For decades Charles Taze Russell’s legacy has been associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses in published accounts that inaccurately list him as their founder. In 1997, Professor David S. Doran corrected the matter by writing the editor of The Cambridge Biographical Encyclopedia and delivering a more accurate account of Brother Charles Taze Russell’s life. Through Professor Doran’s efforts, the second edition presenting the truth was published in 1998 and reflects these changes. We quote as follows:
“Russell, Charles Taze , known as Pastor Russell (1852-1916). Religious leader, founder of what is commonly called the “Bible Student Movement,” born in Pittsburgh, PA. As a Congregationalist, he struggled with the concept of eternal torment, his subsequent studies leading him to conclude that the Biblical hell is oblivion, that the millennium began in 1874, and that a period of social and political upheaval would lead to a peaceable kingdom on earth. After his death, many followers abandoned his Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (1879), which under the leadership of Joseph Rutherford moved in other directions and ultimately — became known as Jehovah’s Witnesses (1931).” — Bible Students Newsletter, p. 7, Spring, 1999
soy de PERU.. tengo 25 años, mi nro de telefono es 954994777…me gustaria conocer la central de la WATCHTOWER..soy un estudiante de la biblia, mi gran sueño es conocer..cual es su proposito y su objetivo y que rol cumple cada uno en la WATCHTOWER
As its said in ezekial if a wicked man repents all his bad is forgoton but if a rightous man does wicked so also are his good forgoton thats kind of scary in a sense, and
the bible says jehovah sings and dances over a repentant man ! wow how cool well thanks for the reply, have a most blessed day
that a good point grown people are responsable for their own actions, and us parents have to accept that its neither our fault for those actions nor our place to interfere unless asked ! thank you for your wisdom,I am also pleased to report that brother rj brown is out of recovery class and going from their to colledge ! if you will please pray with me for jehovahs guidence and spirit to help minister to these people that come out of the drug recovery classes,thats one of the things I do.. thanks
Ari, I try to remember that EVERY Saint has a PAST, and every sinner can get forgiveness in the name of our Dear Lord.
I am getting reports from people,about a disturbing development and have also expeirianced it.. it seem recently that more than useal our children who have grown up and left home are takeing up with unbeleiveing mates and severeing all contact with their parents, these offspring haveing been faithfully brought up in the ways of god are turning their backs with what seems to be more than just rebellion toward their parents,, kids are choseing lives of fornication and permiting alchohol and drugs around newborns like its fine and dandy and refuseing good healthy council ! the bible says that this time would come and I think it has ! those people who reported that their once godly kids have gone rotten are angry and hurt and I have counciled that they must not feed into this because its a trap by the devil to make both kids and parents fight each other and both sides will lose sight of jehovah !.
If you are expeirianceing a familey divide now I strongly suggest that you take the matter straight before jehovah and jesus in prayor and ask jehovah to intervene ! trying to fix it alone or by mans knowledge is in my opinion a mistake. please do not get involved in the hurt bitterness and anger of fighting with your own familey..
turn instead to jehovah and stay busy and protected by him, trust him and he will guide you through it. your comments are most welcome !
Ari in our family we have decided to let grown people make their own decisions and not interfere but by our conduct help any slipping into sin. In the JW org there is not guarantee that the mate will behave any differently than any other mate confessing to be a Christian. They have the same rate of divorce and infidelity as the world at large. We are indeed living in critical times when the very fabric of society, the family is in jeopardy. But hold on, Help is on the way from our Dear Lord Jesus.
I thought it was just my disfunctional imagination
until you said it but yes there is a circle of abusers within the jw members and it seems that they seek out other abusers on purpose and leave their children with them knowing full well the outcome !
myself as a child was handed first to pseudo religeious violent abusers who beat children useing scriptures that license them to beat kids. next I was handed to a male pedophile and fornicator, then I was handed to a racist nazi like abuser who was a combined sick evil abuser ! I had babysitters who were sado masochists and mind you
they were baptised and had elders constantly in the home ! its like a christian disguised chicken coop( a brothel that sells boys and girls to old men)and now that some one else mentioned it Im sure that its an organized satanic strong hold that preys on children from within the ranks..
