Finkelstein stated:
<<The great Egyptian pyramid is entwined in Freemason practice, you have to be an idiot to not accept that. >>
<<This so called monument in stone as its perceived was deeply rooted in Freemason theology.>>
I am not with the Jehovah's Witnesses, but as a Bible student who believe that the Great Pyramid in Egypt is God's Witness in Egypt, I am responding related to what is being said concerning Charles Taze Russell. Russell was a Bible student; he was never a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses, and that authoritarian organization did not exist while Russell was alive. Russell refused such authority of dogmatism for himself, and he kept the Watch Tower Society he created from being used for such authority as long as he lived. Contrary to what many have claimed, while Russell was alive, he sought to prevent the WTs and the Bible Students association from becoming an "religious organization". Shortly after his death, the WTS as Russell created it was destroyed when Rutherford deceitfully had new by-laws passed. Rutherford then began to use his new WTS as a basis to create what he later called "Jehovah's visible organization", and, in practice (although not necessarily in word), claimed authority of dogmatism on practically everything the new WTS said.
For some quotes from Russell regarding "organization" and the WTS:
http://rlctr.blogspot.com/2016/10/wtorg.html
I asked regarding how Freemasons view the Great Pyramid in several "freemasons" forums. Those that responded said that they knew of no general interest among the Freemasons in the Great Pyramid of Egypt, although there may be a few members of the Masons who have taken an interest in such a study.
Knowing what I know about of what Russell presented from the scriptures, however, I would say that IF a Mason did study Russell's works on this and related studies, he would soon realize that the Freemasons is an organization that in the final end would be shown to have been a work of futility. Additionally, if the many conspiracy theories related to the Freemasons are true, then any Freemason who would be in agreement with Russell's Biblical study of God's Witness in Egypt would realize the futility of such a conspiracy by sinful men, and would withdraw support from such conspiracy.
Of course, God's Witness in Egypt is not at all itself intertwined with Masonic practices, although some Masons may have intertwined some things about the Great Pyramid into their "practice" or beliefs. When the Great Pyramid was constructed, however, the Freemasons' organization did not exist, thus the alleged connection with the Freemasons has to be imagined and assumed. Nevertheless, if any usage of the Great Pyramid by Masons means that the God's Witness in Egypt is itself Masonic, then, if one is consistent in such reasoning, the intertwining of the Bible into any Masonic teaching would mean that the Bible itself is a Masonic book. The reality is that neither is true, and the further reality is that Brother Russell's Biblical study of God's witness in Egypt -- as well as similar study done by others -- has, of itself, nothing to do with some "practice" or Masonic teachings, although, as I stated, some Masons may have endeavored similar study.
Finkelstein stated:
<<Because of Russell's association with the Freemasons, he drew out and plagiarized some of this organization's theological ideas.>>
Russell did state he had "some dear friends" who admitted to him to be Freemasons. There may have been a very, very few associated with the Bible Students who had not withdrawn from the Freemasons whom Russell knew. Russell never assumed any authority to tell anyone that they had to withdraw from the Masons, or to pronounce a judgment against anyone for not withdrawing from the Masons, although he did present the scriptural reasons he believed that indicate that a Christian should not be a member of such an organization. Generally, however, if a Christian accepted the divine plan of the ages as presented from the Bible by Russell, that one would soon realize the vanity and distraction of being a member of such an organization, and would withdraw from such an organization.
Russell did endeavor to draw some illustrations from Masonic terminology that could provide illustration of some Biblcal teachings, but he did this with terminology that is associated with many different groups and organizations -- not just the Masons. Such usage does not all mean, however, that Brother Russell was endorsing the views of any of these organizations; indeed, he often showed that he was not.
However, as it was pointed out to me, much of what Russell spoke of concerning the Freemasons showed his ignorance of that organization. He apparently assumed that all Freemasons profess to be Christian, and assumed that the Knights Templar are simply a higher level of the general Freemason Society. Due to this misconception he lumped the Freemasons with the various denominations that profess to be Christian, saying that each present some truths. -- Temple of God.
http://rlctr.blogspot.com/2016/11/temple.html
Nevertheless, in most places one has to profess belief in the orthodox alleged "Chirstian" trinity in order to a member of the Knights Templar, and Russell, believing that this doctrine contradicts the Bible, openly confessed that he could not accept adding that dogma to the Bible.
Finkelstein stated:
<<The Winged Sun Goddess symbol which he used on the front cover of the The Finished Mystery.>>
"The Finished Mystery" was not written by Russell, but I don't want to get sidetracked with that right now.
The "sun of righteousness" symbol that Russell used is definitely not a symbol of any "winged sun goddess", although the Egyptians did make use of a similar symbol. Fritz Springemeier never made the distinction between the "sun of righteousness" symbol and that used in heathen religions. Indeed, he highly misrepresented Russell's symbol, and he misrepresented Russell's Biblical usage of the sun as a symbol. Nevertheless, his lack of distinction led him to the conclusion that Malachi had been influenced by the heathen religion, which meant that Malachi lied when he said Jehovah spoke of the "sun of righteousness." (Malachi 4:2) That would mean that Malachi was a false prophet. (Deuteronomy 18:20) In turn, since the New Testament writers accepted Malachi as a prophet, it would mean that the entire New Testament is false, and it would further mean that Jesus is not the promised Messiah, but a false prophet. Of course, I don't for a moment believe that Malachi lied, and I do believe that Jehovah did speak of the "sun of righteousness", who is contrast to the sun of crookedness (unjustness, unrightousness) and vanity that we now live under, but which is to pass away. -- Ecclesiastes 1:2,3,14,15; Matthew 24:35; 2 Peter 3:12,13.
For links to some of my research related to Russell and Masonic Symbols, one may see:
http://rlctr.blogspot.com/2016/12/masonicsymb.html
<<
It is true that Charles Smthe heavily promoted this concept and he wrote a book which no doubt got into Russell's hands among other late 19th century bible investigators in the US.>>
Directly, Russell adopted what he presented about God's witness in Egypt from Nelson Barbour. Brother Russell acknowledged the help he and Barbour received from Smythe, as well as from many other Christians who believed that the Great Pyramid is God's witness in Egypt. None of this, however, has anything to do with any alleged practice of the Freemasons.
One of Barbour's articles on the Great Pyramid:
http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/history/barbour%20pyramid.htm
