Text 24074, 129 rader
Skriven 2006-10-29 09:10:10 av Sean Dennis (1:18/200.0)
  Kommentar till text 24062 av MIMI GALLANDT (1:275/311)
Ärende: Budget
==============
MIMI GALLANDT wrote in a message to Sean Dennis:

 MG> I didn't know that, do they believe there's some kind of religious 
 MG> restriction against doing so? Also does that mean they don't serve
 MG> in  the military?

Correct.  The article about them at Wikipedia
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah's_Witnesses) has some excellent reference
points about them.

Here's an article about holidays:
===Cut===
Among Jehovah's Witnesses, there is an avoidance of practices considered to
have nationalistic or false religious origins. Examples include not singing the
national anthem or not saying "bless you" when someone sneezes. Distinctive
titles in address (such as Father, Pastor, Reverend, etc) are not employed.
Witnesses address one another as "Brother" or "Sister", often followed by the
first or last name of the individual. Despite varied positions of service,
these are not used as a title to address the person by, such as in the case,
"Elder John".

Weddings, anniversaries, and funerals are typically observed. Common
celebrations and religious or national holidays such as birthdays,
Thanksgiving, and Christmas are regarded as pagan and not celebrated.
===Cut==

I thought it was rather funny since Thanksgiving has no religious overtones and
isn't "pagan".

Here's some more concering their beliefs concerning neutrality, politics and
the military.  This is quoted from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beliefs_and_Practices_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses

===Cut===
Although in general respecting the law of the land, Jehovah's Witnesses do not
salute flags, sing national anthems, or pledge allegiance to any state or
nation. This is not intended as disrespect for any particular nation or for
governments; Witnesses recognize the legitimacy of political leaders, believing
that they are the "superior authorities" referred to by the Apostle Paul in
Romans 13:1 (NWT), and are therefore to be respected. Indeed, in many places,
the Witnesses have been commended for their law-abiding stance. They make a
distinction, however, between a show of respect and what they consider to be a
manifestation of worship. Jehovah's Witnesses feel that saluting a flag or
singing a national anthem crosses the dividing line between the two. This is
because they believe they owe allegiance solely to Jehovah (God), that he alone
may be worshipped.[60]

For Jehovah's Witnesses, neutrality is defined as:

    "The position of those who do not take sides with, or give support to, any
of two or more contending parties. It is a fact of ancient and modern-day
history that in every nation and under all circumstances true Christians have
endeavored to maintain complete neutrality as to conflicts between factions of
the world. They do not interfere with what others do about sharing in patriotic
ceremonies, serving in the armed forces, joining a political party, running for
a political office, or voting." - (Reasoning from the Scriptures, pages
269-270)

In this regard, Jehovah's Witnesses feel that their position is similar to that
of the early Christians, who refused to sacrifice a few drops of wine or a few
grains of incense to the Roman emperors even when faced with execution.

Saluting flags

Among the results of this belief in the United States are several cases of
Constitutional law regarding the Pledge of Allegiance. The early cases
establishing that government schools cannot mandate the Pledge, or the salute
to the flag, all involved Witness students punished or threatened for their
refusal.

Some courts in other countries have also protected the Witnesses' right to
abstain from patriotic ceremonies. For example, in 1986, the Supreme Court of
India held that no one can be forced to join in the singing of the national
anthem if the person has a genuine, conscientious religious objection.

In a decision handed down on 1 March 1993, the Philippine Supreme Court ruled
unanimously in favor of Jehovah's Witnesses in a case involving Witness youths
who were expelled from school because they respectfully declined to salute the
flag.

Military service

Additionally, Jehovah's Witnesses refuse to serve in military organizations,
citing the principle they call Christian Neutrality. They understand Jesus'
words , "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world," to
mean that they should take a neutral stand concerning political and military
controversies. [61]

Historically, this refusal to join the military has created serious
difficulties for Jehovah's Witnesses, particularly in war time. During World
War II, young Witnesses in a number of countries were executed for their
conscientious objection to war; even in more democratic countries they were
generally refused exemption from conscription and have often been imprisoned.

Currently, there is less conflict between Witnesses and most governments over
this matter, as many countries have abolished conscription, whereas others have
recognized the views of conscientious objectors and thus instituted the right
to alternative civilian service, which Witnesses generally accept. In certain
republics of the former Soviet Union, however, as well as in South Korea,
Singapore, and some countries in Africa, young Witness males continue to serve
prison terms in connection with this issue. As of December 15th, 2005 there
were 1044 Witnesses imprisoned over this issue in South Korea.

During World War II Jehovah's Witnesses were persecuted by the Allies and the
Axis powers for refusing to participate in these powers' respective war
efforts. (See Jehovah's Witnesses and the Holocaust).

Jehovah's Witnesses are not pacifists, that is to say, they are not opposed to
the use of violence in all circumstances. They recognize, for instance, the
legitimacy of the wars between the ancient nation of Israel and surrounding
nations, and point out that passages in both the Old and New Testaments refer
to God using warlike methods at times.

Political activity

In harmony with the principle of Christian neutrality, referred to above,
Jehovah's Witnesses are discouraged from voting in elections, but not
prohibited from voting. (Watchtower 1 Nov 1999. p.28) They do not however run
for any political office. On the other hand, they do not seek to prevent or
discourage others (non-Witnesses) from doing so, if they so desire.
===Cut===

Later,
Sean

// sean@outpostbbs.net | Blog: http://meseems.wordpress.com | ICQ: 19965647

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