Im sure the elders not onley know of it but have something to do with keeping it hiden and alive and for god knows what purpose !
what bothers me evan more is how the elders hunt down fornicators and disfellow ship them in a hurry.
yet they go to great leanth to hide pedohila and homosexual deeds, we all know somethings very wrong within the congregation
as respects abusers, but what to do about it is the qustion.
furthermore I have the unmistakeable unction that the holy spirit wants to use me to help cleanse the congregation and its just a little bit scary because I dont know yet how or what to do.
all I can do is read gods word pray and say what he inspires me to say. I try not to act out of anger or revenge in speaking out againtst abusers but I know as well as you do that their are demons involved in this thing and its going to take some spirtual warfare and those that get involved better be prepared to deal with more than just sick people..
I think that we are going to discover that demons have taken refuge inside churchs and kingdom halls inside the bodys of people that already want to hurt christians and know that the children are the means to cause the most damage !
remember hittler who said we have already won we have your children !
yes We must call on jehovah for instruction and act upon his word but until he says move out,its wait wait wait. ok now we both know too much and its my guess that evil forces are reading this too.stay close to jehovah.
Hello Ari Matthews, I actually have talked to sisters that were abused (within 36hrs) and they were letting a male come into the home that they are almost sure he will abuse their children but claim they just will watch him. BTW I was up when called at 12:15 midnight until 2:30 and up out to the hotel and fair by 5:15am less than 3 hrs sleep to deal with the situation Tuesday night. All is okay and the children are safe. The man was removed without calling the authorities and is in another city hours away. It was dangerous for a minute as he escaped and men searched for him. ADT opened up the security system in the home to listen as the family was so afraid.
Chinita an abuse victim from this site revealed the names of the ring in our city. They were all trusted Elders and one ministerial servant. I reeled with shock as she told of the filth that was going on. A CO gave talks every time he came about slumber parties and brothers going in and out of the homes where they occurred. The secrecy kept us from knowing what he was talking about.
In Australia it is alledged a whole ring of elders had a sex club and the government is now taking care of it. Steven Unthank has posted the court proceedings and all on many websites and it is in the AU news. So satan somehow infiltrated the “Only religion on the face of the earth” that God talks to. The great “Spiritual Paradise” that the governingbody brags about was a coverup , a veil so you couldn’t see. But you take Care Ari like Jesus we can conquer the world. God is on our side. Satan moves away if you devote you hours of the day to Jesus and the witness about the kingdom as the only hope for all mankind. Grab the sword of the spirit and wield it!
You are not going to believe what has been happenning at the Fairgrounds where we have a booth (Bible Students). I will write about it as an attachment starting today under Ask Jacqueline. I will add the experiences as the days progress. Take Care dear brother.
brother /sisters I found this site through rus virgils bible student site I drop by his place once and a while, but I find that the people here are more open in speeking wich is a good thing ! I wrote a long article on abuse at ejehovahs witnesses several years ago,as well as articles on who is the fds and articles on blood,and a million more
this spirit called holy has somehow made an internet testifyer out of me, and I have no one to blame but me for I prayed to god saying that I was to lazy and cowardly to go door to door wittnessing.
well he put me to work yacking in christisn forums ! I have encountered a few sites with good christian sounding name that did nothing but mock god,and I found this one and its not stagnent like a few others that I also visit, this is now year 5 on the internet I love to testify for jehovah, I love to stomp on dark and wicked goings on like cockroachs, but I love more than anything seeing someone who has been stuck in mire get unstuck and go to thanking god that he is out.. I live with the hope that I may yet get to see jesus return in my day.
and I cant wait to hear the sweet music of satans whineing as his miserable donky get dragged of to the hole for 1000 years !its going to be so nice to work for a fair and generous god
on earth rather than the sleezy self centered satan controled system that I despise !I cant wait for the day when everyday is praise and worship nite and their will be a great band and good food and good fellowship and we can praise loud and long without bricks comeing through the windows ! ok
enough of me for now, I do enjoy reading your replys so keep on talking and always thank and praise jehovah because that is what this thing is all about !
