Did Rutherford believe what he wrote? (page 2)

kgfreeperson

That really confused me when I first read it. Because, after encouraging his nephew to go for the "truth", once the implications of that became clear to him, F. Franz threw R. Franz to the wolves. So it seemed to me that the organization, rather than truth was his main concern.

frankiespeakin

Freddy reminissing after meeting with Ray and the GB:

Boy I hope I didn't give my nephew a bum steer when I told him: "Don't try to understand the Scriptures on the basis of what you see today in the organization,...and..Why don't you check it in some other translations that may not be as biased."

StinkyPantz

I often wonder if Jesus believed the stuff he said..

Narkissos

Good question SP...

Roddy

- Who thinks "Judge" Rutherford really believed what he wrote?

Unfortunately it seems, anyone who becomes a lawyer loses sight of morality and ethics and deals strictly on legalism. Beyond the favorable picture of what the WTS paints of Rutherford, other sources of information regarding Rutherford paint him as a dictatorial ego driven oppertunist who insisted that everyone live according to his dictates except he himself.

- I believe it was in the Salter letter where it is stated that Rutherford said once that he had "bluffed his way through life"

I read Olin Moyle's letter where he gave many reasons why he and his wife left Bethel which were for moral issues ranging from debauchery among Bethelites to Rutherford's own unchristian lifestyle.

- Think he also "bluffed" his way when writing and talking about "The Theocracy"?

I think he bluffed about everything. As a professional university educated lawyer among ignorant sheep ready for the taking - given the vacuum from Russell's death - he rolled-over everybody. That's why I'm willing to bet that while any convert with a college education will be used, no one with a college degree will ever be a member of the GB.

- Rutherford once said to a convention that he was not the head of the Jehovah's Witnesses. That was a very, very insideous way of actually increasing his hold/power on the followers.

What better way to increase power than to make yourself the mouthpiece of God and then to proceed to make such a statement to stifle any disagreements and contrary politics?

teejay

It's been a while ? years, actually ? since I've read anything by the Judge, but at the time of my exit I couldn't help but feel that the man knew what he was doing. He was a lawyer... a veritable wolf among sheep. Seeing how he discredited the majority of the WTS Board members, subsequently gained absolute control of a screwy religious movement, and in the end lived a lavish, carefree lifestyle on two coasts tells me that while he was most likely a morally flawed individual, he was no fool.

Big Tex

Did Rutherford believe what he wrote?

Even better, how many people who are Jehovah's Witnesses today, actually believe? Or are they just going through the motions?