The Truth about Charles Taze Russell - Raymond Franz
by Brokeback Watchtower 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
Finkelstein
Ray tells it well when he describes Russell as someone who grew more engaged and endeared to his own public notoriety as a preaching Pastor, which of course grew even larger as he gave public talks and sold and distributed his own publications ,
What should be realized also that Russell was not a academically trained bible theologian but drew much of his theological ideas from other Adventists pastors and alike, even Pyramidology was not his own concept.
When Russell stated he was a Freemason, he meant it in a figurative sense, that he is free from the dogmatic teachings of Christendom and its inherent bible interpretations.
-
fulltimestudent
Finkelstein: Ray tells it well when he describes Russell as someone who grew more engaged and endeared to his own public notoriety as a preaching Pastor, which of course grew even larger as he gave public talks and sold and distributed his own publications
True enough, but isn't that the process by which most religions were started.
In early Israel, a charismatic prophet preached his mix of doom/reward motivations in his message, and engaged with the like minded in his audience. Someone wrote down what he said and did, and distributed it (albeit in a limited way), and bingo! centuries later some fools think that it tells you something important about life.
And specifically, the charismatic Jesus, convinced (possibly by his mother) that he was the promised messiah did something similar. Charlie (Russel) along with others who formulated the American style of Christianity just followed in that well-worn path.