By Ronald R. Day, Sr.
We are not with the Jehovah's Witnesses, but since the video discusses much concerning Charles Taze Russell, we are responding to many things presented in the video.
1. Russell Was Not founder of JWs:
We are not with the SDAs, but we have found no proof that Ellen White ever claimed anything at all regarding 1874. We have not looked into the details of her vision, but Satan is always ready to distort truth.
4. Sins of Mankind
I don't know if Ellen G. White actually taught that the sins of mankind would be placed on the devil himself; I do know that Russell never taught such an idea.
5. It is false that Russell founded the Jehovah's Witnesses organization
Charles Taze Russell most definitely was not the founder the Jehovah's Witnesses organization. Anyone who knows what he taught would know that he preached against such authoritarianism, and he did not allow the WTS he created to be used for such purposes. Just before his death, he reiterated this, saying, "Let it be borne in mind that the Society exercises no authority, makes no criticism, but merely gives advice; and that in the interest of the Lord's Cause and the Lord's people." (The Watch Tower, August 15, 1916, page 248.) This, however, began to change shortly after his death as Rutherford deceitfully had new by-laws passed that virtually destroyed the WTS as Russell had created it.
6. Russell did not attend any meeting of the SDAs when he was 18
13. Was Russell of a Satanic Bloodline?
14. Russell's teachings were not about a New Word Order designed by man.
16. Most JWs know little about Russell.
JWs in general know very little about Russell, and are often misinformed about what he taught as well as why he believed what he believed. This misinformation about Russell often leaves them vulnerable to many who claim to know this and that about Russell, based on many assumptions, speculations, distortions, etc., which are most often presented as being fact. As a result, many have been misled by the false claims of men such as Fritz Springeier and David Icke, who have themselves grossly misrepresented Russell but in such a deceptive way that what they say "appears" to be fact to those who do not actually know what Russell believed and why he believed what he did.
17. No "governing body."
Charles Taze Russell did not believe in any "governing body" and preached against such authoritarianism until the day he died.
18. Raymond Franz
We are not with the Jehovah's Witnesses, but since the video discusses much concerning Charles Taze Russell, we are responding to many things presented in the video.
1. Russell Was Not founder of JWs:
The video presents Charles Taze Russell as the founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Charles Taze Russell was not the founder of the JWs. The only religion he believed in was that of Christ and the apostles. Russell preached against the kind of authoritarianism that is found in the JW org. He also preached against the kind of Armageddon message that the JWs preach. Russell was not the founder of that which he did not believe in, and which he preached against.
2. Miller a prophet?
2. Miller a prophet?
The video presents William Miller as a prophet. As best as we can determine, Miller -- who was a Baptist minister -- never viewed himself as a prophet, or that the conclusions he reached were "prophecies". We do believe that Brother Mlller had some dates correct, but was wrong in his expectations.
3. Ellen G. White and 1874
3. Ellen G. White and 1874
We are not with the SDAs, but we have found no proof that Ellen White ever claimed anything at all regarding 1874. We have not looked into the details of her vision, but Satan is always ready to distort truth.
4. Sins of Mankind
I don't know if Ellen G. White actually taught that the sins of mankind would be placed on the devil himself; I do know that Russell never taught such an idea.
5. It is false that Russell founded the Jehovah's Witnesses organization
Charles Taze Russell most definitely was not the founder the Jehovah's Witnesses organization. Anyone who knows what he taught would know that he preached against such authoritarianism, and he did not allow the WTS he created to be used for such purposes. Just before his death, he reiterated this, saying, "Let it be borne in mind that the Society exercises no authority, makes no criticism, but merely gives advice; and that in the interest of the Lord's Cause and the Lord's people." (The Watch Tower, August 15, 1916, page 248.) This, however, began to change shortly after his death as Rutherford deceitfully had new by-laws passed that virtually destroyed the WTS as Russell had created it.
6. Russell did not attend any meeting of the SDAs when he was 18
There is no record at all that Russell ever attended any SDA meeting at all at any time ever in his life.. He did, around 1870, attend a meeting of the Second Adventists. At 18, Russell definitely never encountered the teachings of Ellen G. White. He did later refuted her teachings. Russell did associate with a small group of independent Christians (as far as we know, none of whom were associated with the SDA organization) in Allegheny, and as a result of those studies, he did come to realize what the Bible hell is, and what it is not. There is definitely no record that Russell ever accepted and adopted the teachings of Ellen G. White.
7. Russell was not expecting "the end of the world" in 1914
Brother Russell plainly said he was not expecting "the end of the world" in 1914. Russell, not being a prophet, never gave any prophecy that the world would end in 1914.
8. Russell's teachings definitely are not in accord with "Masonic beliefs".
7. Russell was not expecting "the end of the world" in 1914
Brother Russell plainly said he was not expecting "the end of the world" in 1914. Russell, not being a prophet, never gave any prophecy that the world would end in 1914.
8. Russell's teachings definitely are not in accord with "Masonic beliefs".
Indeed, anyone familiar with his works would know that the message he spent his adult life preaching is not at all in harmony with the goals of the Masons, and definitely not in harmony with any conspiracy theories often presented about the Masons.
