Post by ResLight on Oct 24, 2024 21:38:42 GMT -5
Falsely claiming that Russell was the founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, it is claimed without any proof given that "many of their most important teachings were taken from THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS and claimed as their own." I pointed out that Russell was never a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses, and that he certainly did not get his most important teachings from the LDS. Evidently, this has been dismissed as being nonsense and mistruths. Since to provide the evidence that what I said is not nonsense or mistruths will take many links to the sources, I decided to respond to this here.
A PROPHET
The LDS teaches that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God who received visions from God and/or that God, Jesus, and angels had appeared to Joseph Smith.
history.churchofjesuschrist.org/landing/joseph-smith-prophet-of-god?lang=eng
Russell disclaimed that anyone since Christ is a "prophet of God" as were the prophets of old. Although many claimed Russell was a prophet, Russell himself consistently disclaimed being a prophet, and he denied that God, Jesus, or angels ever appeared to him, or that God was sending him messages in visions, etc. This is simply a fact and definitely not a "mistruth", and the many quotes provided on my website proves this:
ransomforall.blogspot.com/p/prophet.html
THE TRUE CHURCH
The LDS teach that the Church of Jesus of Christ of the Latter-Day Saints is ‘the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth’ (D&C 1:30).
rsc.byu.edu/witness-restoration/joseph-smith-only-true-living-church
Russell taught that the "only true church" is enrolled in heaven and consists of the consecrated, irrespective of any denominational ties. Again, this is a fact, and again I have presented the proof on my website that this is not "mistruths". Russell did not teach that the Bible Students are "the only true church". The proof is what Russell actually stated, which can be found in what I have presented at:
ransomforall.blogspot.com/p/church.html
LIFE BEFORE BEING BORN
The LDS believe that Adam and all humans existed with God before being born into this world.
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/premortality?lang=eng
Russell definitely did not believe in such an idea. Russell taught that Adam was not alive anywhere at all until God breathed into him the breath/force/spirit of life, and it was only then that he became a living soul (sentient being). And so it is with all men. I don't know that Russell ever addressed the Mormon belief directly, but what he presented in his studies are enough to show that he did not believe that any of us were alive with God before being born into this world.
htdb.space/Volume5/V5_12.htm
htdb.space/Volume5/V5_13.htm
THE CONDITION OF THE DEAD
The LDS teach: "When we die, our spirit and body separate. Even though our body dies, our spirit—which is the essence of who we are—lives on. Our spirit goes to the spirit world, which is divided into spirit paradise and spirit prison."
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/africacentral/beliefs/life-after-death
Russell believed and taught that the dead are unconscious and know nothing at all until the resurrection. He certainly did not adopt his belief about the condition of dead from the LDS, but rather from the Bible itself.
htdb.space/1910/r4549.htm
JUDGMENT
Vast difference regarding judgment: I have never been able to get a direct answer from the Mormons regarding the day the world is judged. The LDS seem to not have any thought about the church judging the world, or that the judgment of the church is different from the judgment of the world. They evidently teach that at death all -- whether saints or of the world -- are judged by his past works to live in the spirit world in either a "paradise" of happiness or an unpleasant place. However, according to what they teach, this is not the final judgment. The LDS evidently teach that the judgment day is for judging the whole world by their works in this age, and based on what they did in this life, they are assigned various levels of rewards. While Russell taught that only the church is under special judgment in this age, and it is only of the church that rewards will be based on what they did in the present body. Russell believed that the church, the saints of this age, will be judges of the world under Christ, and thus that they will not be judged with the world. As far as the unregenerated world, their final judgment is in the "last day" -- the day of their regeneration. Russell did believe that any partially willful sin committed in this life by any of the unregenerated in this life will have to be accounted for on the day of judgment, but he also believed that the judgment day was for the blessing and healing of the nations, and that all will come to a knowledge of the truth, and based on the truths then revealed to them, they will be judged by their works as related those truths. Russell taught that the judgment day of the world is for judging people by their works that they do after Jesus reveals to himself to the world in the day of judgment. Russell believed that those who prove themselves incorrigible even after having been taught righteousness will enter into the second death, for which there is no sacrifice for.
Mormon teachings:
www.understandingmormonism.org/last_judgment
Russell's teachings:
htdb.space/Volume1/V1_08.htm
More to follow, God willing
CHURCH ORGANIZATION
The LDS have a hierarchy of authority, similar to, but not exactly the same as, the Roman Catholic Church.
Links may be added later, God willing.
Russell taught that the only authority in the church is Jesus through the writing of the New Testament.
ransomforall.blogspot.com/p/authority.html
JESUS AND JEHOVAH
The LDS teach that Jesus is Jehovah of the Old Testament, and the ELOHIM is the Father.
www.mormonwiki.com/Latter-day_Saint_Belief:_Jesus_Christ
Russell taught that Jesus is not Jehovah, but rather that Jesus is the Son of the Most High Jehovah.
