>In another discussion (re the pagan origin of the cross) someone 
asserted >that the sign of a watchtower was itself used in pagan 
traditions - it's >not in my well-thumbed _Golden Bough_  - anyone 
corroborate?

Yes, there are such things as "Watchtowers" in Wicca, although i 
rather doubt that it's linked with the Jehovah's Witnesses version. 
In Wicca..(snip)..The basic idea is that there are four directions 
(N,E,S,W) that each correspond to one of four "elements" (Earth, Air, 
Fire, Water) and the "spirit" of these are called to the particular 
compass points of the cast circle that they are associated 
with...(snip).. In any case, some traditions call the quarters (the 
compass directions) the "Watchtowers" and when invoking the elements 
would say something like: "Hail, Guardians of the Watchtowers

>On page 976 of the Encyclopedia of Free Masonry, published in 1907, 
>written by Albert G. Mackey (i have a copy sitting on my lap) it says 
>"the symbol representing perfected creation which is very common on 
>ancient Hindu monmuents in China embraces so many of the masonic 
emblems, >and so directly refers to the elementary principles taught in 
philosophic >Masonry, that it is here introduced with its explainations.  
Forlong >(a masonic author), in his faith of Man, gives this arangement:

A -- the earth, or foundation on which all build,

Wa -- Water, as an egg, or as condensed fire and ether,

Ra -- Fire, or the elements in motion,

Ka -- Air or wind, Juno, or Io ni; a condensed element

Cha -- Ether, or heaven, the cosmic former."

> These five symbols represent the spiritual and the physical realms of 
>reality.  The symbols A, Wa, Ra, and Ka appear to parallel the Wiccen 
>beliefs surrounding the physical realm and their connection to the 
>spirits...  The circle is drawn together to invoke the spirits found 
>in the Cha, the cosmic former...  Chris, this common masonic teaching 
>was readily available to Russell.  In fact the symbol of 'Ra' (as 
defined >by the 32 degree masons) is a circle with wings on the right and 
left >of the circle.  This symbol of 'Ra' appears on the front of Volumn 
seven >of Russell's opus -- The Finnished Mystery..  This winged circle 
is also >know as Osirus, Horus, and Isis.  As I understand things, this 
winged >circle is used by some who practice the craft.  The winged circle 
is >suspended over an altar in a easternly direction and used to invoke 
the >protection and cooperation of sylphs.  Finally, according the 
masonic >teachings, the point in the circle is associated with the phallus
>of the ancient mysteries.  The phallus is representative of the male
>generative principle, it was communicated during the rites of Osiris that
>a new race would be birthed from the ashes of the current race (mackey,
>p591).

>The only other thing i can think of along those lines is of the Tarot 
>card called "The Tower" (also called "The Tower of God")... which the 
>WTB&TS would probably not want to be associated with, because the 
>illustration on the card is of a large tower getting struck down by 
>lightning, and the meaning of which is "an unexpected and highly 
traumatic >experience, but one that may bring some wisdom in its wake." 

Interesting bit of data.  In the early years of WTS publishing, on the 
front cover of the Watchtower magazine, there was a picture of a tower 
and a lighting burst..  Sometimes the facts are stranger than the 
assertions..



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