You Know you said,
It does no good to argue about words. However, the fact that, as I pointed out, Paul appealed to Ceasar, proves that Christians are entitled to get a fair hearing according to the laws of the state system they are living under. As a matter of fact, when Paul wrote to the Phillipians he was under arrest in Rome. So, in the context of his remarks about 'defending and confirming the truth,' or however you want to word it, there is the legal aspect of defending the right to preach the truth. That's why Paul was in prison.Christians are "entitled to get a fair hearing according to the laws of the state system", under whose auspices or sponsorship I ask? Under the auspices of governments that God classifies as "beastly", run by Satan? (Luke 4:6; Daniel 7:1-8) Christians aren't promised any "rights" or privileges under worldly governments that they claim to be "no part of". Jesus said, christians "are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world". (John 17:14)
And what treatment did Jesus get from these earthly rulers? Death. First century christians got the "lion's den", and various forms of martydom, from the hands of the "beastly" ruling agencies.
This continued until someone decided that "compromise" was a better way out of this conflict. This is particularly true since the infamous year of 1914, by WTS/JWs standards.
According to JWs, it was the year of 1914 that the Messianic Kingdom was empowered in the hands of Jesus Christ in heaven, supposedly. It was the year that the "Gentile Times" of world domination was completed upon earth. Therefore, the "Copper" and "Iron" bands of GENTILE RESTRAINT around the "rootstock" of the Heaven High Tree of Daniel 4th chapter, then, should have come off at that time. This would bring the end of "Superior Authority" control over "christians" earthwide. (Daniel 4:23, 26; Romans 13:1-7; See Photo in "Live Forever" book pgs. 140, 141.)
According the WTS, the "Gentile Times" had ended or been "fulfilled" in 1914. Human Governments on earth should logically no longer hold "christians" back from carrying out ANY CHRISTIAN DUTY OR OBLIGATION by using their earthly governmental powers against them, as we have often times seen. In that year, 1914, "christians" should have stopped paying "taxes" and "tributes" to earthly governments and governmental figures, since God had no longer held them under human restraint to earthly governmental bondage and control. The "bands" are now removed from the "rootstock" of the Heaven-High Tree. (Daniel 4:23, 26)
The Gentile "bands" of restraint are supposed to be removed, after a "2,520-year" (or "7 times" passes over banded-stump) period is to be accounted for and added to the date of 607 to reach 1914. (See "You Can Live Forever" WTS publication pages 138-141.)
So, in the year of 1914, with the iron and copper "bands" removed of "Gentile" governmental restraint, then the counsel of Romans 13th chapter to pay taxes and give humans "tribute" as "superior authorities" should have ended in 1914. The year of 1914 should have freed "christians" from "Gentile trampling" and control where "christians" would not have to answer to human governments again. That's if the "Gentile Times" had ended, in 1914. As they explain in their literature, the WTS.
There is nothing wicked about securing one's legally guarranteed freedoms to practice their religion. What is wicked is for a nation that prides itself on freedom and liberty to allow petty tyrants to decide who can and can't practice their religion freely without restraint."A restraint" that will always be there, until "christians" are freed from "Gentile domination" of political governments on earth. Clearly, based upon your statement above, the "Gentile Times" are still upon us. The political, governmental "restraint" is still with us, where "christians" must bow to the "superior authorities" in the form of oppressive laws that outlaw "christianity" altogether in many parts of the world. Also more tolerable countries still plague "christians" along with everyone else of all faiths and belief systems with heavy taxation, oppressive laws, and the paying of human "tribute" to a "wicked", "beast-like" earthly governmental system that tortures the innocent and rewards the evil-doers of our times.
"Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21:24 KJV)
Evidently, the year of 1914 did not bring an end of the "Gentile Times" or political world domination over "christians". "Christians" are no different than anyone else. They are still in subjection to them, as superior authorities. "Christians" are still begging for mercy and leniency from the governments under Satanic control. Even "lobbying" now for freedoms and rights under Governmental agencies, representing Satan's power. (Luke 4:6) Christians, are now endowed with their latest "tool" for empowerment to give them their precious christian "rights," -- that particular country's Holy Constitution. So when the Bible doesn't work, "christians" can effectively use this new "tool" to get what they want. Some religions, like the WTS will even "get in bed" with the United Nations Organization, as NGO's, to ascertain and secure those wonderful constitutional christian "rights" you speak of.
So sad. "Christian" Jerusalem continues to be "trampled under foot, by the nations". Their "trampling" continues, just as brutally as before 1914, than after 1914, as far as christian "rights" are concerned upon this earth.
The year of 1914 brought no change in this earthly scene or condition.
Thus when the above information is made available to deep-thinking christians, they invariably all come to the same inescapable and incontrovertible realization, that the much proclaimed date of 1914 acting as The Foundation Teaching and Fundamental Truth of the Watchtower Society for the past 125 years, is a easily provable FALSE DOCTRINE concocted and "artfully contrived" by wicked men of Satan. The 1914 doctrine, as taught by these true modern-day "Pharisees" of our times, sadly has been mercilessly executed upon ignorant and hapless Jehovah's Witnesses to their lasting detriment. So sad. (2 Peter 1:16; Mark 7:7-9)
tfs