References to follow, God willing.
Many more differences could be presented.
However, as yet, I have not seen any proof at all that would link Russell with the LDS.
A PROPHET
The LDS teaches that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God who received visions from God and/or that God, Jesus, and angels had appeared to Joseph Smith.
history.churchofjesuschrist.org/landing/joseph-smith-prophet-of-god?lang=eng
Russell disclaimed that anyone since Christ is a "prophet of God" as were the prophets of old. Although many claimed Russell was a prophet, Russell himself consistently disclaimed being a prophet, and he denied that God, Jesus, or angels ever appeared to him, or that God was sending him messages in visions, etc. This is simply a fact and definitely not a "mistruth", and the many quotes provided on my website proves this:
ransomforall.blogspot.com/p/prophet.html
THE TRUE CHURCH
The LDS teach that the Church of Jesus of Christ of the Latter-Day Saints is ‘the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth’ (D&C 1:30).
rsc.byu.edu/witness-restoration/joseph-smith-only-true-living-church
Russell taught that the "only true church" is enrolled in heaven and consists of the consecrated, irrespective of any denominational ties. Again, this is a fact, and again I have presented the proof on my website that this is not "mistruths". Russell did not teach that the Bible Students are "the only true church". The proof is what Russell actually stated, which can be found in what I have presented at:
ransomforall.blogspot.com/p/church.html
LIFE BEFORE BEING BORN
The LDS believe that Adam and all humans existed with God before being born into this world.
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/premortality?lang=eng
Russell definitely did not believe in such an idea. Russell taught that Adam was not alive anywhere at all until God breathed into him the breath/force/spirit of life, and it was only then that he became a living soul (sentient being). And so it is with all men. I don't know that Russell ever addressed the Mormon belief directly, but what he presented in his studies are enough to show that he did not believe that any of us were alive with God before being born into this world.
htdb.space/Volume5/V5_12.htm
htdb.space/Volume5/V5_13.htm
THE CONDITION OF THE DEAD
The LDS teach: "When we die, our spirit and body separate. Even though our body dies, our spirit—which is the essence of who we are—lives on. Our spirit goes to the spirit world, which is divided into spirit paradise and spirit prison."
www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/africacentral/beliefs/life-after-death
Russell believed and taught that the dead are unconscious and know nothing at all until the resurrection. He certainly did not adopt his belief about the condition of dead from the LDS, but rather from the Bible itself.
htdb.space/1910/r4549.htm
JUDGMENT
Vast difference regarding judgment: I have never been able to get a direct answer from the Mormons regarding the day the world is judged. The LDS seem to not have any thought about the church judging the world, or that the judgment of the church is different from the judgment of the world. They evidently teach that at death all -- whether saints or of the world -- are judged by his past works to live in the spirit world in either a "paradise" of happiness or an unpleasant place. However, according to what they teach, this is not the final judgment. The LDS evidently teach that the judgment day is for judging the whole world by their works in this age, and based on what they did in this life, they are assigned various levels of rewards. While Russell taught that only the church is under special judgment in this age, and it is only of the church that rewards will be based on what they did in the present body. Russell believed that the church, the saints of this age, will be judges of the world under Christ, and thus that they will not be judged with the world. As far as the unregenerated world, their final judgment is in the "last day" -- the day of their regeneration. Russell did believe that any partially willful sin committed in this life by any of the unregenerated in this life will have to be accounted for on the day of judgment, but he also believed that the judgment day was for the blessing and healing of the nations, and that all will come to a knowledge of the truth, and based on the truths then revealed to them, they will be judged by their works as related those truths. Russell taught that the judgment day of the world is for judging people by their works that they do after Jesus reveals to himself to the world in the day of judgment. Russell believed that those who prove themselves incorrigible even after having been taught righteousness will enter into the second death, for which there is no sacrifice for.
Mormon teachings:
www.understandingmormonism.org/last_judgment
Russell's teachings:
htdb.space/Volume1/V1_08.htm
More to follow, God willing
CHURCH ORGANIZATION
The LDS have a hierarchy of authority, similar to, but not exactly the same as, the Roman Catholic Church.
Links may be added later, God willing.
Russell taught that the only authority in the church is Jesus through the writing of the New Testament.
ransomforall.blogspot.com/p/authority.html
JESUS AND JEHOVAH
The LDS teach that Jesus is Jehovah of the Old Testament, and the ELOHIM is the Father.
www.mormonwiki.com/Latter-day_Saint_Belief:_Jesus_Christ
Russell taught that Jesus is not Jehovah, but rather that Jesus is the Son of the Most High Jehovah.
References to follow, God willing.
Many more differences could be presented.
However, as yet, I have not seen any proof at all that would link Russell with the LDS.
