How is it that a business man from Pennsylvania created a religion in the 19th century, and people follow?

Question

I have a multi religious family, and was just interested in knowing a little about the other religion. After going on religionfacts & the Jehovah Witness official website, I learned that a business man founded their religion. I don't remember it saying he was sent by God or that God spoke to him. Now I'm not judging I'm trying to get a better understanding! Also with him studying like it was mentioned, is their Scripture his (the founder) translation of God's word, or God's actual words? Can a Jehovah Witness please help me understand the foundation of this religion?

Answer 1

You are correct that the Watchtower Society was founded by Charles Taze Russell, an astute businessman - entrepaneur, actually. Young Russell - like many many others - searched for 'truth' and not finding it in the already established religions, decided to follow his own interpretation of Scripture. (Under current Jehovah's Witness thinking, this is called independent thinking and is no longer allowed.)

In 1876 Russell became acquainted with Nelson Barbour, an Adventist who believed that Jesus had invisibly returned to the earth in 1874. Russell was misled into believing this also and felt called upon by the Lord - obligated, really - to make known this wonderful news. He and Barbour published some pamphlets on the subject, but after a disagreement with Barbour, Russell began publishing the Watchtower AND HERALD OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE without Barbour.

Russell did not claim to have visions or 'direct' revelations from God. He did claim, however, that his teachings were 'truths' that were 'revealed gradually' to him by the Lord, indicating he believed himself to be 'directed' by God. Jehovah's Witnesses like to split hairs and say that Russell didn't claim to be inspired. He was (and JW's are) careful not to use the word 'inspired', but his claim that God was revealing 'truths' to him certainly proves otherwise. He called himself "God's mouthpiece" which is another way of saying he was speaking for God.

He was basically an Adventist - drawn by the Adventist view of "soul sleep", meaning no eternal torment. As years passed, he developed other doctrines, some of which are still retained by JW's today. Many of his 'truths' are dismissed by modern-day Jehovah's Witnesses, while they continue to portray Russell as a man who taught only the Bible, not his own interpretations. If that were true, it would seem that JW's today would still believe ALL the things he taught. They don't.

Today there are still followers of Russell, kniown as the Bible Students. However, the Watchtower Society, upon the death of Russell, came to be under the control of the new president, Judge Joseph Rutherford who basically did a 'takeover' of the WT from the then Board of Directors. On a legal technicality, he was able to oust the majority of the Board and retain the two members who were 'on his side', so to speak. He eventually replaced quite a few of Russell's teachings with his own, and formulated much of the current JW theology as it is today. The Bible Students of today therefore will disagree that Jehovah's Witnesses were founded by Russell, since Rutherford's Watchtower went in a different direction than those who remained more loyal to Russell's teachings.

The Bible Students have a website which features all of the Watchtowers that were written up through the year 1916, the year that Russell died. Interesting reading.

Answer 2

By studying the Bible and showing a yearning to know Jehovah not just doctrines and traditions. Mr Russel was a man. He wanted to draw closer to Jehovah so he did the natural thing and began reading the Bible. The BIG difference between this and some others is. That he and now we pursue Bible truths. Case in point we used to celebrate Christmas, believe Christ died on the Cross, believe he was clean shaven. When we came upon the realization either internally or from someone outside our faith bringing it to our attention we tried to fall in line with the correct teachings. We try to not follow Tradition and instead follow Christ.

Answer 3

Im a former follower of Jehovah's Witness doctrine myself and I gotta say Charles Taze Russell was a clever man who organized Bible studies and sucessfully got tons of people to fall for his false idealogies.

Their book called New World Translation has been discredited by Bible translation experts as a perversion of the Bible.

For instance while the name Jehovah is in portions of the Old Testament in original Hebrew the named Jehovah is never in the Greek New Testament at all but the Witnesses inserted Jehovah into the New Testament anyways.

Answer 4

I think religion is all brainwashing, man needs to believe that theres a higher power, a right from wrong, to find a meaning for things. I believe that there is a higher power, but nature, i dont believe in the bible, nor any religion what so ever, religion focuses so much how they are all about peace, but they are all against each other, so its still a war, its all brainwashing, watch, i bet you ill get thumbs down, or someone going off on me, which personally i dont care, but i bet if it does happen it will be from a christian, because out of all the religions, they are the ones that are trying to make people believe in their god, and their bible, and bla bla bla. i think religion is very man made and its all a psychological need in humans!!!

Answer 5

The Watchtower Society doesn't claim to be inspired or infallable, so they are not true prophets or false prophets.

