Why Defend Russell?
My entire post made no reference to Charles Taze Russell, yet you eagerly came and started defending him.
However, a quote from Russell was misrepresented, and I responded to that quote of him.
Nevertheless, the first quote given was not written by Russell, nor by anyone affiliated with the Watch Tower, but was written by someone of The New York World, as I pointed out. I did not mention Russell when I pointed that out.
On the other hand, the second quote was written by Russell, but in some vague manner it was being claimed to have been racist, when in reality Russell was speaking against racism. In order to correct the claim, I did refer to Russell as the one who had written this, since it was indeed Russell who wrote it.
You should seriously ask yourself why is it that you are so concerned with Charles Taze Russell?
Why should I not be concerned when he is being misrepresented? Should I stand by while a man of God is being misrepresented, when it is in the realms of my ability and time to correct such misrepresentation?
Who has been telling you that you need Charles Taze Russell's teachings in your life? Your family? A friend? An International Bible Student?
I am grateful to God that Russell defended the Bible as opposed to man's self-appointed orthodoxy, and I am grateful to the Dawn Bible Students Association for pointing out Russell's teachings on the atonement, the ransom for all, and why God is permitting so much suffering. Back in 1950s and 1960s, I was greatly troubled over these matters, and although I had read in the Bible about the "ransom for all" and how God was going to bless all the nations, I still could not put all the scriptures together in any way that would make sense, since I was still greatly influenced by man's tradition. I had prayed extensively concerning this matter, and, having come into contact with the Dawn, these brothers of Christ helped me to realize that Russell was teaching similar to what I had the thoughts I was having from my own study of the Bible. I examined Russell's teachings thoroughly with the Bible, and although I had questions concerning many details, the way he tied so many scriptures together (something that I could not do on my own) led me to be convinced that, overall, he was correct concerning the "ransom for all." I have not relied wholly on his writings, but have expanded beyond what he wrote on the topic.
http://atonement.reslight.net
You should ask yourself why do you see flaws in anything someone posts that is negative about Russell but you don't see any flaws when someone presents something positive about him?
Russell was not flawless, nor do I claim that he is. I myself see flaws in many things he wrote. Indeed, my claim is that Russell himself told his associates many times that he made no claims that what he had written or spoken was totally without error, and that one should look to the Bible only as the authority. I believe any Christian writer who would not have this attitude would be putting himself in place of Christ.
Why is it that everyone outside of the International Bible Students can find so many flaws in Charles Taze Russell's teachings and behavior, but you seem to feel he is infallible?
No, it seems to be that those who find alleged flaws in Russell's writings seem to think that Russell had claimed that he was infallible. Not that there are no flaws in Russell's works, but most of what is being presented as flaws does not usually represent any flaws. The actual flaw most often is that what is being presented misrepresents what actually happened, or what Russell actually stated, or what Russell actually taught, etc.
I certainly do not think Russell was infallible, and don't know anyone in the Bible Students movement that thinks that Russell was infallible. Indeed, I have a page on one of my websites in which I present quotes from Russell in which he denied many times that he was infallible.
http://ctrussell.wordpress.com/2008/09/05/infallibility/
Nevertheless, most of the "flaws" that are being reported concerning Russell by those who oppose Russell are not real, but are made up by someone, and others repeat what has been made up, often adding their own imagination with more and more distortions and misrepresentations.
And then there are those who, usually with great over-zeal to attack the JW organization, search Russell's works solely for the purpose of isolating certain quotes that they can misuse to misrepresent Russell, often with the idea that Russell represented the JW organization, when he did not.
Would that I could correct all of the misrepresentations that are being spread, not only about Russell, but about any Christian. I have, in some forums, defended several other than Russell when I saw false statemetns being spread about them, but I just do not have time to defend all who might need to be so defended. Russell, however, it seems, has gotten to be the most represented man I have know of that is related to the Bible Students movement.
I used to have a webpage defending Martin Luther, not in that I believed that everything that Luther taught, but rather in defense against misrepresentations of him. Since I changed servers, I haven't as yet reinstalled the page on Martin Luther; I hope as well to add more pages concerning other authors.
http://bstudents.reslight.net
Likewise, I do not defend everything that Russell taught and said, but I do defend him against misrepresentations being spread about him. I do hold Russell in high esteem, since it was his works -- as well as with the aid of some others -- that led me to an understanding of why God is allowing all the suffering, evil, sects, denominations, religions, etc., and more importantly, the ransom for all.
Russell, of course, has had the greatest influence amongst the Bible Students, with some even believing that he was "
the faithful and wise servant", the "Laodicean Messenger", etc. (I do not accept this).
I will be eternally grateful to God for His helps provided in men in such a way. I, as well as most other Bible Students, also hold Martin Luther and many others in high esteem, not because of agreement with, or in the sense of following all that they taught, but rather as having been used by God to bring forth certain Bible truths.
http://heraldmag.org/2006_history/06history_3.htm
http://heraldmag.org/2006_history/06history_15.htm
I am not sure if the International Bible Students are brainwashed like the Jehovah's Witnesses, but you need to wake up before you throw your life away for the sake of following Charles Taze Russell.
I follow no man except that any man may lead me to a clearer understanding of Jesus and the God of Jesus.
As to "International Bible Students", this phrase is not generally used amongst the Bible Students, since the legal entity, "International Bible Students Association" of London, became part of the Jehovah's Witnesses' organization.
Russell has been dead for over 95 years. It's time for you to live your life.
Abraham has been dead for more than 3,000 years, and yet I see no reason to relieve myself of the effects of that man, or to reject the promises that are based on what that man did and his faith.
Some make a similar argument concerning Jesus, stating that Jesus has been dead for almost 2,000 years (although I believe he is alive); I certainly would not want to negate the effect that Jesus has had in my religious study.
Russell, however, has a lesser effect in my religious study than either Abraham or Jesus. If anyone has read my writings regarding the scriptures, I believe that would become self-evident.
Nevertheless, I believe that it is self-evident to anyone who has appreciably studied Russell's works that God did indeed use him as he used Martin Luther and many others in the past 2,000 years. None of the works of Martin Luther or any other Christian writer since the apostles died are without flaw, nor are the writings of Russell without flaw.
You don't have to leave the International Bible Students, but try focussing more on the Bible itself and less on Charles Taze Russell(a man not mentioned anywhere in the Bible).
I do indeed focus on the Bible itself -- indeed, this is what Russell himself taught -- it is what a true Bible Student should do; at the same time this does not mean that I need to set back and remain silent while I see a man of God being misrepresented.
Anyone who has read my writings should know that I do not depend on Russell, or any other man or human leadership, for my conclusions.
http://reslight.net
I also note that nothing in the reply of abcd actually responds to the actual clarifications I gave, in which I showed how Russell was being misrepresented.