Jehovah's Witnesses were raped and tortured by the thousands in Malawi because they obeyed the Watchtower Society's Rules, and they Broke Caesar's Law and refused to purchase a Political Card in a Country that only had ONE Polictical Party. Now (since 1999), Jehovah's Witnesses are allowed to VOTE IN POLITICAL ELECTIONS! I would love to hear everyone's comments.
The Watchtower, November 15th 1950 Issue, Page 445:
21. In view of not recognizing worldly political powers as the “superior authorities” ordained by God, but recognizing only God and Jesus Christ to be such now, the Christian witnesses conscientiously refrain from taking part in the politics of this world, yes, even from voting.
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The Watchtower, September 1st 1952 Issue, Page 526:
“Voting is compulsory, and because the brothers have refused to vote they have been frequently beaten and imprisoned.
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The Watchtower, July 15th 1954 Issue, Page 446:
The clergy say we are to blame for corrupt government by not voting; we say they share the blame by their voting. (1 Tim. 5:22) We must not enter politics to clean it up; we must escape its plagues by staying out. (Rev. 18:4) To shun politics puts us on the defensive before men; by entering it the clergy are on the defensive before God. For separateness we may be accused of sedition against Caesar, but for mixing in the clergy are guilty of adultery against God.
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The Watchtower, November 1st 1956 Issue, Page 648:
Today the Christian witnesses of Jehovah, like the witnesses of Jehovah in the early days of Christianity, keep unspotted from the world. They conscientiously refrain from taking part in the politics of this world, yes, even from voting. They know that political participation not only would be futile but would bring God’s disapproval. Maintaining the true Christian view of politics will help you keep unspotted from this wicked system of things and gain everlasting life under the perfect government of the post-Armageddon new world.
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The Watchtower, July 1st 1959 Issue, Page 398:
The refusal of Jehovah’s witnesses in the past to fulfill such patriotic duties as voting, saluting a flag or participation in the armed forces, is an insurance to every country that Jehovah’s witnesses will not endanger the security of that nation, because they have been refraining from the same activities in all other countries at the same time.
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The Watchtower, May 15th 1964 Issue, Page 308:
20. To mature Christians, the question of what attitude should be taken in the matter of political elections presents no issue. In totalitarian countries oftentimes people are forced by law to go to the election polls and sometimes persons are even picked up at home and brought to the polls. Even in certain democracies the law makes it compulsory for the citizens to go to the election places. In no country do Jehovah’s witnesses take part in politics. They are not of this world. (John 17:14) Therefore they do not take part in voting at elections. They do not compromise their neutral standing in matters of politics, however, if they go to the polls and make the ballot void in some manner, either by crossing it out or by putting down, for example, the words “For God’s Kingdom.” That is telling what he is for. By doing this their ballot will become void; it will not count in the election of a man. They have complied with the law and gone to the polls and likely avoided punishment. Remember Jesus’ counsel: “Look! I am sending you forth as sheep amidst wolves; therefore prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves.” (Matt. 10:16) No one should be condemned for acting so. “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you also look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.”--Rom. 14:10.
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The Watchtower, June 15th 1964 Issue, Pages 380-381:
Now, how do Christians view these elective offices and positions? Would they accept a position if voted in by their classmates? Would they participate in the voting, either by a show of hands or by balloting?
Well, what is the purpose of this voting in school? In most cases it is to familiarize young persons with the machinery of worldly politics. So what Bible principle applies? Why, separateness from the world and its politics. Since Jehovah’s witnesses as adults do not mix in politics, it is only reasonable that children of Jehovah’s witnesses do not mix in politics on a school level, either by accepting an elective office or participating in conferring such an office upon others. What, then, would a Christian youth do if he were nominated to an office? He could tactfully decline the nomination or, if elected without his assent, he could tactfully decline the office; so following the example of Jesus, who withdrew when the people wanted to make him king.
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The Watchtower, October 15th 1973 Issue, Page 627:
Jehovah’s witnesses keep separate from all politics, not even voting_____________________________________________
The Watchtower, February 15th 1974 Issue, Page 107:
Accordingly, if they should get involved in the affairs of this world, taking part in political activities, holding office or voting, they would lose their status as ambassadors and brothers of Christ, and would never attain to heavenly rulership with him.
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The Watchtower, November 15th 1977 Issue, Page 686:
The Witnesses are neutral as to warfare and strife between the nations, as well as being clean from all political involvement, not even voting, because they fulfill Jesus’ description of them as being “no part of the world.” (John 17:14) For the same reason they do not salute the flag or emblem of any nation.
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Proclaimers Book (1993), Page 195:
In the 1960’s and the 1970’s, the Witnesses’ neutrality underwent brutal tests in connection with the demand that all citizens of Malawi buy a card signifying membership in the ruling political party. Jehovah’s Witnesses saw it as contrary to their Christian beliefs to share in this. As a result, they were subjected to persecution that was unprecedented in its sadistic cruelty. Tens of thousands were forced to flee the country, and many were in time forcibly repatriated to face further brutality.
