Jehovahs Witnesses and Charles Taze Russell...?

Question

On The headstone of the founder of the Jehovahs Witnesses grave it says, Pastor Russell, Laodicean messenger. Do todays witnesses still believe this to be true.

Dear justintime - Charles T Russell celebrated both Christmas and Easter, the very pagan practices that you thought he had denounced, even Judge Rutherford and the whole of the Brooklyn Bethel headquarter staff celebrated these pagan festivals too. You must not be far enough up the Organisations backside for them to have confided this information to you. So its more brown nosing for you my friend.

Dear justintime ( I assume that means for Armageddon ) are you , Like Charles Russell going to predict a year for the end.

Now can you Witnesses answer the question please, which is do todays Witnesses still believe that Charles T Russell was a Laodicean messenger. I can only conclude that you are too embarassed by that claim if you dont.

Answer 1

Good Question! Charles T. Russell was a 33 degree Mason. Most Jehovah witnesses I came across try to distance themselves from Mr. Russell! He prophesied the end of the world three time as you see it hasn't happen. This mean that the witnesses are following a false prophet?

Answer 2

You should notice they are called Jehovah's Witnesses, not Russellites.
What should be noted most about the man Charles Russell is that he held his ground in the matter of adapting his religious beliefs through scrutiny of the scriptures. As time went by he effectively rooted out many false doctrines of Christendom. He started a path that was continued down to this day.
Do you, for instance realize, that many modern and new Christian organizations are beginning to adopt the clear teachings this man had the bravery to stand up and proclaim?
I no of non witness believers who have tossed out easter, christmas and even the trinity, things that I doubt would have happened had not C T Russell stood firm for the Bible truths, and been willing to publicly denounce the pagan practices that had been grafted onto Jesus true message.
You sound like one who is straining out the gnat, and swallowing the camel.
The fact is this: This is the time of the end, and while the JW's seem to have purchased plenty of oil for their lamps, the rest of Christianity is proving to be seeking to buy their's too late.
I myself can not find fault with a religion that lets go of it's mistakes, and readily makes the needed adjustments when they come to more accurate understanding.
This is virtually unique to this religion as most other Christian religions seem to think that if they admit their error, they will lose their members. Kind of sad that the majority of so-called Christians have more fear of humans than they do of Almighty God.

Answer 3

Hi there Jasonan, Alot of J W's will be mortified to know that Charles Taze Russell is a complete and utter hypocrite! An intgeral part of the J W religion/cult is that they abhor divorce. However, Russell divorced his wife,Marie, after it was discovered that he was having an affair with a young stenographer...a foster child in his care. He often used to go to other girls in their rooms and lock the doors whilst 'visiting' them. Hardly an example to be set by one of the founders, and a supposedly religious leader. The Jehovah's Witnesses so called religion is merely a man made cult, full of inconsistencies and hypocrisy!

Answer 4

Charles Taze Russell was not the founder of the JWs. He preached against such authoritarianism, and he preached against the kind of Armageddon message that the JWs preach. Russell, in 1876, accepted Barbour's conclusion that Christ had returned in 1874; he died in 1916 still holding to this belief. He never "changed" this to 1914. Actually, the vast majority of the Bible Students did not leave the Bible Students movement but remained Bible Students; they rejected Rutherford's alleged "Jehovah's visible organization" dogma, and never considered themselves to be members of any such organization as Rutherford was preaching. The Bible Students continue to exist to this day, totally separate from the JW organization. Russell, himself, never started any "religion". Russell for a while accepted Barbour's conclusion that Armageddon had begun in 1874 and that it would end in 1914. Later he began to believe that Armageddon had not begun in 1874, but he held that it would begin a few years before 1914. In 1904 (ten years before 1914), Russell came to the conclusion that Armageddon (as represented in the time of trouble) was to begin -- not end -- in 1914 and that it would last for some time after 1914. Russell, however, was never expecting the JW kind of Armageddon. Russell never was expecting Armageddon for 1879, 1918, 1925. Russell did not believe in what many people today call "pyramidology"; Russell never used the word "pyramidology". The word "pyramidology" -- as originally used -- however, was simply the study of the Great Pyramid as God's Witness in Egypt. Today it is used to describe much more. Russell did believe that the Great Pyramid is God's Witness in Egypt. Russell definitely did NOT believe in pagan occultism, astrology, sungod emblems nor Masonic imagery. Russell's teachings were indeed vastly different from that of JWs, especially concerning church organization, the ransom sacrifice of Jesus and Armageddon.

Answer 5

Laodicean? Hmm not sure he would want to be associated with THAT church! Revelation 3
The Lukewarm Church

14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans[f] write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[g] I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”

Answer 6

The congregation of Laodicea was mentioned in the Revelation of John. Who chose the inscription ?
There has been increased understanding of the accurate knowlegde of god's letter, his word, the bible , since the time of the days of Pastor Russell. Not until after his passing did the development of the Witnesses particularly bear fruit. Jehovah God had his people take on his name from the 1930's and our understanding of the bible has grown as the light of his word shines more brightly.

