by Aaron Eldridge 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
The reporter asks the wrong question: Do JWs vote?
The JW PR guy correctly says that JWs can vote. It has been their policy for a while that religious sanctions don't apply for attending a polling booth.
What JW PR guy doesn't say is that if 'elders™' learn that a JW voted, the individual would be considered to have "disassociated himself" because he "took a nonneutral course"; such a person would subsequently be shunned.
I don't see that.
Where is there any indication that what goes on inside the booth as a matter between the person and god, leaves room for an automatic DA?
Yes the article leads the JW to conclude that he should be 'neutral' but still leaves it between him and god. All a publisher needs to do is present the 1950 and 1990 WTs to demondtrate that the elders have no business even asking what the person did in the booth. The WT says he can go in, and do what he sees fit, nobody else business.
Oz
Republicans would hate Compulsory voting in the United States, the 99 percent heading to the polls! If you don't attend on voting day, you are heavily fined! In South America the Witnesses will leave their ballot blank or check nobody.
From Wiki
" Compulsory voting may encourage voters to research the candidates' political positions more thoroughly. Since they are voting anyway they may take more of an interest into the nature of the politicians they may vote for, rather than simply opting out. This means candidates need to appeal to a more general audience, rather than a small section of the community.
A result of this setup is that it is therefore more difficult for extremist or special interest groups to vote themselves into power or to influence mainstream candidates. Under a non-compulsory voting system, if fewer people vote then it is easier for smaller sectional interests and lobby groups to motivate a small section of the people to the polls and thereby control the outcome of the political process. The outcome of a election where voting is compulsory reflects more of the will of the people (Who do I want to lead the country?) rather than reflecting who was more able to convince people to take time out of their day to cast a vote (Do I even want to vote today?).
Wiki "Enforced
These are the 10 countries that enforce compulsory voting:
Argentina - Compulsory for citizens between 18 and 70 years old, non-compulsory for those older than 70. (However in primaries, citizens under 70 may refuse to vote, if they formally express their decision to the electoral authorities, at least 48 hours before the election. This is valid only for the subsequent primary, and needs to be repeated every time the voter wishes not to participate.)
Australia - Compulsory enrollment and voting for state and national elections for all eligible adults (18 and above). In some states local council elections are compulsory too.[10]
Brazil[11] - Compulsory for citizens between 18 and 70 years old.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ecuador - Compulsory for citizens between 18 and 65 years old; non-compulsory for citizens aged 16-18, illiterate people, and those older than 65.
Luxembourg - Only for the regionals and if signed up
Nauru
Peru - Compulsory for citizens between 18 and 70 years old, non-compulsory for those older than 70
Singapore[12] - Compulsory for citizens above 21 years old on the 1st of January of the year of election
Uruguay
There is one region in Switzerland that enforces compulsory voting:
I know in Bolivia they go vote, because they are required to do so. Most witnesses just do a silly write in or vote for all of the candidates.
Aussie Oz:
Where is there any indication that what goes on inside the booth as a matter between the person and god, leaves room for an automatic DA?
Shunning is not automatic for attending a polling booth. 'DA' and shunning applies if it is learned the JW actually voted, which would be considered a "nonneutral course". The person would need to tell someone (either an elder or snitching 'friends'/family) that while they were in the booth they actually voted before sanctions could be applied.
The presumption is that JWs would generally leave the ballot paper blank or mark the ballot paper in some way that invalidates the vote.
They can vote, they can use illegal drugs, they can join the military, they can run for political office, they can use tobbaco, they can get abortions, they can swap wives, they can participate in interfaith ceremonies.
All of these things are personal decisions.
Anothing thing, going to college is a personal decision.
Yet, we know for a fact, if an elder publicly encourages anyone to attend a university, he can lose the privilege of being an elder.
Rather than letting your light shine, it would be recommended that JW youth put their light under a basket, when they get an education, vote, smoke pot, fornicate, donate blood, vote and attend church functions of other faiths. Unless, of course, they want to become former JWs.