Page 674:
In Malawi, there is only one political party, and possession of a party card indicates membership. Although the Witnesses are exemplary in paying their taxes, in harmony with their religious beliefs, they decline to buy political party cards. To do so would be a denial of their faith in God’s Kingdom. Because of this, late in 1967, with the encouragement of government officials, gangs of youths throughout Malawi launched an all-out attack on Jehovah’s Witnesses that was unprecedented in its obscenity and sadistic cruelty. Over a thousand devout Christian women were raped. Some were stripped naked before large mobs, beaten with sticks and fists, and then sexually assaulted by one person after another. Nails were driven through the feet of the men and bicycle spokes through their legs, and then they were ordered to run. Throughout the country their homes, furniture, clothing, and food supplies were destroyed.
Again, in 1972, there was a renewed outbreak of such brutality following the annual convention of the Malawi Congress Party. At that convention it was officially resolved to deprive Jehovah’s Witnesses of all secular employment and drive them away from their homes. Even appeals of employers to keep these trusted workers availed nothing. Homes, crops, and domestic animals were confiscated or destroyed. Witnesses were prevented from drawing water from the village well. Large numbers were beaten, raped, maimed, or murdered. All the while, they were mocked and ridiculed for their faith. Upwards of 34,000 finally fled the country to avoid being killed.
______________________________________________The Watchtower, January 1st 1996 Issue, Page 26:
Tested on the Issue of Neutrality
Although the war ended in 1945, our difficulties continued and even grew worse. Compulsory voting was enforced during the election of December 2, 1946. Anyone who dared to abstain was considered an enemy of the State. Those in our congregation in Përmet began to ask, “What should we do?”
“If you trust in Jehovah,” I answered, “you don’t have to ask me what to do. You already know that Jehovah’s people are neutral. They are no part of the world.”—John 17:16.
Election day arrived, and government delegates came to our house. They began calmly, “Oh, let’s have a cup of coffee and talk. Do you know what today is?”
“Yes, today elections are being held,” I answered.
“You’d better hurry, or you’ll be late,” one officer said.
“No, I don’t plan to go. Our vote is for Jehovah,” I replied.
“All right, then come and vote for the opposition.”
I explained that Jehovah’s Witnesses are absolutely neutral. When our position became well-known, greater pressure was exerted upon us. We were ordered to stop holding our meetings, so we began to meet secretly.
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The Watchtower, June 15th 1999 Issue, Page 30:
Questions From Readers
How do Jehovah’s Witnesses view voting?
...As for Jehovah’s Witnesses, they do not interfere with the right of others to vote; neither do they in any way campaign against political elections. They respect and cooperate with the authorities who are duly elected in such elections. (Romans 13:1-7) As to whether they will personally vote for someone running in an election, each one of Jehovah’s Witnesses makes a decision based on his Bible-trained conscience and an understanding of his responsibility to God and to the State. (Matthew 22:21; 1 Peter 3:16)
...those who have a part in voting a person into office may become responsible for what he does. (Compare 1 Timothy 5:22, The New English Bible.) Christians have to consider carefully whether they want to shoulder that responsibility.
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In view of the Scriptural principles outlined above, in many lands Jehovah’s Witnesses make a personal decision not to vote in political elections, and their freedom to make that decision is supported by the law of the land. What, though, if the law requires citizens to vote? In such a case, each Witness is responsible to make a conscientious, Bible-based decision about how to handle the situation. If someone decides to go to the polling booth, that is his decision. What he does in the polling booth is between him and his Creator.
The November 15, 1950, issue of The Watchtower, on pages 445 and 446, said: “Where Caesar makes it compulsory for citizens to vote . . . [Witnesses] can go to the polls and enter the voting booths. It is here that they are called upon to mark the ballot or write in what they stand for. The voters do what they will with their ballots. So here in the presence of God is where his witnesses must act in harmony with his commandments and in accordance with their faith. It is not our responsibility to instruct them what to do with the ballot.”
What if a Christian woman’s unbelieving husband insists that she present herself to vote? Well, she is subject to her husband, just as Christians are subject to the superior authorities. (Ephesians 5:22; 1 Peter 2:13-17) If she obeys her husband and goes to the polling booth, that is her personal decision. No one should criticize her.--Compare Romans 14:4.
What of a country where voting is not mandated by law but feelings run high against those who do not go to the voting booth--perhaps they are exposed to physical danger? Or what if individuals, while not legally obliged to vote, are severely penalized in some way if they do not go to the polling booth? In these and similar situations, a Christian has to make his own decision. “Each one will carry his own load."--Galatians 6:5.
There may be people who are stumbled when they observe that during an election in their country, some Witnesses of Jehovah go to the polling booth and others do not. They may say, ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses are not consistent.’ People should recognize, though, that in matters of individual conscience such as this, each Christian has to make his own decision before Jehovah God.--Romans 14:12.
Whatever personal decisions Jehovah’s Witnesses make in the face of different situations, they take care to preserve their Christian neutrality and freeness of speech.