Knorr was scary cold.
The final and most important question concerning the Watchtower Corporation ???
by Finkelstein 35 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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EdenOne
I believe that Russell was genuinely sincere in his pursuit of the "truth", although he wasn't all that original - he borrowed ideas left and right and formulated a theology that he adapted as he went. So, no, I don't think that the Bible Students' doctrines were shaped to sell literature. However, with Rutherford, things went a different course. There's a clear effort to establish a theology that would make the Witnesses be different from all other Christian denominations - just for the sake of being different and stress out an identity. Otherwise, the Bible Students risked becoming an irrelevant little group The rejection of Christmas, birthdays, the cross, the door-to-door witnessing, among many other, were clearly designed to "be different". And that's when the WTS becomes a publishing empire. With the theological input from F. Franz, Rutherford produced loads and loads of literature, that needed to be served to the masses.
Eden
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kurtbethel
The first principle of the Watchtower is that it is a brand.
Just as if Ford Motor Company were to publish transportation books, they would invariably refer to a Ford vehicle to address specific transportation needs. You would never expect Ford books to promote the use of Toyota vehicles. Likewise, Watchtower doctrine promotes the use of Watchtower products to address spiritual needs, with no exceptions. They go even one step farther by bashing other brands as being inferior. Watchtower literature is self referential, with the Bible being used as only a token prop only to the extent that it reinforces the value of Watchtower literature.
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Hermano
Excellent points. And a great question from the OP.
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Pterist
**** Russell strikes me as sincere(ly misguided) ****
Yup Sincerely Wrong ! But not as devious as Rutherford !
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hoser
kurtbethel
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Finkelstein
Great thoughts and input folks
I think it is worthy to bare in mind that this religion grew and expanded upon its sales and distribution by its own printed literature.
It was obvious that the WTS./JWS wanted to deliberately distinguishes itself completely away from main stream Christendom in creating its
own unique identity. "God's specifically chosen organization full of truthful bible understanding and interpretations."
It should be realized that the WTS. used the end of the world (system of things) / imminent Armageddon, to attract attention toward itself
and to eventually exploit people to further distributing its literature toward the public.
So it may be right to say that the WTS. and its solely created and devised doctrines were a commercial success as a religious publishing house but
not necessarily an expression in truthful and endearing interpretation of the bible and the Gospel ?
Does the fact that all the WTS. proclamations never claim true and the organization's past doctrines are readily available to see
on places like the inter-net, a probable cause for the organization directly down sizing its operations.
The aggressive vigor of the organization seems to waining itself away from what was there in its historical past.
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Xanthippe
Does the fact that all the WTS. proclamations never claim true and the organization's past doctrines are readily available to see
on places like the inter-net, a probable cause for the organization directly down sizing its operations. - Finkelstein
Finkelstein, what if the whole religion is based on a series of memes? The first one being that we are in the time of the end. That evolving into the good news has to be preached. Then the dates, continually changing as noo lite came in and as you say above as all of their mistakes are now online for the whole world to see it is evolving into sizing down the operation.
Not that there hasn't been conscious and cynical manipulation of doctrines along the way to make the religion stand out from the rest such as the blood doctrine and banning of all 'pagan' holidays. Not that there hasn't been corruption and evil scheming to take peoples' money and literature flogging time. Of course there has. I was one of the young pioneers who became cannon fodder for the borg.
I have seen similar themes in other authoritarian regimes eg communist states where many truly still believe in the principles and yet some take advantage and become corrupt, skimming off wealth for themselves.
It sometimes has seemed like they believe the nonsense, even at GB level, because the memes began so long ago they have evolved and taken on a life of their own. Of course over several generations it is hard to keep track of how ideas developed.
'Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes in that they self-replicate, mutate and respond to selective pressures'. -Wikipedia on 'Meme'
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Finkelstein
It can be logically seen that the WTS. used its publishing power to cultivate its following base of adherents from the general public.
Its also plain to see that the WTS. used whatever it could to attract attention to its publishing goods, exploiting the acknowledged belief in the bible
to cultivate and build its presenting power by spuriously creating false doctrines, then branding it as the " Truth"
Freedom of religion is just that and it makes one wonder if the Statue of Liberty which is situated close to the WTS. HQ played
some role in instigating the development of the WTS. JWS religion. ???
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LV101
Question about Rutherfraud's lawyer status --- read yrs. ago he wasn't a "schooled/educated" lawyer but a court clerk who weasled into the legal system (I don't know if this is accurate). Any proof out there --- not that anyone cares about the charlatan. I always laugh at couple of cousins who tell me their grandfather was a country doctor (via the so-called intern system). How scary.
If a true professional lawyer he obviously realized hard work ahead to be successful and instead of heading into politics (which is common) grabbed the spirits of religion. Total snake oil, charlatan.