If you as CT Russell did, just taking the bible as your sole source, you will find that the bible does not teach the trinity, immortality of the soul, hell fire, once saved always saved, etc.

Russell had nothing to do with translating the NWT, he died in +/-1916, the translation started in 1950's the bible used not only by Jehovah's Witnesses but by other sincere bible students.

130 million copies of the NWT, only 6.6 million active JW's.

If you have a specific question please email me.

Many of the things people say about J.W.'s are what the jews said about Jesus and his disciples.

Plato taught trinity and immortality of the soul,

Jesus taught to worship the only true God, and that soul can be destroyed.

Answer 6

Based on questions I've asked and stuff I've read, it seems:
There was indeed a business man from Pennsylvania.
As a young adult he deduced the major religions were teaching doctrine that was not in harmony with the Bible.
He tried the 7th Day Adventists for awhile, but was not impressed with their love of Biblical truth.
He published the findings of his studies in the scriptures and it seems some agreed.
Example:
In 1903 he was challenged to public debate. The condition of the dead was one of the issues between him (C. Russell) and Dr. E. L. Eaton, who served as spokesman for Protestant ministers in the western part of Pennsylvania.
It is reported that after the debate a clergyman who was in attendance approached Mr.Russell and said:
“I am glad to see you turn the hose on hell and put out the fire.”

His purpose was never to start a religion.
He just wanted to know the Bible accurately.
However, it seems he did start a religion.
Or, to be more exact, he RE-started a religion.
He got things back to basics.

Answer 7

The JW's were NOT founded by Charles T. Russell (despite what the JW's claim), but their religion is based on the teachings of an organization that was once affiliated with him. Charles T. Russell made it quite clear that he was NOT a prophet, merely a student of the bible. In the years that followed, the JW's adopted a governing body that supposedly spoke for God. They are now a CULT and not, as they claim, humble bible students.

Proof:

Ask a JW what is meant by "the light gets ever brighter".

Answer 8

Jehovah's Witnesses look to Jesus Christ as the founder of true Christianity. The detractors of Jesus derided him as the son of a carpenter.

(Matthew 13:54,55) And after coming into his home territory [Jesus] began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said: “Where did this man get this wisdom and these powerful works? Is this not the carpenter’s son?

Jehovah's Witnesses believe themselves to be the most recent in a historical line of people who have worked to God's purposes and proven to be God's witnesses. In doing so, they align themselves with Jesus Christ and the prophets.

(Isaiah 43:10) “You are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah

(Isaiah 43:12) So you are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah, “and I am God.

(Hebrews 12:1-2) Because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus

(Revelation 1:5) Jesus Christ, “the Faithful Witness”


Jehovah's Witnesses have always humbly taught that they are *NOT* infallible and *NOT* inspired by God. Since the bible's completion no Witness has prophesied, and they do not "prophesy" now. Jehovah's Witness teachings result from their sincere study of the bible, and not as a result of any special communication messages from God. Witnesses do not insist upon any particular translation of the Scriptures.

Jehovah's Witnesses apply the term "prophet" only in relation to the work that they do; this is a very limited sense of the term and applied to the religious group and not to individuals. The Scriptures indicate that whenever Jehovah purposes to execute judgment upon a people, He always makes arrangement for a 'prophet's work' as a warning. Their self-description as a "prophet" (in this limited sense) does not indicate special inspired knowledge or foreknowledge, but their willingness to perform Christ's assigned warning work in our day leading up to Armageddon.

What group is working harder than Jehovah's Witnesses to preach God's message globally (as Noah did before the Deluge)?

(Amos 3:7) For the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.

(2 Peter 2:5) Noah, a preacher of righteousness...

(Matthew 24:14) And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.

(Acts 5:38,39) Do not meddle with these men, but let them alone; (because, if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown; but if it is from God, YOU will not be able to overthrow them;) otherwise, You may perhaps be found fighters actually against God.”

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org
http://www.watchtower.org/e/19990715/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/
http://jw-media.org/people/ministry.htm

Answer 9

There is no truly Biblical foundation for this false religion. If you really want to know more about what's wrong with the JW's, I highly recommend you go here:

http://blueletterbible.org/study/cults/exposejw/chap1.html

You can see copies of actual documents that prove the JWs lie to their followers, prophesy falsely, and purposefully mistranslated their Bible (The New World Translation) to substantiate their false doctrine.

Answer 10

I'm not a JW, but I can tell you that many Christian denominations are founded by people who claim no special insight or divine inspiration. Rather, they simply interpret The Bible one way or another, and they consider the Bible to be divinely inspired.