Hi, CoCo.
That is really, really sad.
Whenever and wherever you find a people who claim to speak for God, you will always see these kinds of things.
Sylvia
Paul Samuel Leo (Levitsky) Johnson ...
by snowbird 18 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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reslight2
I have studied much of Johnson's works extensively. He had a brilliant mind, and was well trained in both Hebrew and Greek. In this he was a valuable aid to Charles Taze Russell before Russell died. Johnson was, however, absorbed with seeing himself or his particular movement (after Russell died) in types. (Rutherford did this also with the his organization, but not to such an extent as Johnson.) Johnson also claimed that he was to be the "last member" of the "World's High Priest" to be raised in the first resurrection when he died. (He died in 1950, and his successor, Raymond Jolly, declared that there were no more members of the 144,000 left on earth.) Except for these areas, and his determination to have to the high calling ended in 1914-1916, and some other things, there is also much I appreciate in his works. He did present some background history of what happened in Bethel after Russell died and some good refutations of Joseph Rutherford's new doctrines in a book he called "Merariism," the title based on another his application of types. He presents a lot good information in his books, "God", "Creation", "The Millennium," "The Bible," "Christ-Sprit-Covenants," although I do not agree with all he wrote in those books. I have most of Johnson's books and many of his writings, some of which I find beneficial on the more basic teachings that Bible Students general share in common, but the bulk of his work was, I believe, wasted on trying to "convert" Bible Students to his way of thinking, and to accept him as the "Ephiphany Messenger", trying prove himself and his movement in types, etc., which, in turn, produced a form of sectarianism which still exists to this day.
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snowbird
You think he influenced F. W. Franz?
Sylvia
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JWoods
Wouldn't Franz have been pretty young when this Johnson was kicked out by Rutherford? For sure, Franz chose to stay under the Judge rather than follow this guy.
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snowbird
I'm thinking of the types and antitypes thingy.
Franz joined the HG staff in 1913, I believe.
Johnson was dumped in 1917-18?
Sylvia
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JWoods
Types & anti-types, maybe. But I really had the impression that Franz was riding his own crazy train; more on chronology and control freaking.
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snowbird
LOL.
"The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones." A quote from Act 3, scene ii of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.
Sylvia
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JWoods
Ha - the evil men do. Franz, or Johnson?
Sylvia, note also that Franz was pretty much in total control of Bethel theology when that article trashing Johnson came out in the 1975 yearbook.
So, if Franz were influenced, it must have been subliminal issues - not as admiration of the man himself.
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snowbird
Noted.
Sylvia