Jehovah's Witnesses - officially known as 'The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society'

Other leaders

'Judge' Rutherford

Nathan Knorr

Frederick Franz

Note: When challenged with the serious flaws in Russell and men that took up his leadership mantle, Jehovah's Witnesses reply by pointing out the myriad flaws that have been exposed in Christian leaders. To our shame they are correct. However there is a very, very, important difference. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus Christ rules on earth through the Jehovah Witness organization, and that all His leadings come through these leaders placed at the head of His Kingdom organisation on earth. Thus their leading, especially through the guidance of the Watchtower magazine, is regarded as being virtually infallible.

'Judge' Rutherford born:1869 died:1942

When Russell died the battle for power was intense. So heated did it become that at one point there was a physical tussle between Rutherford and another during a noon meal at Bethel House.

When Rutherford prevailed many of Russell's bible students left and formed the Dawn Bible Association, The Standfast movement, The Layman's Home Missionary Society, The Elijah Voice Movement and the Pastoral Bible Institution of Brooklyn.

He called himself Judge Rutherford and in handbills was described as the 'President of the New york City Bar' In actual fact there was no 'New york City Bar' and Rutherford was never elected or appointed to Judgeship. He did not even hold a basic law degree. He titled himself as 'Judge' based on four occassions when he took his turn with others as a special 'stand in' judge when the regular judge fell ill.

Rutherford restructured the movement into a tightly structured order controlled from the top. Anyone opposing the President was in effect opposing God.

Rutherford separated from his wife - a semi-invalid - who could not render the judge his marital dues. He was virtually if not a full, alcoholic. Many times Jehovah's Witnesses workers saw him in a drunken stupor. Other times he could not talk in public due to drunkenness.

He was known for his vulgar language and was accused by one of his closest associates of attending a nude burlesque show with two fellow elders and a young Bible student on a Wednesday evening before the celebration of the Lord's supper.

Another facet was his opulent lifestyle. He had a luxury apartment in New York City, a palatial residence on Staten Island and a San Diego mansion named Beth Sarim, located on a 200 acre estate.

He doctrinally expanded some of Russell's teachings and contradicted others.

He downplayed 1874 in favour of 1914 then he focused on 1925 for 'the completion of all things'.

He reinterpreted the Battle of Armageddon describing it as a Universal war during which time all peole outside the watchtower would be destroyed. Only 144,000 would go to heaven while the rest remained on earth.

In 1925 many gave up their jobs and even sold their homes in the expectation that they would be living in an earthly paradise soon.

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Nathan Home Knorr born:1905 died:1977

Nathan Home Knorr de-personalised the organisation and established a missionary training school. He also brought in a strict moral code on the membership.

Members were forbidden to gamble, hunt, fish for sport, laugh at dirty jokes, wear mourning clothes for long after the death of a relative, justify themselves, masturbate, become an officer in a union or picket, go out on a date without a chaperon, throw rice at weddings, display affection in public except for momentary greeting, become a member of or participate in a nudist colony, participate in prayer not led by one dedicated to Jehovah, give free reign to unbridled passion while having allowable sexual intercourse, or do the twist.

What was unique was not the list of do's and don'ts but the Orwellian control. Informants were designated to keep track of conversations in small group meetings and report back

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Frederick W. Franz born:1893 died:1992

Fred. Franz was the foremost Bible scholar - but not a competent one as the court case he was involved in clearly showed.

By 1977 there was trouble due to 1975 being set as an end of the world date. This date was based on findings that showed there had been a 100 year miscalculation in the original designation of 1874.

The trouble grew and the year 1979 saw 29,893 disfellowshipped. One such person disfellowshipped was Raymond W. Franz because he had lunch with a disfellowshipped member. Under his leadership the 144,000 had reached its limit (1939)

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