Did Russell Believe Anything Witnesses Do Now? (page 2)

breakfast of champions

7 - No view on the generation

I believe (and I could be wrong) that Russell thought the "generation" was the 40 year "harvest time" between 1874 and 1914.

konceptual99

Just bumping this in the light of the "nooooo light".

Just to recap... it seems that the ONLY teachings that modern day witnesses would recognise from Russell are:

- no trinity

- no hell fire

- no immortality of the soul

- 70 weeks of years leading to Christ

The first would appear to be something he picked up from some Advent Christian Church teachings via George Stetson

The next two are Adventist teachings that he brought with him when he apostisied from them and is not the last something that was expounded by other scholars dating back into the 18thC?

If so, then it begs the question why Jesus would pick out these guys from all the other denominations to choose as his F&DS? All his other teachings were wrong. None of these are unique.

Was there anything else that he would have picked up on to suggest the Bible Students were the ones to plump for, even just to "appoint over the domestics"?

fedup

Both Russell and Rutherford didn't care much for their wives, very much into other women.

I think the R & F would get in trouble today.

ÁrbolesdeArabia

I think our religious teachings evolved for the worse! Brother Russell would not have said the crazy things about the entire world less a few JWs would survive the Great Day of Jehovah.

The Watchtower in the 1970s said Homosexual relations were not grounds for a woman to divorce, did you come across anything in Russells writings or was homosexuality very rare in his time that nothing was written about it. I need to read more of the 1600s to 1800s writers and their view of porneia, how much untold pain were sisters inflicted with when the elders said they could not divorce their husbands when it was obvious to any thinking Christian they could.

Would Russell have spoken out at the Homosexuals at Bethel for their hypocrisy? You did a good job, I wonder what make's a thread shake n bake, this deserved more attention!

Did Russell know about Rutherford's drinking issues and if he had lived to 100, you think J.R. would have left the Organization to start his own?

Phizzy

Although the Watchtower is trying to distance itself from Russell, he was never part of the modern GB etc, they rely entirely on his teachings as the reason Jesus chose them in 1918/9.

I have asked two Elders since I left to show me the teachings unique to the Bible Students at a that time that would persuade Jesus to choose them.

I have not had a reply.

Why ? because NOT ONE of the unique teachings of that time is taught today !!!!!!!!!!!!

It matters not what they did NOT teach, other groups ,larger and more worthy at the time, the truly neutral Christadelphians for example, refrained from those same teachings, the choosing had to be based on what they did actually teach.

This means that the present day Governing Body are self-appointed, lying, windbags, with no authority but that which they award themselves.

OnTheWayOut

Russell, if he lived longer, would have continued to change his beliefs just like JW's do today anytime a new book is out to explain it. Remember, Russell wrote the "new light" back then.

punkofnice

They still believe the leader/s are 'the Faithful Slave'(TM).....................well there abouts, give or take a bit of 'new light(TM)'.

Finkelstein

Am I even close to being correct?

Absolutely, it has to be honestly realized that the men who said god had chosen their organization,

said that themselves, as a means of self empowerment but to also enhance the viability of what was printed

in the WTS. literature. The set and established power grew from there.

cobaltcupcake

In my former (yay!) congregation's territory there was a house where a family of Russelites lived. We had it marked as a DNC because they were apostates.

Did Russell Believe Anything Witnesses Do Now?