The Watchtower and Phrenology?
On page 17 of the July 15 th 1978 Watchtower , the Society condemns phrenology, "Some false
beliefs have been removed, such as phrenology—the study of "character traits" by feeling bumps
on the head. The shape of the skull is not determined by the shape of the cerebrum, nor is it
possible to assign "character traits" to specific areas of the brain."
Yet, on page 170 of the 1911
Convention Report in a "Letter to the Editor," Pastor Russell clearly
taught otherwise. In a reply to Bishop MacDonald, in the
Victoria Daily Colonist , on Tuesday,
August 15, 1911 he wrote, "Not only the learned Bishop, but all the unlearned of humanity know
that the shape of a man's head indicates the qualities of the soul, just as truly as the shape of a
dog's head indicates his peculiar traits--setter, terrier, bulldog, etc. A person of practically no
forehead we call an idiot or irrational. He is irrational because he lacks that part of the brain
organism which reflects, compares and reasons. Who cannot tell the difference between a mean
man and a truly noble one by the shape of his head? The noble soul must have the mental
organism favorable to nobility of sentiment, benevolence, kindness, reverence, spirituality,
conscience, love. These organs of the brain and body have everything to do with the character of
the soul."
Finally, on page 207 of
What Pastor Russell Said , he wrote, "Here is a man with one shaped
head, and another man with another shaped head. Bring in a phrenologist and he will describe
the two men to you very accurately just by the shape of their heads; he will not describe the
difference between the men by the breath; the breath will determine nothing, the body will
determine the whole matter. Imagine a man with a dog's head on, and the phrenologist will tell
you that the man will think exactly as the dog thinks; and the more like a dog's head it is shaped,
the more his reasoning will be after the line of the dog's reasoning, because a man does not
reason with his feet—or ought not to--but he reasons with his head, and according to the shape of
his head his reasoning is bound to be."
courtesy of Dave Constantino, via Randy Watters
Net Soup!