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Christadelphian Influence on the Watchtower Society Part II

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I spoke last week on the Christadelphian influence on the society, I will try to follow up on the theme of Christadelphians man made doctrine quotes and how it has had influence on the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.  

Early Founder Dr. John Thomas-buried under an obelisk 

Charles Taze Russell-Pyramid near his grave

http://www.christadelphianresearch.com/

Some things I found that the Christadelphians have in common with the society:

  • Rediscovered truth
  • Bible prophecy
  • Doesn’t use historical resources accurately
  • Doctrines have changed
  • Chronology
  • Meeting place can be called “hall”

Youtube: Christaldephian over 1550 videos

From a former Christadelphian

“Recently I obtained a copy of your book “Unmasking Christadelphianism”, and have found it to be the most accurately informed approach to this cult…I have often wondered if Dr. Thomas was a Freemason (or other secret society member) and was influenced, knowingly or unknowingly, to promote the heresies he was ‘inspired’ to adopt.”

(B.D. Australia) http://www.reaction.co.nz/christadelphianism/testimonials.htm

Snip20151027_11

As you can see from the Google link above, the Society has some commonality with the Christadelpians and other groups.

What Kind Of Headlines Does The Organization Generate?

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A few days ago it was Halloween.  Approximately 99 years ago, Pastor Charles Taze Russell died.  A biography was printed in the December 1, 1916 issue of  The Watchtower and Hearld of Christ’s Presence.  Before getting into the topic the organization denied writing a biography:

“But, is it true you have never published a biography of Pastor Russell?

John: That’s right.  Jehovah’s witnesses admire the qualities he possessed as a man, but were we to give the honor and credit to Pastor Russell, we would be saying that the works and success were his; but Jehovah’s witnesses believe it is God’s spirit that guides and directs his people.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose. 1959. p. 63

After funeral services at The Temple in New York and at Carnegie Hall in Pittsburgh, Brother Russell was buried at Allegheny, in the Bethel family plot, according to his request. A brief biography of Russell along with his will and testament was published in The Watch Tower of December 1, 1916, as well as in subsequent editions of the first volume of Studies in the Scriptures.

Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom. 1993 p. 64

I want you to read a single verse, Ephesians 5:27 which says, New World Translation “In order that he (Christ) might present the congregation to himself in its splendor, without a spot or a wrinkle or any of such things, but holy and without blemish.”

In short looking at the last portion of the verse, Christ wanted the church to be without reproach and blameless in the world.  So with that in mind, today I want to cover “What Kind Of Headlines Does The Organization Generate?”

This is an organization that has had many controversies from the first leader until today.  Aside from the bible and it’s doctrinal stances that have changed or practices such as blood transfusions, it extends into the media whether it be print or video. If you are a Watchtowerite, when there is great press given to the organization, it is readily promoted on the official website.  Something along the lines of “this is Jehovah will or doing” is mentioned.  When there is press that is completely negative, the organization says it is “persecution.”  By claiming persecution, your conditioned response is to completely ignore everything that is said and you may have something in your mind that “this is Satan trying to prevent our work.” With this in mind, here’s some Watchtower generated headlines over the years:

Pastor Russell 1879-1916

    1. Pastor Russell Say’s He’s Not Frightened
    2. Girl’s Midnight Visit to Pastor C. T. Russell: Girl got arrested
    3. Skeptical Uncle Sam Seeks to Know More About “Miracle” Grain
    4. Pastor Russell Sues Eagle for $100,000
    5. Girl Kissed Pastor and Sat On His Knee
    6. Reason’s Why Pastor Russell’s Wife Left Him
    7. Giving Up Their Homes, Following Russellism
    8. “Pastor” Russell’s Imaginary Sermons
    9. “Pastor” Russell Loses Libel Suit
    10. Russell Follower on “Fallen Angels”
    11. Russell Finances Bared by Follower
    12. Call “Pastor’s” Wife In Russell Trial
    13. Miracle Wheat Low In Government Test
    14. Russell In Court As Lawyer Sums Up
    15. Pastor Must Pay Taxes
    16. Asks Who Pays Bills of Bethel Inmates
    17. “Miracle Wheat” Again: Being Exploited in an “Ad” Disguised as News
    18. (T) Not Produced at Court Hearing
    19. Eagle Upheld in Libel Suit Victory
    20. Eagle’sVictory over “Pastor,” Complete
    21. The Vindication of a Cartoon
    22. Canada Deports “Pastor” Russell
    23. Offers Cancer “Cure”: “Pastor” Russell Publication Which Boosted Miracle Wheat Offers Recipe
    24. ‘Pastor’ C.T. Russell Dies; Burial Here
    25. Watch Tower Will Elect a New Head
    26. Watch Tower Gets “Estate” of “Pastor”

Russell Newspaper Articles

 

Rutherford 1916-1942

    1. Are We At the End of the World? Oakland Tribune. August 25, 1917 
    2. Million’s Campaign: The Boston Evening Globe. December 17, 1920 
      1. Million’s Campaign: Los Angeles Morning Tribune, February 25, 1918, as recorded in Faith on the March by A. H. Macmillan, 1957, p. 86 
    3. Great Pyramid
      1. 1926-10 Bizarre Theories About the Great Pyramid that DON’T Involve Aliens 
    4. Can the American Government Endure? No! Says Judge Rutherford.  The Sunday Times Signal.  October 16, 1933. 
    5. Rutherford Dead But Burial of Sect Leader Delayed
      1. Wanted to bury him at Beth Sarim.  January 12, 1942. 
    6. Shrine Planned for Rutherford.  The Coshocton Tribune. January 12, 1942.  
    7. Judge Rutherford Lives Again, Sect’s Trial Witness Tells Jury.  Brooklyn Eagle.  May 21, 1943 
    8. Rutherford Thundered Rebukes, Witness Says.  Brooklyn Eagle.  May 24, 1943 

 

Knorr 1942-1977: Shift from leadership to the people

    1. 1958: Jehovah’s Witnesses Yankee Stadium
      1. Link 1
      2. Link 2  
    2. 1975: Sects: Witnessing the End (Times article) 

 

Franz 1977-1992

1990: Watchtower Exec Jumps to Death: Brooklyn Heights Newspaper.  August 3, 1990.

