CIVILIAN SERVICE (page 2)

EasyPrompt

"So I am not saying whether it is wrong or right, and which kinds of troops or services are or are not allowed, but rather I am focusing on the answer: if one is a soldier or a police officer and wants to be a Christian, one must be aware of the increased risk of being in a counter-ethical situation with one's own conscience. He may serve his entire service on a military submarine as a cook, opening cans and cooking delicious meals out of them 😊, he probably won't do anything more sinful than working as a taxi driver or a shop assistant or a school teacher, but the situation can change quickly...
But he can encounter counter-ethical issues just like a doctor (abortion, sex change...) or any other profession. Not something more or less sinful per se, but there are professions that are simply more risky than the other. And that is for each person to judge in their own time, in their own region, in their own conscience, and in their own relationship with God... global, there is no one answer in my opinion. That's my global answer 😊."

Amen, PetrW🙂

"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)" W99 11/1 p. 28 (said it is the individual jw's conscience, but does not mention that someone exercising their "conscience" this way will have an unwritten black mark on the spirituality.

Vidiot

Ten bucks says they changed their mind about civilian service because their tax-exemption was at risk.

blondie

Yes, Vidiot, money is most important to the WTS, not their so-called scriptural "thinking." They will always find a way to adjust their doctrines for money.

NotFormer

Is there a traceable sequence of events that led to the change, a credible timeline? For example certain governments were starting to ask questions about the subject, in a similar way that the Norwegian government began to ask questions about the shunning of children?

I would assume that an external paper trail wouldn't exist because if the legal department became aware of any government interest that could result in negative impact if not addressed, and they were sensible, they would be advising the GB to change the rules post haste. That assumes rational thinking.

On other threads people have suggested that the GB and other Bethelites really believe the "God's chosen people" thing, and that God will protect their way of life and how they do things, so it is possible that the Norway thing took them by surprise.

Is the shunning policy more important to them than the whole military/civilian service issue was?

truthlover123

So what about" Pay Caesar's things to Caesar and God's things to God? There is no glaring inference here that your spirituality is at risk.

Rattigan350

They get the Neutrality doctrinal policy wrong. While Jesus said that they were to be no part of the world, they lost the context of this.

There had been prophesies of the messiah from back to Moses' time, then Isaiah, Daniel and others.

They recognized Jesus as the Messiah but they expected him to free Israel from the Romans like Israel was freed from Babylon. That is why in Acts 1:6 they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?"

Jesus didn't say Yes or no but he told them that their job would be to preach him in the world.

The land of Israel had no more use to God. Christians didn't need a land as their kingdom was heavenly.

Being no part of the world meant not to put their allegiances in the world, but it didn't mean hands off on what is going on. While it mean that we are to have love for our brothers and the people it does not mean that when our neighborhoods are attacked, we just don't do anything.

Rattigan350

"What about" Pay Caesar's things to Caesar and God's things to God?"

What about it? This whole interaction is obvious.

Matt 22:15 Then the Pharisees went and conspired together in order to trap him in his speech

16: So they sent their disciples to him, together with party followers of Herod

17 :Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it lawful* to pay head tax to Caesar or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said: “Why do you put me to the test, hypocrites?

Jesus knew that if he said yes, Pay them. They would accuse him of siding with the Romans.

If he said No, don't pay them. Then they would bring accusations to the Romans that he is teaching not to pay the tax.

So he declined to answer the question, but he referred to the coin and what it showed so they answered the question themselves. Jesus was good at sidestepping their questions.

Vidiot

blondie - “…money is most important to the WTS…”

True, but I don’t think it’s about greed, per se.

For the Watchtower Organization, wealth is a means to an end…

…a wall to ensure that its continued survival is never seriously threatened.

After all, if it’s survival is actually threatened, the premise of God’s exclusive favor is too deeply called into question…

…and they simply cannot allow that.

raymond frantz

I was the recipient of this harsh policy and it cost me an extra year of my life.The Watchtower enforced this policy overnight on jws who where already serving an alternative sentence, they routinely disfellowshipped the ones who didn't want to extent their imprisonment by an extra year and made our life a living hell, as if it wasn't already one.Who said that this is not a loving organisation? You can watch my story on this subject bellow.

https://youtu.be/sic8vLqlvus?si=tlZOA418JecwHKZU

CIVILIAN SERVICE

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