his 1799 date fo last days based on pope being the anti-christ who was taken captive by French and Brown with 1520 years origins being applied to the gentile times which both ended up being part of Russell's teachings.

  Russell was just another man looking to understand a book that no one else has yet figured out. Many tried to apply various calculations and dates to figure out something that's not there. Russell wasn't the first nor the last who left a mark in history and who left a group of followers of his ideas. While bible students had some freedom of expression Rutherford took all that freedom away and made a cult that it is today.
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  cyberjesus

  fantastic. muchas gracias senor
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  Old Goat

  None of the “core beliefs” attributed to Ellen G. White came from her, and Russell owes nothing to her. The beliefs listed were common to the Millerite movement, and preceded E. White’s “visions.” (She was a plagiarist, stealing freely from other Second Adventists including Horace Lorenzo Hastings.)

  Russell entered Adventism on the non-sabatarian side of the clan. He was most influenced by those associated with Advent Christians, the Life and Advent Union, and various smaller sects who used the name “Church of God” or Restitutionist.

  In my opinion Russell weasels out of the association by saying he owed something to Second Adventists (He mentions Stetson [Advent Christian] and Storrs [Formerly Life and Advent Union, independent at the time of their meeting]). His doctrines were borrowed from them, or he was introduced to them through Adventists. This included soul-sleep, his date system, his view of the labor/capital conflict, etc.

  The Russellite date system was the creation of Nelson Barbour. (The best resource on Barbour and his associates is the book Nelson Barbour: The Millennium’s Forgotten Prophet, available at lulu.com. I can’t recommend this enough. It’s straight history, not a polemic. And it’s more damaging because it is well documented history and not speculation. The authors manage to point out the faults in previous discussion of Barbour and his time with Russell. The chapter on Russell is too brief for my taste, but apparently they intend to enlarge on it in a follow up book.)

  Barbour had nothing to do with Seventh-day Adventists. After severing ties with the Advent Christian Church and then with Russell, he identified with The Church of the Blessed Hope, founded in Cleveland, Ohio, by Mark Allen. The church still exists as about two or three small congregations.

  Most of Russellite and Adventist doctrine derives from others, particularly Anglicans. The prophetical frame work of both bodies as it was in the 19 th Century was derived from Mede and the Anglican Bishop Thomas Newton. Both authors were circulated and read among Adventists generally, non-Sabatarian Adventists (Second Adventists) in particular.

  The basic date system that Russell borrowed from Barbour is the creation of two Anglicans, E. B. Elliott and Christopher Bowen. (Bowen’s bio. is in a footnote in Nelson Barbour: The Millennium’s Forgotten Prophet. Buy this book! You’re missing out if you do not.)

  Daniel T. Taylor, a prominent Advent Christian and briefly interested in Barbour’s date setting, wrote Voice of the Church in All Ages. There are several editions; the later editions are more complete. He details where many of the Second Advent doctrines came from, especially their view of the impending millennium. They relied heavily on Anglicans, Lutherans (eg Bengal), and a few non-conformists.

  To say that Russell borrowed doesn’t detract from what he tried to do. Borrowing really isn’t the point. It’s not that he borrowed but what he borrowed. The biography of Barbour I mentioned above makes this point:

  “What Russell ‘got from Barbour’ is consistently overstated, the object being to discredit Russell on the basis that his doctrine wasn’t original. Russell would be horrified at the suggestion that he originated anything. He sought the ‘Old Theology,’ the Bible’s actual teachings. Even if one believes he succeeded indifferently, criticizing him for lack of originality seems silly.”

  I agree with that. There is little that is original in modern (Post Reformation) theology. It’s all borrowed. So what? The issue is the quality of the borrowing. Russell, if you’ll excuse the term, sucked at choosing what to borrow.

  Paradise restored, the death state, the Russellite chronology, his view of Armageddon, his no-nameism and more all came from some place else. This is true of Luther, Calvin, and pastor what’s-his-name down the street. All their doctrines are borrowed. It’s a non-issue.

  The date 1914 does not come from John Nelson Darby. (Ever read Darby? He’s not the bad guy here. Dispensationalism may be a crock, but Darby was an excellent Bible student. Try reading some of what he wrote.) The 1914 date comes from several sources, but it entered Russell’s theology through Barbour who got it from E. B. Elliot, an Anglican.

