1 st Evidence: The release of loyal Jews from exile, made possible by the fall of Babylon, foreshadowed the release in 1919 of anointed Christians from spiritual exile.
This is not evidence, this is a claim. You claim that the release 'foreshadowed something in 1919'. The bible does not say anything of the sort.
Definitely Not evidence.
2 nd Evidence: That year marked the beginning of the period when the anointed remnants were released from a form of spiritual captivity to the ideas and practices of false religion.
Well, for one, you're not even using reaonable terms here. "anointed remnants', 'spirtiual captivity'... are you on drugs or something? What the hell are you talking about?
It's cult speak, it's stupid, it's not something that happened in the "real world" - and it's not evidence.
Although having rejected such false teachings as the Trinity and the immortal soul, they were still tainted by Babylonish practices. Many had developed a self-righteous attitude in character development. Some were exalting creatures, indulging in a personality cult that focused on Charles T. Russell, the first president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.
"tainted by Baylonish practices" Seriously, who talks like this? What the hell are you talking about? If we're talking "evidence" as if this is "real world stuff" - then use "real world" phrases and terminologies.
So to translate, what I think he's trying to say is:
"Having interpretted the bible differently than other groups, the Bible Students did not follow the same biblical interpretation and religious doctrine of modern-day Jehovah's Witnesses. Many were self righteous. Some engaged in practices the bible condones, such as idolitry. The religion was a cult, following the teachings of Charles T. Russell".
This is not evidence of anything besides decpetion. Just using flowery words to white-wash history.
Without any Biblical basis, they were observing birthdays and Christmas. The cross was still prominent in their thinking. Some even wore a cross-and-crown lapel emblem, while others sought the respectability accorded Christendom. Then, in 1917, shortly after the death of Russell, a significant change began to take place.
Without any Biblical basis, JW's still engage in dozens of human customs even today. Elimination of human customs does not prove anything regarding the GB being 'selected in 1919'.
Not Evidence.
In May 1918, warrants were issued for the arrest of J. F. Rutherford, the new president of the Watch Tower Society, and seven other Watch Tower associates.
Thousands of warrents are issued every day. Millions over the course of a year.
Not Evidence.
In June, with surprising swiftness, these Christian men were haled before a court and condemned. Seven were sentenced to 20 years in a penitentiary, and one to 10 years.
"Sh*t happens." Not evidence that they were "selected by god in 1919". (Or else, every religious leader harrassed/arrested in that same time - a time when the world was in relgious and political termoil - was as well.)
Religious leaders have been harrassed by other religions since the beginning of time. Not evidence.
Then, in 1919, an unexpected reversal of events occurred. The Great War had ended in November 1918. The sentences against the officials of the Watch Tower Society were appealed as being a miscarriage of justice. To the chagrin of their religious enemies, Rutherford and his companions were released from prison.
JW's leaders were not the first to be imprisoned on false charges and later released, and they will not be the last.
I mean, really, is this the meat of the post right here? That they were arrested and later released? That proves god 'selected' them?
Is that your claim?
On their release from prison in 1919, Rutherford and his associates returned to the Brooklyn headquarters of the Watch Tower Society.
If they had opened the Watchtower Glee Club - would that make them 'chosen by god' to sing?
Not evidence.
They then set about reorganizing for the biggest Kingdom-preaching campaign the world has ever known.
That claim seems unlikely - there are certainly plenty examples of other conversion campaigns that have met with far greater success.
At any rate, conversion campaigns - even highly motivated ones - are extremely common among religions, and thus...
are not evidence.
The Bible Students had broken the shackles of the fear of man and now saw clearly where they stood in relation to all false religion. Babylon the Great was their relentless enemy and would have to be exposed as fallen. True worship would have to be restored among the nations.
Back to the crazy cult speak. "shackles of the fear of man"? "all false religion" (aka everyone else that doesn't agree with them).. "Babylon the Great" "exposed as fallen"...
What the hell are you talking about?
False religion fell? In what universe are you talking about?
Reality check: Religion in the world today is Alive and Well. Nothing "fell", except in the wacky spin the WT tries to put on things.
Crazy talk, and not evidence.
Indeed, the facts show that anointed Christians began to enjoy in the year 1919. What accounts for this spiritual paradise? First of all, these paradisaic
conditions exist among Jehovah’s people because God has restored his anointed servants to their “land,” or condition, of pure worship.
No, they don't.
Just because a relgion goes through a brief period of opposition (which - get real, nearly every single religion has, since religion is little more than an extension of tribal human behaviors that date back to our roots), does not make them 'the chosen people'. It's so common in human history it is laughable.
The reality is, religions are competing with eachother for control over human populations.. some are big, some are small, and some use their authority to keep the smaller groups from growing.
Sorry, you fail, sir. You failed to provide any actual evidence for... well... anything. You just told another story of a budding relgious group with a 'rocky start' married with conclusions that do not logically follow.
I will be back to clarify the long held confusion on the 1914 generation that won't pass away.
Heh... I can hardly wait. Be sure to include the scriptures that specifically mention 1914, or at least the scriptures that describe how to do the math.. (which numbers to add together to arrive at that date, etc.)
- Lime