Russell is kind of acknowledged as the founder, but Rutherford is the one who really made the WT what it is, or at least laid the foundations for what it came to be, today. How much would someone from that era recognise in the WT today? What are the big changes that they would see?
How Much of Russell and Rutherford is Left?
by NotFormer 10 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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dogisgod
For me….I was born in in 1951. I can hardly recognize JWs today as anything even similar to that of the 50s and 60s onward. They don’t even used a printed Bible anymore but I Pad type things. They are not well versed in scripture nor do they know bible history or even their own history.
I think that Covid is the most recent destroyer of WT B&TS as the 5 meetings a week were stopped along with bible study and meeting preparation…not to mention door-door service which killed the toxic indoctrination flow. It is like being drugged constantly. Once the drug is cut off you emerge from the fog.
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road to nowhere
Neckties, beards, dresses.
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slimboyfat
In a real sense Russell has been demoted and Rutherford has been promoted by the recent “faithful slave” change which, as far as I understand it, teaches that the faithful slave only came into existence in 1919. This means that Russell was never part of the faithful slave and that Rutherford was the leader when the faithful slave was selected.
I think Fred Franz is up there with Russell and Rutherford as one of the most important leaders in Watchtower history. He dominated the written religious output of the organisation between 1928 and the 1980s, including most prominently their Bible translation.
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Teddnzo
Pyramid inches have gone🤣
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Phizzy
Most of the wacky teachings and ideas of those two have gone, apart from the discredited 1914 nonsense.
The Org. remains an anachronistic 19th Century Doomsday Cult.
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TonusOH
I think the only thing left from Russell's time is the year 1914. Not the associated predictions or explanations-- Rutherford took care of those in the years following. Just the year.
They have a ways to go to wipe Rutherford's contributions away, I think. He re-did the structure of the organization and some (much?) of that survives, and things like not observing holidays was his idea, wasn't it?
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dropoffyourkeylee
Russell's belief in soul sleep, rejecting the immortal soul belief, is still around. Also I think his rather unique interpretation of the ransom is mostly intact. The chronology leading to 1914 (not the interpretation of what significance the year might have), is partially still there. That's all I can think of that is mostly the same.
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slimboyfat
Quartoceimanism also dates from the Russell era, plus rejection of the Trinity and support for Arian-like Christology. The complete rejection of “social gospel” in the Russell era also remains in the DNA of JW culture.
Who came up with the JW reading of Gen 3:15? Was that Russell or later?
Russell held that salvation remains open to almost everyone who has ever lived, including Adam. For this, some of his contemporaries accused him of the heresy of “universalism”, which he denied. Personally I think Russell was closer to the mark than current JW teaching. Jehovah will save everyone in the end. Isn’t this what 2 Pet 3.9 says?
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joe134cd
Russel founded it. Rutherford formed it, to what it would become, and not for the better. Nathan took it to the world. But I can’t help but think that Freddie may of been pulling the strings for a very long time.