Jehovah's Witnesses mentioned on BBC News site regarding not voting

by defender of truth 9 Replies latest social current

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  defender of truth

  Jehovah's Witnesses

  There are about 140,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in the UK who will choose not to vote on 7 May.

  Mark O'Malley, a spokesman for the Christian-based religious movement, said: "As you go through the bible we see that God's kingdom is already established in heaven with God as the king of that kingdom.

  "We are politically neutral as, in a sense, we have already chosen to support that kingdom's government. We see it as a real government.

  "There are limitations to what governments can do, maybe they can improve the health system, but they can't prevent death, maybe they can help children, but they can't provide a secure future for them necessarily. Only God's government is going to be able to resolve completely the real, deeper issues."

  Despite their choice to opt out of voting, Mr O'Malley said Jehovah's Witnesses were "model citizens", living their lives by principles set out in the bible which states "authorities that exist have been established by God" and to rebel against them is to rebel "against what God has instituted".

  He said: "We take the Bible principle at Romans chapter 13 which tells us to support the superior authority.

  "The bible highlights respect for government, respect of authority, respect for civil laws so you will see Jehovah's Witnesses are model citizens when it comes to paying taxes and working within the laws created by government because that's something that is engendered in the pages of the bible."

  Similarly, Christadelphians choose not to vote, saying: "[Leaders] will come and go. But there will be no lasting peace or happiness for the world until the reign of Jesus, the ideal leader, chosen and prepared by God."

  www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-england-32419393
  
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  floriferous

  I never agreed with not voting when I was a JW.

  Thank goodness I do not have to tout that convoluted WT tosh anymore.
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  stan livedeath

  hmmm yeah--well--i'm in the UK--i wonder what would happen if we left it to god to run the country.
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  dozy

  Strictly speaking it's not completely banned by the Society, although certainly not approved. I very much doubt that they would DF anyone who was known to be voting as it would be suicide for the Org if that became public knowledge.

  A JW elder who used to be a good friend of mine admitted once that he had voted at every UK general election but used a postal vote so that he didn't " stumble" anyone who might see him at the polling station - albeit I think he was very unusual ( he was a trade union official before he became a JW & had very left wing views. )
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  carla

  jw's are neutral? My jw certainly is not! The few jw's I have talked to seem to have quite strong opinions on the state of things (politically and otherwise). Naturally my jw will not vote to make any changes in the society in which he lives but feels free to complain about most everything he disagrees with.
  
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  happy@last

  They won't vote but quite happy to take all the benefits the government hands out.
  
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  disposable hero of hypocrisy

  If we voted we wouldn't get df'd, but according to the new elders book we would disassociate ourselves. Cos thats so different..
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  cappytan

  Mark O'Malley, a spokesman for the Christian-based religious movement, said: "As you go through the bible we see that God's kingdom is already established in heaven with God as the king of that kingdom.

  This guy doesn't even know his own doctrine. I thought JESUS was enthroned as king in 1914? Unless the consider Jesus as God now?
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  done4good

  maybe they can help children, but they can't provide a secure future for them necessarily.

  There is a load of bullshit it I ever saw it. The only secure future I know of is my doing. No thanks to some "Kingdom".

  d4g
  
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  Frazzled UBM

  I liked this bit: "So you will see Jehovah's Witnesses are model citizens when it comes to paying taxes". They are also model citizens when it comes to using welfare. When a JW work associate left his reaonably remunerated job to witness two days a week and work part-time in unskilled low-paid work I pointed out to him that he would never be able to own his own home - he pointed out to me that this had not been a problem for his Witness parents. When pressed he explained that they had lived in subsidized council housing their entire adult lives and that he expected to do the same. I don't have a problem with welfare to support people who don't have the support themselves but this guy was smart and capable enough to earn enough to suppport himself and his family but chose not to do this (to be a salesmen for the org) and to rely on welfare instead. I guess that makes taxpayers the equivalent of Jehovah because he would believe that it is Jehovah who is providing.