Occultism

The claim is made that Russell “introduced occultism into his religion by teaching that the pyramids in Egypt are divine omens.”

Among other false assertions, this false statement appears on Paul Blizard’s site:

http://www.geocities.com/paulblizard/russell.html

The statements appearing on this site have been quoted over and over across many forums on the web, and although many have pointed out the falsity of the statements, the site owner continues to display such statements of deception, thus promoting such false claims. However, almost every sentence on the page states an untruth, putting the matter politely.

The statement quoted above contains at least two errors, and several sides:

(1) Russell did not introduce “occultism” into his religion, as the word “occultism” is used today.

(2) Russell did not teach that “the pyramids in Egypt are divine omens.”

Russell’s study of the Great Pyramid (not “pyramids” — plural) in Egypt had nothing to do with demonic occultism, nor with pagan heathen worship. The word “occultism” is defined as “a belief in supernatural powers and the possibility of bringing them under human control.” The implication of the the word in most Christian circles is that demonic spirits are used, a form of witchcraft (crafty wisdom). Russell never believed in, nor taught such an idea. Indeed, he was very active in warning against forms of witchcraft, occultism, spiritism (talking with the dead), etc.

Russell never spoke of any pyramid in Egypt as being a “divine omen.”

It is claimed that Russell taught that “they [the pyramids of Egypt]” contained prophetic secrets known only to him.” Again, the false idea of “pyramids” — plural — is presented. Russell was interested in only one pyramid, not pyramids.

I have not been able to find where he ever made such a claim that the Great Pyramid contained prophetic secrets known only to him. Of course, in what he had found in his studies that added to, or was different from, what others had written before him, he could have claimed that what he had written did have information not found in the studies of authors before him. He never claimed sole proprietorship on the study of the Great Pyramid, however, as can be seen by his announcements and recommendations of the Edgars’ studies on the Great Pyramid (which did not fully agree with his own conclusions).

The phrase is used that Russell was “convinced of their mystic [the pyramids of Egypt] power.” First, Russell was not convinced of any mystic power of any pyramid in Egypt, and certainly not “pyramids” [plural]. He never wrote of any “mystic power” associated with the Great Pyramid, or any other pyramid. This is totally a false and misleading statement, designed to malign and misrepresent what Russell actually did teach.

1914

It is claimed on Blizard’s site that one of Russell’s “strangest” revelations from pyramids [plural] was concerning the year 1914. It is further claimed that the 1914 was “based on his measurements of the interior passageways of the pyramids [plural].” The author persists in in several false statement here. First, the years 1914 was not “based” on the interior passageways of the pyramids [plural], not even on the passageways of the Great Pyramid [singular]. Russell arrived at the date based on several prophetic statements of the Bible, not from the measurements of the Great Pyramid.

The site continues on by claiming that Russell had said that 1914 would be the end of the world. Russell never made such a statement. Search as one may, he never spoke of the “end of the world” as coming in 1914. Early in the year 1914, due to some making such a claim for him, he presented an article in “Bible Student Monthly”:

http://ctr.reslight.net/images/bsm1914.jpg

Note that Russell plainly states that he was not expecting the “end of the world” in 1914. The main things that he was expecting were the end of the Gentiles Times and the beginning of the time of trouble.

http://ctr.reslight.net/1914.html

Then we are told on Blizard’s site that “when his 1914 date for the end of the world failed, he tried to cover his tracks.” Of course, since Russell was not expecting the end of the world to come in 1914, he had nothing to cover.

As proof that Russell tried to cover up his tracks, the author of the page presents excerpts from two different editions of Thy Kingdom Come, one from 1897 and another 1916, are presented with either deliberate or ignorant misrepresentation of the facts. The end result is a deception, regardless of whether deliberate or not. The presentation of the two editions in the manner presented is with evident design to make it appear that since the end of the world did not come in 1914, that Russell, upon having realized an earlier error, changed the measurement of the floor of the descending passageway in 1916. The change was noted in the The Watch Tower of September 15, 1909. No cover-up concerning 1874 or 1914. Russell still kept both dates, and continued to believe until the day he died that Jesus had returned invisibly in 1874 and the Gentile Times did indeed end in 1914. And thus a deception is actually being presented, since this change in the book, Thy Kingdom Come, was made, not in 1916, as one is led to believe by the site, but as early as the 1905 edition of Thy Kingdom Come, nine years before, not sometime after 1914.

Then we are given reference to the “Chart of the Ages” with the explanation that this is Russell’s occultic chart that is still being used by Jehovah’s Witnesses today. Two more deceptions are being spread upon the public. The chart has nothing whatsoever to do with spiritualistic occultism, nor do the Jehovah’s Witnesses still use this chart today. The chart was Russell’s method of giving a eye’s view of the divine plan as presented in the scriptures as he understood it.

I will deal with some of the other lies, misrepresentation, false accusations and insinuations presented on the Blizard site later, God willing.

More on this can be found at:

http://reslight.net/russell-pyramid.html

Those who are imitating Satan in spreading lies about a servant of God should take heed to Jesus’ words to the Jewish leaders of his day:

John 8:44 – You are of your Father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.