Ari you have to be careful what you ask for from Jehovah. He is giving you the platform to say what some other victims want to say. I have something to say that parents are not going to like. I thought about writing an article but I think I will say here. Some not all but most Parents need to be prosecuted along with the perpetrator. I Have actually been dealing with a case where the parent needs to be jailed right now. One of the parents is right as I speak putting their children at risk by a known abuser. Five or more other family households have kicked this man out. One brother actually pitching the clothing and the man out in the street physically. This man was molested and is in his forties and because of this can’t recover as he has not gotten any counsel. I am for children and although he has told me about it, I am trying to protect some children from him. I am telling the one parent that the man is sick and can’t help himself even in front of me he exhibits behaviour that any sane individual knows is wrong such as putting a child (male)on his shoulders playing horsey as a parent would. I saw it and addressed the issue. One parent realizes I will call the authories the other no doubt was molested by this very person. Ari, there is a cycle that is within the congregations of Jwitnesses. Their moral compasses are off. They seem to be caught up in this not hurting the offender, keep his name clear at all times thing. That is what I was told by elders when I tried to tell them they needed to let people know who the pedophiles were in our little cong. We alledgedly had four sitting there every sunday. I told God I would help wherever he put me. But I say be careful what you ask for. I will handle this but it is draining. I will not on my watch let molestation go on under my nose. I am going to have to have this man removed tonight or call the authorities. I thought I could leave home and be at peace but this child abuse within the JW community is just over the top. Even the Candace Conti case. The mother was abused also, so how does this happen to your child? It seems the mothers are bent on their children getting molested if they were victims. I need to consult with some other professionals about this phenonmenon. Have you noticed this pattern
Jacqueline,it’s so good to have people like you who have the patience and desire to work on the cases you do! May the LORD bless your efforts!!
while I truely hate child abuse and list it as my #1 hunt and torture the abuser crime
I do realize that jesus said forgive ! while I have to forgive those that wronged me as a child I find it impossible to forgive an on going atrocity ! how does jesus do it ? How does he show such mercy ? Im just glad he does because I have done my share of sin..
but today my stuggle is ministering to people who I would rather kill ! yes if it was not for christian training keeping me semi sane I would have become a vigalante !today I live by the faith and full trust that if I obey jesus and love those that I could be hateing that the day will dawn when Jesus will show me the lives that I helped to heal and that will make it all worth while..
I have written on other sites about my childhood abuses and how I tried to still go to the kingdomhall.
I find that for me that that is impossible when I go to the hall some kind of pshychological trigger goes off and I feel like either druging or some other unhealthy outlet..therefore I stoped going and found other churchs ! I found that the united pentacostle church that emphasizes jesus as a big praise and worship word justs makes me extra happy ! I dont know if its wrong or right but when I sing jesus songs holy spirt falls all over me and refreshs me to testify positivly for days !
then when I read of sisters and brother who get abused by the very people who claim to be jehovahs true church that pushs my buttons !
but today I got a chance to minister by helping buy a tire for a broke relative I did it because its what jesus would want.
yup freinds we are geting way to close to the end to give in to satans distractions ! its now that we must prove that we are jehovahs own and show mercy to the mercyless ,oh well just pray and work as best as god enables and praise when you feel like curseing,,let jehovah do his thing and we do ours for him.. praise him and many thanks to him another wicked day conqured in jesus name amen !
You inspire me brother. Now I feel I know you. Thanks for opening up Br. Peter and I once went into discussion about you because we knew there was something there. WQe are glad you found this site. Tell us How did you find this site?
I was never abused as a child in the org, in fact down South it was such a joy. Everyone was like the BS are now until about 1963. I left in 1966. On thing I noticed as a young woman in the org was the extreme disrespect for women and subsequently their children. There was a sexual overture in the organization, very extreme. As long as a woman was married she was safe to a certain extent. But I never understood the gross immorallity in all the congregations all the time especially by elders. I wonder if Jehovah was ever with them? I don’t know and I guess that is not my business nor worry.
