Quoting form author Kenneth Rawson, in his book, Pastor Russell the Founder of the Bible Students, not the Jehovah’s Witnesses (2nd Edition), we read the following:
With all the Internet exchange of information, Jehovah’s Witnesses are beginning to realize that the image of Judge Rutherford is a liability and they are out to minimize his stature and fictionalize a relationship between Pastor Russell and Jehovah’s Witnesses that never existed.
Additionally, there are thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses and ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses who are dissatisfied with the current operation of the Watch Tower and the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Unfortunately, many have become mentally depressed.
Both my parents were Bible Students before Judge Rutherford gained control of the Watch Tower. From a young age I have vivid memories of discussions my parents had with other Bible Students from Pastor Russell’s day concerning the takeover of the Watch Tower by Judge Rutherford and the direction he pursued.
Also, my situation in the Bible Student movement during the 1940s through the 1960s enabled me to have discussions with more close associates of Pastor Russell than other Bible Students. This history has been invaluable to me.
I learned from these associates of Pastor Russell that in 1926 Judge Rutherford discarded the basic Scriptural teaching of character development. Galatians 5:18-25 and 2 Peter 1:4-11. He said we are characters and can’t change. They felt this was to justify some of his questionable actions. Actually, this was the beginning of the end of many Bible Students’ relationship to the Watch Tower. Why?
Pastor Russell’s Bible Students cherished the teaching of character development. They believed that the 144,000 were to share with Jesus in the Kingdom, as sympathetic priests (1 Peter 2:9) who would nurture, develop in love and judge the world of mankind. To qualify for this work they must now develop the character likeness of the Heavenly Father. 2 Corinthians 3:18.
The writer published some of this material in the 1950s, 1970s and most of it in the 1990s, but the need is now greater than ever. The information goes forth with the prayer that by our Heavenly Father’s grace it will give Scriptural direction to those who love Jehovah.
To read more, click on this link: C.T. Russell Not Founder of JWs
Please consider the Diaglott of 1 Peter 4:16, But if as a Cristian, let him not be ashamed.”
I am not ashamed to be called a Christian. Peter wasn’t.
I have tested it out. This great big pile of dirt used to make brinks had ocean salt cover it. A number of years later when it was used to make a brick house, some discovered it had ocean salt in it. I called it a miracle. What do you call it?
To Domenic;
What does this mean to you. TNAB Saint Joseph Edition.
Proverbs 21:18, “The wicked man serves as ransom for the just, and the faithless man for the righteous.”
Mt 20:28, “to give his own life a ransom for the many.”
How do these two accounts of ransom effect you? What is the difference?
If you can’t see the Abydos Tablet as proof to the Bible, that’s your problem, not ours.
I think you just proved you have no clue what the truth of the Bible is. Its so simple. Look and up and read them.
I have increased my empathy for people, and if I can reach one it will be awesome, and if none, so be it.
It is not that I am having a problem with scripture Hank, it is you use of the English language. Perhaps there is a member of BS that can translate from your native language. What is your native language?
You write English as they do in Africa.
Hank,
I must be more be more dense than I knew…for I can not make heads, or tails of your post. Is it that you just pick scriptures at random, and chuck them together in an effort to build a picture?
Somehow I get the feeling you are like the person standing besides president Obama (in Africa) doing sign language nobody could understand.
The woman his Jehovah’s heavenly kingdom. When his Son threw Satan out oh heaven it was from heaven that it took place. Rev. 12:9 And the heavens rejoiced. But what about the earth? Woe for the earth. Why? The Devil has come down to take as many as he can by misleading them.
But the Bible makes easy to see the way out. I already showed you the two groups of children at 1 John 3:10. What is something the Bible calls them, that they have in common?
Rev. 11:18, “the small and the great.” Rev. 19:18, “and of small ones and great.”
One group receives salvation, one group is destroyed. Why did the one group get salvation? Rev. 11:18; 19:3,5,”they said, “Praise Jah!” “Also a voice came from the throne and said: “Be praising our God, all you his slaves, who fear him, the small ones and the great.” 11:18, “and those fearing your name, the small and the great.”
Note the small and great who get destroyed who they worship. “worship its image.” And who helped mislead them? “the wild beast and false prophet.” Rev. 19:20
Most people will make the comment, I don’t know what the image, false prophet or wild beast are, so that proves it is not me.