 

Hershel 1992-2000

    1. Quiet Period with not much

 

Adams 2000-Present

    1. 2007 NBC DATELINE – Jehovah’s Witnesses – Watchtower – Child Sexual Abuse Settlement  
    2. 2009 California Murder
    3. 2012 Candace Conti
    4. Jehovah’s Witness Leader Lets Loose on Tight Attire From ‘Homosexual Designers’
    5. 2015 Australia Child Pedophilia Inquiry

 

As you can see, these headlines are things generally hidden and not what the organization would promote.  After going through headlines like these from the beginning until now, this organization would not, as I see it, qualify as a spiritual paradise.  Again, in a bought of hypocrisy, when something negative is said, the response is similar to, “there’s someone like that in every organization,” however, when amongst Jehovah’s people, there is no “badness” or “anything that would bring reproach upon Jehovah’s name” amongst the congregation.

The headlines started with the leadership and since the focus was on them, what was going on with the average “rank and file?”  It is quite possible that some things were known amongst the members.  If this is the case, did they model their activities after the leadership?  This is an organization that has had problems from the beginnings with its foundation and they are always there and going through the organization.  The question comes then, why do you elect to stay in this organization that continues to be shrouded in controversy and has been proven wrong over again and again.  Put the publications down, come directly to Jesus since He would not have a part of this in the least bit.

Christadelphians: Their Influence on the Watchtower Society

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I would like to spend just some time today writing about the Christadelphians from the Watchtower point of view through its history.

The early days of the Watchtower as you will see saw some agreement. Additionally, in the following quote, if you substitute the term “Christadelphian” with “Jehovah’s Witness,” you will see a striking similarity when it comes to who doesn’t get destroyed.  Also, the first quote has the fledgling organization admitting overlap.  The one are where they differ greatly from the Society is the belief of Satan which they believe is an imaginary being. 

HERE and there are to be found people who hold what are known as Christadelphian views, which are in some respects much like the views advocated in ZION’S WATCH TOWER, and in other respects the very opposite. Their views, briefly stated, are (1) That the Church is chosen or elected (according to the foreknowledge of God) through the truth; and that in all it is a “little flock,” heirs of the Kingdom. (2) They hold, however, that the Kingdom will be a visible, earthly throne, on which Christ will sit with his apostles, and that somehow all Christadelphians will be “joint-heirs,” who will “sit every man under his own vine and fig tree,” plant, build, etc., and long enjoy the work of their hands. (3) As for the dead Christadelphians, they will be resurrected to share these blessings, but for all other dead people, good or bad, they see no hope, no resurrection. (4) A great catastrophy at the second coming of Christ will destroy nearly all of the living except the Christadelphians, and the few spared will merely be spared so as to be the everlasting servants of the Christadelphians–their hewers of wood and drawers of water,–their slaves.

Lest some generous soul should suppose that they use the term “Christadelphian” in a broad sense to mean all true Christians, we answer, No; the term Christadelphian is used in the narrowest sense, applicable only to those who have believed as foregoing, and who then have been immersed, and who do not change their faith afterward. Other portions of their creed, made very prominent, are, that our Lord Jesus never had an existence before he was born in Bethlehem, and that there is no devil. They also deny the ransom.

Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.  March 15, 1896.  Reprints page 1950

In 1902, the organization had purchased the printing rights of the Emphatic Diaglott.  This was the preferred interlinear for many years.  As a Wathtowerite, if you have the orgnanization’s official app on your device, you know it’s been replaced by the Kingdom Interlinear. 

The November 8, 1944 issue of the Consolation magazine reports that Benjamin Wilson was a Christaldelphian. 

More information is shed in reference to Benjamin Wilson with the release the organization’s first history book.

It seems that one of Barbour’s group had come into possession of Benjamin Wilson’s Diaglott translation of the “New Testament.”  He noticed, at Matthew 24:27, 37, 39, that the world rendered coming in the King James Version is translated presence in the Diaglott.  This was the clue that had led Barbour’s group to advocate, in addition to their time calculations, an invisible presence of Christ. 

Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose.  1959. p. 256

This had first been published by its author, Benjamin Wilson, a newspaper editor of Geneva, Illinois, in 1864, and who was never associated with the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society.

Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose.  1959. p. 256

One question at this point that is worth asking is simply this-since the organization regards itself as the channel of communication, why did it have to go outside to get this information? 

The tenor of the foregoing may cause some to conclude that Christadelphianism is indeed of God. However, as we examine it more closely we find that it contains such gross shortcomings and false doctrines that it simply could not be of God but must be of men.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  August 1, 1962 p. 474

In 1962, we have the organization fully not respecting the roots and connection of the influence Benjamin Wilson had.  The premier “doctrine of men” espoused by Benjamin Wilson is the use of the word “presence” and not “coming” in reference to Jesus.  Henceforth, one of the foundational doctrines of the organization is not in harmony with the Bible but a man made tradition.  If you are in this organization, take some time and look at the Bible and put down the publication’s material.