by refiners fire 18 Replies latest watchtower bible
Perhaps a mainstream religion is merely a "cooled-down" sect.
And a sect is a "cooled down" cult.
Thats my theory anyway, an Im stickin to it.
Good old Ray Franz demonstrated the path from new movement to restrictive sect in ISofCF.Used the Catholic church as the example, if I recall correctly.
Pretty interesting reading.
butalbee
You know most of his writings were written in a drunken-drug induced stupor.
Actually that was Rutherford, Russell didn't drink, in fact he was a vegetarian.
Most of my writings are concocted in a drunken, drug induced stupor.
If its good enough for uncle Joe, it works for me too.
RR,
Thank you for correcting Butalbee on this one.
Butalbee, you need to get your history and your facts straight.
I do agree with you RF, that everything Russell abhorred in the Churches, the Society he founded became!
And it's sad that JW's today cannot see the similiarities between the Catholic Church and the WTS.
Well, I think a lot of people forget that Buta has never been a dub.
Shes just kinda adopted us as a crazy pet community.
Shes not obsessed with Dub history like a lot of people here.
RR.
Considering Russell knew the pattern of controlling organizations, it appears that the problem is a recurring one.
A movement comes along founded on free expression, if you like, and it turns, over time, into that which it originally opposed.
Almost inevitably.
Why this should recur and recur I cant say, but it happened in Russia too with the communist revolution, and in France with their revolution.So, it happens.
It's interesting to note, that towards the end of the first century, Paul was warning the brethren, that the antichrist was within their midst. He warned them.
Interesting to note, there were some in Russell's time, Rutherford for one, but many elders who were "lording it over" the congregations.
In the later 'Towers, he warned the brethren about such individuals. It took Rutherford all of three years to gather these power hungry ones and used them to his benefit!
Thank you Refiner for posting that!
I had never seen it before, is it available anywhere?
It was "scary" how it sounded like the ORGANIZATION.....
I had read a lot of bizarre things about ole Charlie, but this was quite surprizing....didn't drink and was a veggie, huh. sounds like Hitler.....
What? is abstaining from alcohol a sin? I don't drink either. but I love me some steak!
