Farewell to the cross and to many people

It was Rutherford also who introduced the idea of Jesus having been crucified on an upright stake, and not on a Roman “cross.” The universal symbol of Christianity thus became suspect in his growing list of evil things.

It becomes clear from this constantly growing collection of issues, why many abandoned his newly formed Bible association. Many were fiercely loyal to Russell. But Russell had laid the foundation of reason as being the most important quantity a man can have in arriving at truth. And reason is a very personal thing. My reason and your reason are different. So when a new man with a new sense of reason came along, most of the sheep followed. Some, abandoning reason evidently, split.

A religion of human origin

It is so important for us to gain from this discussion of the two different men with two different sets of beliefs, that this Witness religion did not come from Heaven, but rather from men and their constant desire to figure out the Scriptures in their own “reasonable” way.

The Watch Tower Society is a purely human organization. But it does not see itself that way, as is true of most cults and cult members until it is too late.

His Character and Personality

As you have seen, Rutherford and Russell were two different people altogether. It is said that Russell had warmth. Rutherford had a measure of that but was also very brusque and direct in his approach to people. He believed he needed this authoritarian touch, to guard what was committed to him. He could be blunt and offensive, especially as his authority grew. He had an explosive temper.

We see a little if not a lot of that King Saul syndrome I mentioned earlier. Who was it that said that power “corrupts” and absolute power “corrupts absolutely”? It was true of Judge Rutherford.

He refused to compromise the positions at which he had arrived. At least, for a time. I mean, there were changes. In fact, he quite often changed his positions on his ideas: For example at one point he said that the ransom of Jesus was for all. Then, not for all. Resurrection would happen during the 1000 years. Then it would not. Jesus would return in 1874. Then 1914.

Change, yes. But during the short or long time that he entertained a view, that view was “Bible”. Not to be messed with! He self-righteously declared that those with whom he disagreed were of the Devil. Period. When he was released from prison he claimed that all who had sent him there were in Satan’s organization. How else could a “man of God” justify being behind bars?

Dogmatic. Insensitive. Obsessed with his own importance. That’s what they said about him.

Rutherford himself said, “Jehovah never makes any mistakes. Where the student relies upon man, he is certain to be led into difficulties.” He spoke of Russell, no doubt. But he was unable to keep people from depending on his own person.

He could have learned that people are imperfect and make mistakes in their conclusions (as his former “boss” had done often, to hear Rutherford tell it). Instead, he assumed that the greater “light” that was his, was the final word. And he expected all of his followers to assume the same.

But many would not follow. And these he vilified especially, labeling them “despicable.”

Though Rutherford preached austerity to his people, it would seem he was not practicing such a life. Though austere segments of his story do emerge.

In terms of his marriage, Mary and he separated after the “Judge” became President of the Watch Tower. She remained an active “Witness” but could not live with Judge Joe.

For health reasons he was told to move to a more favorable climate, and built himself a villa in San Diego. A very expensive villa. Some would say luxurious. His life-style began to draw criticism. He spent his winters there, his summers in Europe.

Corruption sets in

After 1925, when the “princes” to whom he deeded the above villa, namely, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, did not show, he was changed. He drank to excess, and was manipulated by leaders Franz and Knorr to build a house in San Diego. The idea was to get this fallen man out of Brooklyn…

The villa, two Cadillacs, the whiskey, the brandy, and other liquors, called into question just what this man’s life was about.

The legal attorney for Mr. Rutherford and the Society resigned in 1939 over all of this regal way of living, that included, according to him, unkind treatment of the staff, discrimination, and vulgar language. It was reported by others that it was hard to get the Judge to the podium on some days due to his having over-done it with alcohol just previous to the occasion.

No respecter of persons

Rutherford died at age 72, from cancer. His burial was delayed for several months due to one other false teaching that he and Russell agreed upon. It had to do with the dangerous practice of setting dates. In this case, the date for Armageddon.

In the book referred to above, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, he actually said that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would be resurrected in 1925, and would of course need a place to stay. This was to be, in his thinking, that San Diego villa (named by him, Beth Sarim, the “house of the princes”) in which he himself lived until 1942! That’s why the property was deeded to these three men.

Though it was deeded to them, he desired to be buried on that property himself. I assume the will called for it.

So, slavish to the falseness of this movement and to the man who now represented it, followers began to construct a tomb on the property after his decease. That’s when the city of San Diego stepped in. Property values in that neighborhood were going to plummet if a tomb was in the midst of it. They said no to the venture. A fight ensued.

Characteristic of Witnesses in every generation, the “persecution” card was played. But they lost the case in spite of their whimpering. Months later Rutherford was buried. Elsewhere.

Nathan Homer Knorr succeeded the Judge as president of the Watch Tower Society.

Rutherford’s life from a human perspective was a grand success. Membership in the Watch Tower multiplied by 6 in his 25-year presidency. His writings were read many times more than were Russell’s, and Russell’s were a phenomenon on their own. One hundred books and pamphlets, as of 1941, 80 languages.