Eight questions about Nathan Knorr (page 2)

nojw86

I met Knorr at a KH dedecation, found him strange and removed when I was introduced, sat next to him for the talk etc, when he said the prayer and we bowed our heads, I saw his shoes were not shined by really dirty, of course my daughter would say mister clean your shoes. LOL. nojw

Francois

I heard a story somewhere, maybe it was here, that Knorr had secret meetings with each new group of Bethelites in which he supposedly taught them how to take a leak without touching their, um, wee-wees. Nice trick. Seems he thought it was best not to even touch the damned thing.

Skimmer

The story about Rutherford being secretly buried in the middle of the night is almost too strange to be credible. Yet somehow I can almost picture Knorr and a few other of Rutherford's bodyguards shoveling away at the Beth Sarim site. Maybe Knorr as the new WTBTS president acted as the police look-out while the other cane-wielders dug away. Has the city of San Diego ever been notified of this? Positive results of an exhumation would be most embarrassing for the WTBTS, even if the statute of limitations for illegal internment has long expired. If there was enough evidence of a secret burial, perhaps the San Diego coroner staff just be interested given that the city had earlier denied a permit for a private burial at the site.

What would the WTBTS do if someone wrote them and told them that there was an effort to get the San Diego authorities involved to resolve the question. Would the WTBTS go into denial mode? If they know that there is a secret grave, would they admit it, or would they just stay silent and hope that no one would investigate?

If I had Rutherford buried under my garage, I'd dig him up and auction off the remains.

The alternative of Rutherford being planted in a Staton Island Methodist cemetery is easier to believe. But if there is a tombstone there with Rutherford's name on it, perhaps there's just an empty coffin underneath.

----------------

In Dante's _Divine Comedy_, there is a special place reserved in Hell for heretics with special treatment for those who converted many away from the real faith. It is located on the outskirts of the Infernal City of Dis, and it is a cemetery of sorts with all the coffins above ground. Each coffin has the name of its unfortunately conscious occupant marked on the outside. Each is made of metal and is sealed for all eternity. The temperature of a coffin is proportionate to the damage done by the occupant. Some glow a dull orange while others are bright red. A few are white hot.

COMF

Some glow a dull orange while others are bright red. A few are white hot.

Ah, the beauty and majesty of the Lord's works!

COMF

Farkel

Skimmer,

: The story about Rutherford being secretly buried in the middle of the night is almost too strange to be credible.

You might change your opinion if you can get a hold of several of the 1942 Consolation magazines (around May of that year) and read how the society vilified the City of San Diego for their refusal to allow Da Drunk's body to be buried at first: Beth Sarim and second, Beth Shan. I used to have those issues and remember how much hatred the society hurled against the City of San Diego. Of course, maybe it wasn't as bad I as remember, because I haven't read the full articles in over thirty years. But the society was definitely trying to stir up a publicity campaign to get San Deigo Officials to change their minds. Knowing how vindictive WTS officials can be, it wouldn't surprise me in the least that they interred old Joe's body in secret and at night on that property.

Keep in mind that Beth Shan (which is just accros a canyon from Beth Sarim) which is every bit as big (5,100 approx. square feet of home) was built in total secrecy: it had a locked fence guarded by WT goons to the road which led up the property and no one who wasn't part of its construction was allowed through those gates.

Rutherford had not one, but TWO bomb shelters built for his protection on that property, which was completed in 1939, just as WWII was starting. Rutherford fully expected WWII the bring on Armageddon, and instead of "trusting in Jehovah" to protect him (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!) he trusted in his two bomb shelters, one of which had a ceiling of cement three feet thick!

AlanF: if you have the time, perhaps you could post some excepts from those 1942 Consolation magazines to let the folks know just how pissed off the Society was when old Joe couldn't be buried in his mansion(s) built and paid for by the sweat and lives of his dumb-dub followers.

Farkel

d

Where can I get more infor about Nathan Knorr?

Ding

Interesting quote, Blondie.

Of course, I can't imagine WT presidents worrying about following rules that apply to the rank and file.

Quendi

This has been an absolutely fascinating reading experience. I no longer have any of my WTS Yearbooks, but I recall how the 1975 edition all but canonized both Russell and Rutherford, never hinting at their abnormal behaviors and lifestyles. As for Nathan Knorr, much depends on whom you consult. I knew a Witness who attended the same congregation meetings as Knorr did and she thought he was warm, open, and very friendly. On the other hand, I have read reports from Bethelites who served under his watch in Brooklyn who had very little to say about him that was positive. I have definitely appreciated what others have shared on this thread and hope that others read it as well, especially in view of what direction the WTS is taking now.

Quendi

I'd like to add that even though this thread was started ten years ago, it is still relevant. The history recounted here calls to mind Solomon's statement at Ecclesiastes 1:15, "That which is made crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot possibly be counted." It is no wonder the WTS is so fouled up!

Quendi

james_woods

Wasn't there a bethel rumor back in the 1960s that air-conditioning was extremely rare in the Brooklyn buildings - but that Knorr had his apartment airconditioned with window units supposedly on "health reasons"?

I can still remember prominent elders of those days saying unanimously that Knorr was a hyper control freak, and a very cold fish not to be messed with. The saying that he could care less about doctrine, but was a businessman only interested in literature production was also commonplace.

As far as the "latent homosexuality" rumors, I actually heard this more often applied to Freddy Franz (and his little hot-tub club for certain bethel boys) than about Knorr. The celibate marriage rumor was repeated fairly openly during his lifetime, though.

Eight questions about Nathan Knorr

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