I wonder what will happen to any JW`s who choose to vote in the next UK election?
I have been talking to an English JW pensioner who reckons that he has had his senior citizens pension increase by over £1000 per annum -about $1600 - under Tony Blairs Labour government, he says: "No way do I want to see the Tories get back in again, I`m much better off with Labour in power".
He may well be tempted to vote for his choice of government within the next 3 or 4 weeks. Unlike US voting laws, the English government has to call a National election within 5 years of the previous one. This means that the party in power will try to organise the date at a time that suits them. It is not unknown for a government to call an election within only a year, so that they can obtain a 5 year run to push through unpopular policies. It is strongly rumoured that there will be a General election within the next 4 weeks.
The "Pay attention" book says that JW`s who take part in voting are, in fact, disassociating themselves by such a course of action. However, recent Watchtowers have implied that an individuals actions in the polling booth are between him and Jehovah, although the article does stress that this would normally only be applicable to someone who is voting under duress.
This undoubtedly raises the next question: If our JW senior citizen votes in a way that he believes will protect his improved income, will that be a "vote under duress", "between him and Jehovah", or will he, by voting, be, in effect, disassociating himself from the congregation?
I have a strong suspicion that many JW`s - particularly the older members - will vote in the next election. After all, the WTBTS has done nothing to preserve their income, so what a travesty it would be if such persons then became ostracised by the very organisation that was largely responsible for their dependence on the State in the first place!
Englishman.