These same ones do not do the good things mentioned for salvation, “like Praise Jah.” Or when they go and keep doing things God does not like, do they really fear him? Or, do they do as Rev. 11:18 says, “fearing your name.”
If you were to ask five people off the street what God’s name is, you might hear, God, or Lord, or Allah, or I don’t know or Jesus. Then ask if they know who the image is, and you will hear no.
But those who are spiritually awake will tell you they know, for one look what power they have, “the wild beast should both speak and cause to be killed all those who refuse to worship the image of the wild beast.” Rev. 13:15
Hank,
I understand your reasoning. Many hold the same path. Let us, you, and I explore how our father YHWH speaks. Genesis 3:15
God is speaking to Satan about what Satan did with his seed. God is also speaking about a seed that is to come. In Genesis 3:15 it is clear God is very angry. All through the Bible, when God is very angry, he does not speak in parables…he speaks clear, and to the point. He is telling Satan he will put hate between his (Satan’s) seed, and the women’s seed.
Here are two scriptures from two different Bibles…chose one as your mind will allow.
Genesis 3:15 New International Version (NIV)
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
King James KJV
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
You show your faith in the four letters of God, but the vowels are missing. Likewise the contradictions with your beliefs and what the Bible teaches. Missing vowels-missing connecting scriptures.
2 Tim. 4:13, “When you come, bring the cloak I lefy at Ttoas with Carpus, and the scrolls, especially the parchments.”
And note how misguided ones effected Paul. Next verse, “Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm.”
So ask yourself. Did Paul have access to part of the scrolls? Do I say I don’t know? Do I disagree with 2 Tim 4:13? Am I like Alexander?
A few thoughts on your post. Hershel Shanks is in charge of Biblical Archeology. A magazine on that subject.
1John 3:12,”not like Cain who originated with the wicked one and slaughter his brother.” Seeing how you are in that book lets look at verse 10, “The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident of this fact.”
No one in their right mind is going to think that God produced these children of his through intercourse with many women, or that the Devil has done likewise.
Now for those who can reason on verse 12. What did Cain become? A slaughterer. Dictionary reads, “to kill.” Now read John 8:44, “And you are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a murderer when he began.” Dictionary on murderer reads, “the unlawful killing of a human being.”
The Devil was first, those who follow the Devil thus become his children, not through intercourse with women. But they become murderers and liars and so forth, all things the Devil started and gave life to, thus becoming the father of those bad things that had never existed before.
As to your comment about Cain Being from a different family of the Kenites you might want to consider the Abydos Tablet. Before I tell you that, consider what Moses wrote. “Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain.” Who did Moses say followed Cain? Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, Methushael, Lamech, Jabal, Jubal, Tubalcain. Then Moses wrote, “Adam again had sexual relationswith his wife, and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth because, as she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring” in place of Abel because Cain killed him. Genesis chapter five.
Now as a Bible Student you are aware that the Pharisee’s who Jesus said was from their father the Devil, he also said in verse 37, “I know you are Abraham’s offspring.” Abraham was not from the line of Cain. And don’t just take Jesus word for it, listen to what the Pharisee’s said, “Our father is Abraham.” 39
So how can the Bible show what happens to people who fall for untruths?
Jude says, “Too bad for them, for they have followed the path of Cain and have rushed into the erroneous coarse of Balaam.” What were these kind of people doing?
“these men to are indulging in dreams, defiling the flesh, despising authority, and speaking abusively of glorious ones.” And verse 10 says, “But these men are speaking abusively about all the things they really do not understand. And in all the things that they do understand by instinct like unreasoning animals, they go on corrupting themselves.”
The Abydos Tablet written 120 years about before Moses lived, carved in stone and covered by 60 feet of stone reads.
1. Adam
2. Cain
3. Enoch
4. Irad
5. Mehujael
6. Methusael
7. Lamech
8. Jabel
9. Jubal
10.Tubal-cain
11.Able
12.Seth.
13.Enos
14.Cainan
15.Mahalaleel
16.Jared
17.Jared
18.Methusalah
19.Lamech
20.Noah
21.Ham
If you need this explained read the article on site here.