  Many of the details and sources of Barbourite theology are non-Adventist. Read the dang book I mentioned.

  Also, while Russellites still view Russell as the “mouthpiece of God”, Witnesses do not. Witness theology underwent a drastic change in the late 1920 and early 1930’s. It owes more to Christadelphian roots than you may expect. Compare Rutherford’s Light with John Thomas’ Eureka.
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  Nathan Natas

  Great work, Terry!

  There will always be "new ones" who are coming here for the first time who have never been exposed to these thoughts. We can't tell all of them, "Well you should have been here when Alan F. and Farkel and Jan H. and "the Vikings" were taking the field!"

  I have felt that to understand the origins of ADVENTISM a person needs to understand the deep psychic wounds that the Civil War laid upon the surviving USA. That trauma provided a fertile field for adventist ideas to flourish in.
• 

  garyneal

  Thanks Terry,

  If ever anyone needed proof of this being a fale religion based on false teachings, this is it.

  If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a CULT.
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  Chalam

  Hello Terry,

  Another fan of this post!

  Now if these core beliefs are linked with multiple false prophets, what is the likelihood of their validity?

  Anyhow, I have provided a smattering of verses and text to help you draw your own conclusions.

  Holistic human nature (fundamental beliefs 7, 26) - Humans are an indivisible unity of body, mind and spirit. They do not possess an immortal soul, and death is an unconscious sleep (commonly known as "soul sleep").

  1 Thessalonians 5:23 (New International Version)

  23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  Hebrews 4:12 (New International Version)

  12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

  James 2:26 (New International Version)

  26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

  2 Corinthians 5:8 (New International Version)

  8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

  2 Corinthians 12:2 (New International Version)

  2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.

  Conditional immortality (fundamental belief 27) - The wicked will not suffer eternal torment in hell, but instead will be permanently destroyed.

  Jude 1:7 (New International Version)

  7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

  Mark 9:47-48 (New International Version)

  47 And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 where
  " 'their worm does not die,
  and the fire is not quenched.'

  Revelation 20:10 (New International Version)

  10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

  Revelation 21:8 (New International Version)

  8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

  Great Controversy (fundamental belief 8) - Humanity is involved in a "great controversy" between Jesus Christ and Satan. This is an elaboration on the common Christian theory that evil began in heaven when an angelic being (Satan.) rebelled against the Law of God.

  I noticed this thinking when I first ran into JWs, and as they described the story of Job and how "Satan got thrown out of Heaven in 1914". I remember thinking "where did you get that from, not seen that date in my bible"?!

  To my mind, Satan is elevated to a god like status, a formidable adversary. The truth is God has nothing to prove and Satan is a powerless.

  Colossians 2:15 (New International Version)

  15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

  Psalm 2:4 (English Standard Version)

  4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
  the Lord holds them in derision.

  Investigative Judgment (fundamental belief 24) - A judgment of professed Christians began in 1844, in which the books of record are examined for all the universe to see. The investigative judgment will affirm who is worthy of salvation, and vindicate God as just in His dealings with mankind.

  Another strange teaching, why would God "examine all the universe" and Christians? Doesn't He know what is going on already?!

  There is only one time to affirm who is "worthy of salvation" but it won't be anything to do with self worth.

  Matthew 25:32 (New International Version)

  32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

  Romans 10:9-13 (New International Version)

  9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

  Remnant (fundamental belief 13) - There will be an end-time remnant who keep the commandments of God and have "the testimony of Jesus"

  Yes, but the "remnant" are Jews, not Gentiles

  Romans 11:1-5 (New International Version)

  The Remnant of Israel

  1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"? 4 And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal." 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.

  Spirit of Prophecy (fundamental belief 18) - The ministry of Ellen G. White is commonly referred to as the "Spirit of Prophecy" and her writings are considered "a continuing and authoritative source of truth", though ultimately subject to the Bible.

  Revelation 19:10 (New International Version)

  10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

  John 15:26 (New International Version)

  26 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.

  Do these "ministries" really testify to Jesus? Consider "Jehovah's Witnesses" for example.

  Blessings,

  Stephen
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  Terry

  So many gleaners have gone over the same field and there is always something left to gather!

  I believe the only "generation" of JW's left who know about/care about the actual history of the religion have learned to keep their mouths tightly shut by now.