Fritz Springmeier

Most people know nothing or little about the JWs. They have the liberty to investigatebefore they join, but few know how to and they then rely on WT material. After they join,it is difficult for them to ever make an honest appraisal of their religion or its history.Outsiders have little interest in the Watchtower movement.Only a small group of people keep watch over the WT Society. This is why the Societyis able to buffalo so many people.RUSSELL'S SMOKESCREENSMost of us go through life without questioning why we do the things we do. Why do wewear ties and import granite from Vermont to bury our dead under? However, this Authoris one of those who is always asking why. And the problem of why Russell was sodeceptive many times in his life, and yet was clearly respected as a very honest man, andindeed considered himself to be an honest man, was a puzzle. His lies in court to coverhis friends would hardly seem to be worth the trouble. But once this Author saw how themindset of Russell was so clearly a reflection of the views surging through the MasonicHalls of that age, then it at last made sense.Russell was honest as Masons are trained to be, that it is not a lie to deceive those notworthy of the truth. Further, like many Masons, he kept his membership very quiet. Hepays close attention not to let out any clues that his beliefs are from the Masonic Hall. Healways portrays his beliefs as coming from the Bible. A Mason invented Phrenology, andthe Mormons and Russell were big on Phrenology at that time it surged through theMasonic halls. Masons had dabbled in the occult and magic, and both the early Mormonleaders and Russell did healing with magic handkerchiefs. The pyramidology surgedthrough the lodges, and both the Mormons and Russell picked it up. But Russell is carefulto always use the Bible as the "fall guy" for his beliefs. He calls his magic handkerchiefPaul's handkerchief. He ties his pyramid beliefs back to some scripture which aremisused to prove his beliefs.Russell is always playing to an audience. He is very careful to say and do the rightthings. He is careful not to expose his deep Masonic mindset. But every now and thenhe slips. He refers to the woman of Luke 15:8 as "divine energy", but then whenquestioned about this denies having written it, "The fact that something in the Towermight be misunderstood would not surprise us any. Why, we find a whole lot in the Biblethat has been "misunderstood." (Bible Student's Convention, Indianapolis, 1907, p.26)Russell is also asked if anyone else teaches the invisible presence of Christ. "Are thereany other papers than the Tower which teach as it does that Jesus is now present?"Russell answers, "We know of none other which teaches the personal presence ofJesus."(WTR p546 10/1883) That he can say this is just remarkable. He is fully awarethat others such as the Rosicrucians teach this, besides the Christians have held that hehas been invisibly present since his ascension.