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To: FreedomOfExpression; annieup
Fine: you can't have it both ways. Either the Watch Tower leadership is claming divine inspiration and are getting it wrong, or they are simply providing spiritual guidance without God's blessing. In either case, those who claim to have interpreted God's word - and clearly get it wrong - ought to be ignored.

In the meantime, I did look it up.. this quoted on Wikipedia:

[CT] Russell believe[d] that Christ had returned invisibly in 1874, and that he had been ruling from the heavens since that date. He predicted that a period known as the "Gentile Times" would end in 1914, and that Christ would take power of Earth's affairs at that time. He interpreted the outbreak of World War I as the beginning of Armageddon, which he viewed to be both a gradual deterioration of civilized society, and a climactic multi-national attack on a restored Israel accompanied by worldwide anarchy.

Regarding Russell's claims, Wikipedia cites these points (which are referenced there):

Russell was a charismatic figure, but claimed no special revelation or vision for his teachings and no special authority on his own behalf.[3] He wrote that the "clear unfolding of truth" within his teachings was due to "the simple fact that God's due time has come; and if I did not speak, and no other agent could be found, the very stones would cry out."[4] He viewed himself—and all other Christians anointed with the Holy Spirit—as "God's mouthpiece" and an ambassador of Christ.[4] Later in his career he accepted without protest that many Bible Students viewed him as the "faithful and wise servant" of Matthew 24:45,[5] and was described by the Watch Tower after his death as having been made "ruler of all the Lord's goods".[5]

You may opt to selectively repudiate Russell's teachings, but certainly they formed the foundation for those of Rutherford and his successors. So while 1914 was the initial prediction of the end of this age (depending on your view of the 1874 phantom prediction that couldn't be proven either way), Watch Tower has continued to make failed prophetic guesses:

In the early 1920s, JWs zealously distributed on the streets and from door to door a book titled Millions Now Living Will Never Die. It was prophesied, "The year 1925 is a date definitely and clearly marked in the Scriptures, even more clearly than that of 1914 ... we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old ... to the condition of human perfection" ("Millions Now Living Will Never Die," The Watchtower, 7/15/24, p. 89).

Apparently, there was also end-of-age calls for 1918, again in 1941, plus 1975 and 1989. And yet we're all still here... nothing changed. You get the point. Or at least you should: if you want Biblical interpretations, start by reading the book yourself. Then if you want help with it, seek out multiple sources -- not just one. The bottom line is that Jesus Christ is the doctrine-giver and He is the way to salvation... the only way. And you don't have to take that from me (or Russell, or Rutherford, or anyone else): take it from His direct teachings.

601 posted on 12/25/2009 7:50:54 AM PST by alancarp (Calling all states: Reduce the cost of doing business and jobs will flock to your doors.)
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To: All

Jehovah’s Witness Cultic Placemarker


602 posted on 12/25/2009 9:18:11 AM PST by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: alancarp

Wikipedia is not the best source.

For accurate historical information about Charles Taze Russell and Jehovah’s Witnesses, see:

http://pastorrussell.blogspot.com/

bar_enosh


604 posted on 12/25/2009 11:10:45 AM PST by bar_enosh
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