With what authority does the Watch Tower Society speak? Does the Watch Tower bring light, as it claims? Olin R Moyle began his association with Charles Russell’s Bible Students group in 1910. He worked as legal counsel for the Society from 1935 to 1939. A disenchanted Moyle resigned in July 1939, after witnessing the ill-treatment of Bethel staff, and Joseph Rutherford’s heavy drinking and luxurious lifestyle. The Watch Tower responded with a strongly worded article in the Watchtower magazine in which they accused Moyle of lying, comparing him to Judas Iscariot. His local congregation disfellowshipped him, and in 1940 Moyle sued the Society for libel. Moyle won, and won again on appeal, initially being awarded $30,000, later reduced to $15,000. That’s more than $707,000 and almost $354,000 in 2026. It is always a mistake for a cult to find itself in open court. So much is brought to light that they would rather not talk about as they are asked questions they would rather not an...
Mormonism's Open Canon? Mormonism is founded on the idea that the early church went into apostasy because of the absence of apostles and prophets. Mormonism is presented as a ‘restoration’ of ancient authority and prophecy. The Bible should never have been a closed canon, so Mormonism operates from an open canon. The problem arises when we quote Brigham Young, Mormonism’s second prophet, the ‘American Moses’ who led the saints to the Salt Lake Valley. You might think such an important leader would have something to add to the Mormon canon. He certainly had plenty to say during his thirty years presidency of the church. Nevertheless, he has but one entry in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 136: ‘The word and the will of the Lord, given through President Brigham Young, at the Winter Quarters of the Camp of Israel...January 1, 1847’ He said plenty, of course, much of it recorded in the 26 volume Journal of Discourses. But what was once recognised as a ‘Standard Work’ of the churc...