9. There is no pyramid on top of Russell's grave.
9. There is no pyramid on top of Russell's grave.
The pyramid shown in the video is not "on top of" Russell's grave. That pyramid replica of God's Witness in Egypt was authorized to be constructed about three years after Russell died, in honor of the WTS. Rutherford's pyramid monument, however, has nothing at all to do with the Freemasons.
10. The Cross and Crown is not "a Masonic sign."
10. The Cross and Crown is not "a Masonic sign."
The Biblical Cross and Crown on Rutherford's pyramid monument and which appears on Russell's Watch Tower magazine is definitely not "a Masonic sign", although the Knights Templar, who claim to be Christian, do use similar imagery. Oddly, if Pike is correct, in reality, the cross used by any church is a phallic symbol.
11. Russell never claimed to a member of man's Freemason organization.
11. Russell never claimed to a member of man's Freemason organization.
Since Russell never said that he was a member of the man-made Freemason organization, it is totally false that he said that he was an member of that organization. Taking Russell's quote (from his sermon, The Temple of God) out of context, and making it appear that he was claiming to be a member of man's Masonic Society, is highly deceptive. Russell was claiming to be a part of the building work of God, not a member of any of man's secret societies.
12. Russell was definitely never a member of the man-made Freemasons organization.
His teachings are in direct conflict with what is often claimed to be the goals of the Freemasons.
Russell had no special affiliation with the Freemasons, except that some of the Freemasons became associated with his work. Nevertheless, these Bible Students usually withdrew their membership with the Freemason organization.
12. Russell was definitely never a member of the man-made Freemasons organization.
His teachings are in direct conflict with what is often claimed to be the goals of the Freemasons.
Russell had no special affiliation with the Freemasons, except that some of the Freemasons became associated with his work. Nevertheless, these Bible Students usually withdrew their membership with the Freemason organization.
13. Was Russell of a Satanic Bloodline?
To believe that Russell is of some kind special Satanic bloodline would not harmonize with Jesus' sacrifice and many statements in the Bible.
14. Russell's teachings were not about a New Word Order designed by man.
It is actually ludicrous to think that Russell spent his whole life preaching against what he is alleged to have been supporting by preaching against what he was actually secretly supporting. Russell did indeed, by what he presented, preach against all of man's efforts to bring about any alleged "new world order", although Russell never used the term, "new world order."
15. Nothing happened in 1914?
15. Nothing happened in 1914?
It is not true that "nothing happened' in 1914. Russell died in 1916 still rejoicing that the time of trouble had begun in 1914, as he had been expecting since 1904.
16. Most JWs know little about Russell.
JWs in general know very little about Russell, and are often misinformed about what he taught as well as why he believed what he believed. This misinformation about Russell often leaves them vulnerable to many who claim to know this and that about Russell, based on many assumptions, speculations, distortions, etc., which are most often presented as being fact. As a result, many have been misled by the false claims of men such as Fritz Springeier and David Icke, who have themselves grossly misrepresented Russell but in such a deceptive way that what they say "appears" to be fact to those who do not actually know what Russell believed and why he believed what he did.
17. No "governing body."
Charles Taze Russell did not believe in any "governing body" and preached against such authoritarianism until the day he died.
18. Raymond Franz
\I highly recommend Raymond Franz' books, although there are a few things I disagree with. Overall, Franz does agree with Russell and the Bible Students on many things.
19. Armageddon
19. Armageddon
The "Armageddon" message that the JWs proclaim is almost the very opposite of the "glad tidings of great joy that will be for all the people" that Russell held be central to Biblical teachings.
20. Deity of Christ
20. Deity of Christ
Russell did not reject the deity of Christ, although he did explain that diety in harmony with Biblical usage of the Hebrew and Greek words for diety.
http://rlctr.blogspot.com/2008/03/deity.html
21. Michael the Archangel
I did my own studies related to the archangel.
22. Jesus never had two forms of being at the same time.
http://rlctr.blogspot.com/2008/03/deity.html
21. Michael the Archangel
I did my own studies related to the archangel.
22. Jesus never had two forms of being at the same time.
If Jesus was anything more than just a sinless obedient man then, rather than condemning sin the flesh, Jesus actually justified sin in the flesh. -- Romans 8:3.
23. Jesus is no longer with the glory a little lower than the angels. -- 1 Corinthians 15:39-41; Hebrews 2:9
23. Jesus is no longer with the glory a little lower than the angels. -- 1 Corinthians 15:39-41; Hebrews 2:9
If Jesus is now still a human being, then no sacrifice has been given for our sins. -- Luke 22:19; John 6:51; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18.
24. Russell and Salvation.
24. Russell and Salvation.
Russell did not preach that any organization or denomination is the way of salvation; he preached that Jesus is the only way of salvation from Adamic death, irrespective of what denomination, organization or sect one may otherwise belong to.
25. KJV and trinity
25. KJV and trinity
There is nothing in the King James Version about any alleged "Holy Trinity". The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is always presented as being one person, and is never presented as being more than one person. Although the KJV does in some verses render wording to favor the trinity, one still has to imagine that doctrine beyond what is actually stated in the KJV.
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