Lithuania Rejecting Elevated Religious Recognition of WTS?

blondie

Here is an article about WTS/jws regarding religious recognition in Lithuania. It says it may not be granted at the level the WTS applied for partly based on rejecting unarmed alternative service rather than being "drafted." Can you read it and tell me you come to the same conclusion? I understood that jws can accept to do alternative service as a choice without repercussions from the WTS.https://bitterwinter.org/lithuania-and-the-jehovahs-witnesses-what-is-the-matter/

Earnest

blondie, the article states :

The Ministry of Justice regarded the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ principle of conscientious objection, i.e., their refusal based on their interpretation of Biblical principles both of armed military service and non-armed alternative service managed by the military authorities, as contrary to the Constitutional obligation to defend the country in case of foreign armed attack.

While JWs can accept alternative service if their conscience allows it, this only includes civilian alternative service. The May 1996 Watchtower which discusses alternative service says :

In some places a required civilian service, such as useful work in the community, is regarded as nonmilitary national service. Could a dedicated Christian undertake such service? Here again, a dedicated, baptized Christian would have to make his own decision on the basis of his Bible-trained conscience.

FragrantAddendum

massimo introvigne - what a tool!

it's like he wants to appear to have really bad reading comprehension

(when in truth he's just a liar working for liars)

hopefully he wakes up someday and stops serving satanas

anyway, the "international legal provision on freedom of religion or belief" has limitations

watchtower has proved they are not covered by those "international legal provisions" since they are in breach of the "safety" part, the "order" part, the "morals" part, the "health" part, and the "protection of the rights and freedoms of others" part

https://www.echr.coe.int/documents/d/echr/Archives_1950_Convention_ENG

FragrantAddendum

the nations are about to devour watchtower completely

(it is the judgment of jehovah)

hope you got your popcorn

(if you are an elder, get out unless you enjoy prison wallpaper)

Jeffro

Bitter Winter is not a reliable source. Cult apologetics for pay.

Beth Sarim

Everyone ,,,elder & above,,,,HAS to know what is being covered up in their Evil "" Sheppard the Flock of God" manual.

FragrantAddendum

Earnest

Lithuanian Radio and Television (LRT) reported this decision on 6th June here, translated here, which confirms Bitter Winter's account.

There was a case In Lithuania in 2015 involving a JW, a conscientious objector by the name of Stanislav Teliatnikov, who requested exemption from conscription or deferment of his call up until the time when Lithuania enacted a law providing for "genuine alternative civilian service". This request was rejected and the appeal was denied by the Lithuanian Supreme Administrative Court in 2019. Teliatnikov appealed to the European Court of Human Rights, as reported by LRT.

In 2022 the European Court held that there had been a violation of Article 9 (freedom of thought, conscience and religion) of the European Convention on Human Rights. Regarding the provision of alternative service it held that it "was not a real alternative, as it was part of the military superstructure, with draftees referred to as 'military conscripts' throughout the regulations. States needed to establish alternatives outside of military command structures." The court case can be accessed here, with a summary here.

Lithuania Rejecting Elevated Religious Recognition of WTS?

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