I am just very calm satisfied and secure now, especially since baptism. I find that strange, I guess it is a mental thing. When I found the BS I was just ecstatic and had to be among them. Their thoughts and reasoning on the scriptures and life in general is reasonable. Living under that control all my life, wow, now I have freedom to think about a verse in the bible and wonder about Jehovah and speak to others about my thoughts. It is unreal.
Don’t forget to answer my question.
I am a 51 year old man and I survived violent and mental and sex abuse, as a child the jw elders were well aware but I was told to keep silent for fear of soiling jehovahs name.. my life has been, one disfunction after another ! adults that use children for wicked things should go to burning hell because abusers ruin not one person but a whole generation,they spread a wicked disease if the abused does not themself become an abuser,,the person still has a dificult time preceiveing god as a loveing father.
but instead as a mean disaplinarian waiting for you to sin so he can punish..
today I am still very angry but I have through a very good christian program been
made a semi functional person,,I say semi fuctional because I have never been able to love or trust anyone or have a wife.because Im not relational..abuse to children is a horrific scourge to society !
it brings forth drugery,rape murder,and more abuse !like a cancer that keeps spreading. oh well Im going to quit for now before I go find an abuser and become news as I torture him !catch you all latter.
Ari my brother, my friend. When I would read your post from years ago I thought there pain! My instinct told me to let you post until you you let us know what is wrong. You are welcome here my brother, we understand. We are here to help and provide a resting place for you. I know you can’t go to the JW for help, we don’t need to even try and explain their attitude. It just wipes you out. Ari enter into prayer, we will, Holy Spirit has directed you here and we are here for any moaning. groaning and sighing over the detestable things being done in the name of God inside the Witness org.
to whomever sent me the candace conti video links thank you; however im not shocked or surprised one bit I know what goes on and sure hope that the wbts gets a good spirtual whooping for their deliberate actions to weasel out !
She actually talked on the sixscreens 8/4/2012 and her mother talked and revealed she also was an abuse victim. This seems to be a constant. A mother will overlook signs of abuse or even put children in harm’s way for abuse, if they have been a victim themselves. One male abused victim once told me that he survived abuse and so can his children. He does not understand due to the fact he was talking to me, he didn’t survive without damage. Victims have a strange sense of how to perceive themselves sometimes. Parents need to go back to old time stuff and be careful of who they allow around their children. No sleep overs in others home if not a relative or trusted friend. Quite a few within the org were abused at sleepovers. I often tell my daughter in law, it is not your friend I worry about it is the people going in and out of the home. The watchtower society is trying to get the punitive damages taken off, around 20 million. Hope it sends a message to them about their secrecy.
The present day Jehovah’s Witness organization continues to quote Pastor Russell as their founder. Occassionally their publications will quote from something he wrote, usually from the Zion Watchtower magazine. It is true that Brother Russell founded the Watchtower magazine, but it is not true that he founded the JW organization. History shows that the more powerful Joseph Rutherford became in the organization, the more he began to distance himself from the teachings of Russell. Rutherford ultimately changed their name I believe in 1931 or around then. Why? Perhaps to further distance his group from the original Bible Students who still stuck to the original beliefs of Brother Russell. So to say that Russell was the founder of the present day Witnesses would be false. To say that Russell was a part of their history would be correct. Why say someone is your founder when you no longer follow the teachings of that person? Certain foundational teachings of Russell (and scripture) still can be found in the organization, but Rutherfords teachings also pervade as well. I do wish that both groups would stop quibbling amongst themselves and find some common ground in which to interact. The enemy is Satan, not each other. Both groups teach the oneness of Jehovah, the Kingship of Jesus, the Kingdom of God, the mortality of the human soul, the truth about hell, and the importance of Bible study and preaching. There is much to be learned from Pastor Russells writings and that would be a great starting place for both groups if a reunion is ever to happen.
Thanks James. Bible Student will continue to reach out to Jehovah’s Witnesses. However, since their organization views us as apostates, they would place themselves in jeopardy of discipline to fellowship with us. We are glad to meet them on equal ground as brothers and sisters.
And that is the essence of the problem right there my Brother. We would rather help than argue.