Jehovah's Witnesses.. Charles Taze Russell is no longer the founder of your religion ..?

Question

Do you not still teach some of the same things that he first brought to light ?

Are you still teaching some of his teachings that he first brought to light.

Charles Taze Russell , if I am not mistaken taught that there was one organization that only that would be speaking for God..as his mouth peice and this is what current day JW's believe as well..that they and they alone are the only ones that God is speaking through..giving food at the proper time..Although, for some reason..when asked right out about this..This will be denied as well.

steervase..thank you!

It amazes me that you are now dening Russell..For so many years that was the founder ..he started this religion..Now as unual..if something in the past isn't good anylonger..just deny it.

achtung_heiss..I noticed that LineDancer has his questions and answers private..Do you think he is hiding something? Should I give him a hard time about that , like you do former JW's ?

Answer 1

In regard to Achtung Heiss's comment that Jehovah's Witnesses have never pretended to be followers of Pastor Russell, perhaps Mr Heiss is unaware that the 1917 publication of Jehovah's Witnesses - The Finished Mystery - makes reference to 'the followers of Pastor Russell'. Just a suggestion that Mr. Heiss might want to change "have never pretended" to "do not presently claim".

Also, the Watchtower itself has made reference on occasion to the "creature worship" given to Mr. Russell by some in the past who looked to the Watchtower for guidance.

Edited

Thank you Achtung for providing the quote, but I think you proved my point better than yours.

As for "creature worship", certainly the WT NEVER advocated such a thing in actual words. But as Pastor Russell himself said about the papacy, an "undue respect for the opinions of mere men" has permeated the followers of the Watchtower religion. At first, this undue respect was directed toward the founder, Russell; then his successor, Rutherford who attained it to a lesser degree, and who re-directed this undue respect or "creature worship" - not to an individual man, but, eventually, to a body of men - known collectively as the Faithful and Discreet Slave. The same reverence that was given to Pastor Russell still exists in this organization - it hasn't been eliminated - it has merely been redirected from one individual imperfect human man to a "body" of imperfect human men.

Answer 2

Since Jehovah's Witnesses follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, he is the founder of their religion, not Charles Russell.

The next poster, Steervase, stated: "The Watchtower itself has made reference on occasion to the "creature worship" given to Mr. Russell by some in the past." He is correct in this. However, the WTBTS NEVER said such behavior was appropriate or that it was practiced by all the Bible Students (as JW's were once called). Most maintained a level head about where their devotion should be focused. And many of those who once put Charles Russell on a pedestal either adjusted their thinking or left the organization.

A similar thing happened back in the early days of the 1st century Christian congregation. For example, some of the Corinthian Christians were enamored of those whom they thought to be prominent overseers, including Apollos, Cephas, and Paul himself. (1 Corinthians 1:11-15) But Paul neither solicited the praise of the Corinthians nor exploited their admiration. And neither did Charles Russell.

It is amazing how people try to discredit us by taking tidbits from our publications without getting the full understanding.

Charles Russell exposed many falsehoods in mainstream "Christianity." The most prominent one was the trinity doctrine. Jehovah's Witnesses still reject that teaching because it is a paganistic doctrine that was first "Christianized" by the Catholic Church in the 4th century.

However, Jehovah's Witnesses have had to adjust their views on a number of things. At one time, they observed holidays like Christmas and Easter. But after extensive research showed that such holidays had their roots in paganism, they stopped celebrating them.

Jehovah's Witnesses used the cross in their worship. But they later learned that the cross was a pagan symbol that predated Christianity by thousands of years. So the cross was discarded.

In time, other adjustments have been made.

Unlike what hbart12 posted, Jehovah's Witnesses do not teach traditions of men that go contrary to God's Word, the Bible.

Answer 3

Unfortunately no church has stopped teaching traditions of men and have not updated with the times, which are changing rapidly. If we don't grow rapidly enough, and what organization does? we won't keep up. It's between God and us, now. We have to make decisions daily and can't call an organization to ask what to do. We have to guided by the spirit as always. Look at Abraham. If we get an audience with the secretary, can't we go in. If we go through a church, though, isn't that like making Paul or Barnabas a mediary. Sort of sounds like it. I guess I think we have to decide and take the responsibility ourselves, The buck stops here. We have always been enslaved by relying on leaders. The individual has to stand up and stop following them, that was always our downfall. Aren't we to be king priests, if the spirit is poured out upon all flesh. When we mature, aren't we set free from priest like we're freed from out parents and out on own? Doesn't the truth ever set you free? What if you've seen him face to face. Should we put an organization or our parents before God. Why does every group take the scriptures they like. How about leaving parents and organizations when we grow up. If we don't need kings and priests and we're to settle matters among ourselves, we don't need an earthly organization and whom the son makes free is free indead. It's always been that way. There's nothing new under the sun.

Answer 4

Sorry but C.T. Russell did not 'found' Christianity. Christianity was founded many many years before Russell was born.

You may be familiar with the founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ.

C.T. Russell helped to restore true Christianity, such as refuting various so called 'Church doctrines' including Hellfire and immortality of the soul.

Answer 5

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that their worship is a restoration of biblical Christianity, as practiced by the apostles and first century Christians. They recognize Christ himself (and the apostles to a much lesser extent) as the "foundation" of true Christian worship. Of course, the bible teaches that God Himself is the "builder".

(Isaiah 28:16) Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: “Here I am laying as a foundation in Zion a stone, a tried stone, the precious corner of a sure foundation.

(Acts 4:10-11) Jesus Christ the Nazarene... This is ‘the stone that was treated by you builders as of no account that has become the head of the corner.’

(Revelation 21:14) The wall of the city also had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

(Hebrews 11:10) the city having real foundations, the builder and maker of which city is God.


In modern times, Jehovah's Witnesses have always acknowledged that Charles Russell had a central role in re-establishing true Christianity in the 1870's. Yet Witnesses have never pretended to be followers of Charles Russell any more than they pretended to be followers of Paul or Apollos or Cephas or of ANYONE but Christ Jesus. When seven million Jehovah's Witnesses preach from door to door each month, they work to preach the "good news about the Christ".

(1 Corinthians 1:12-17) What I mean is this, that each one of you says: “I belong to Paul,” “But I to Apollos,” “But I to Cephas,” ...Paul was not impaled for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ...Christ dispatched me, not to go baptizing, but to go declaring the good news


Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/
http://watchtower.org/e/20030815/
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm?article=article_02.htm


Edit: Russell was particularly famous for refuting the paganisms of hellfire, immortality of the soul, and infant baptism. Russell discerned and wrote about 30 years early that 1914 would mark a pivotal year. Ironically, much of his research which seemed remarkable at the time is now well-accepted, such as his championing of the ransom and the concept of free-will rather than predestination.

Edit regarding "followers of Pastor Russell":
To reiterate... Jehovah's Witnesses have never pretended to be followers of Russell or Paul or Apollos or Cephas or of ANYONE but Christ Jesus (see 1 Corinthians 1:12-17). So did the book "The Finished Mystery" actually teach that Jehovah's Witnesses were followers of Russell?

No.

The phrase of interest was clearly referring to regular readers, rather than disciples. In fact, it is remarkable that an anti-Witness would invite attention to the surprising forethought demonstrated in that nearly century-old publication:
[quote]
there are no lengths to which the godless will not presume to go. All Bible Students, followers of Pastor Russell, know how urgently he has warned for forty years that this deluge of evil spirits is sure to come.
[end quote]

Answer 6

the bible
not a JW
Are you saying you know better than them???....you better know your bible well to take them on