Answer 7

THE POOR JW'S ARE BEING LEAD! IF THEY WOULD ONLY READ THE BIBLE ITSELF WITHOUT THE AID OF THE MAGAZINES THEY WOULD OPEN THEIR EYES FOR SURE! THE FOUNDER OF THIS ORGANIZATION WAS A PEDOPHILE NO WONDER THE CULT IS FULL OF THEM! THESE CHILDREN ARE IN DANGER AND THIS ALONE IS REASON TO FLEE FROM AMONGST THEM! RESEARCH, EXAMINE AND MAKE SURE WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING IS THE TRUTH, DONT TAKE THE WORD OF 7 MEN TELLING YOU WHAT IS THE TRUTH, THERE IS NO MENTION OF WATCHTOWER MAGAZINES IN THE BIBLE! THERE IS SOMETHING EVIL ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION! THE TROUBLE IS THAT THE FOLLOWERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO QUESTION OR DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH, HUGH RED LIGHT IF YOU ASK ME, WHAT ARE THEY AFRAID OF? THE ONES THAT SUFFER THE MOST ARE THE CHILDREN........

Answer 8

J.W's do not worship C.T. RUSSELL.
What he did was to set the precedent of searching the scriptures for the truth.
for example, the prophet Daniel was told to write down the things God told him, but that he, Daniel, would not understand them.
It is only in these last days that his wrtings have become clear.
Even the world's best surgeon was not instantly the best.
It took time and training and study.
Anyone who looks at the modern J.W organisation today and sees only what RUSSELL said, is a bit like looking at a top surgeon and seeing only his first steps as a baby.
The apostle Matthew gave good advice.

(Matthew 7:7-8) “Keep on asking, and it will be given YOU; keep on seeking, and YOU will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to YOU. 8 For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking it will be opened.
(Luke 11:9) Accordingly I say to YOU, Keep on asking, and it will be given YOU; keep on seeking, and YOU will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to YOU.

During WW one, J.W'S even smoked and acted as ambulance drivers in battle.
This has been further refined to 'not polluting' the temple, our body, and not being involved, IN ANY WAY, in warfare.

Answer 9

did u know he was prosecuted for being a dirty old man, and claimed to have written books that were even more enlightened than the bible.

basically, he was a complete fruit loop,

and as for the JW's not given blood, they seem to be gradually doing a U-Turn there, as they wil now allow certain parts of blood to be used in the tratment of certain illnesses.

just another loopy religion if u ask me.


seems that people dont mind what they believe, as long as its something.

Answer 10

The person above me, her name is "crapsake" a fitting name because everything she said is "crap"

Taking the lead among these awakening Christians was Charles Taze Russell, who, in the early 1870’s, formed a Bible study class in Allegheny (now part of Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania, U.S.A. When he started his search for truth, Russell was in partnership with his father and on his way to becoming a millionaire. But he sold out his chain-store business interests and spent his fortune in helping to finance the publishing of God’s Kingdom in all the earth. In 1884 Russell became the first president of the corporation now known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. In 1916 he died on a train near Pampa, Texas, en route to New York, exhausted by his final preaching tour of the western United States.

Regarding C. T. Russell, who served as president of the Watch Tower Society for over 30 years, one of his associates wrote: “As a means of determining whether his course was in harmony with the Scriptures, and also as a means of demonstrating his own sincerity, he decided to test the Lord’s approval as follows: (1) Devote his life to the cause; (2) Invest his fortune in the promulgation of the work; (3) Prohibit collections at all meetings; (4) Depend on unsolicited contributions (wholly voluntary) to continue the work after his fortune was exhausted.”

Instead of using religious activity to acquire material wealth for himself, Brother Russell spent all his resources in the Lord’s work. After his death it was reported in The Watch Tower: “He devoted his private fortune entirely to the cause to which he gave his life. He received the nominal sum of $11.00 per month for his personal expenses. He died, leaving no estate whatsoever.”

In 1879, Charles Taze Russell married Maria Frances Ackley. They had a good relationship for 13 years. Then flattery of Maria and appeals to pride on her part by others began to undermine that relationship; When she realized that nothing that she wrote would be published unless her husband, the editor of the magazine, agreed with its contents (on the basis of its consistency with the Scriptures), she became greatly disturbed. He put forth earnest effort to help her, but in November 1897 she left him. Nevertheless, he provided her with a place to live and means of maintenance. Years later, after court proceedings that had been initiated by her in 1903, she was awarded, in 1908, a judgment, not of absolute divorce, but of divorce from bed and board, with alimony.

Having failed to force her husband to acquiesce to her demands, she put forth great effort after she left him to bring his name into disrepute. In 1903 she published a tract filled, not with Scriptural truths, but with gross misrepresentations of Brother Russell. She sought to enlist ministers of various denominations to distribute them where the Bible Students were holding special meetings.

Maria Russell had condemned, verbally and in writing, those who charged Brother Russell with the sort of misconduct that she herself now alleged. Using certain unsubstantiated statements made during court proceedings in 1906 (and which statements were struck from the record by order of the court), some religious opposers of Brother Russell have published charges designed to make it appear that he was an immoral man and hence unfit to be a minister of God. However, the court record is clear that such charges are false. Her own lawyer asked Mrs. Russell whether she believed her husband was guilty of adultery. She answered: “No.” It is also noteworthy that when a committee of Christian elders listened to Mrs. Russell’s charges against her husband in 1897, she made no mention of the things that she later stated in court in order to persuade the jury that a divorce should be granted, though these alleged incidents occurred prior to that meeting.

Maria Russell’s own belated acknowledgment came at the time of Brother Russell’s funeral at Carnegie Hall in Pittsburgh in 1916. Wearing a veil, she walked down the aisle to the casket and laid there a bunch of lilies of the valley. Attached to them was a ribbon bearing the words, “To My Beloved Husband.”