The above comment about JWs not "being political" is not so, IMHO. This organization is one of the most activist political movements of practically any North American religion. It is almost all about politics, and has been so since the days of Russell.
What other religion made so many anti-government public statements that it got a number of the directors thrown into jail circa WW1? And then claimed that getting them thrown into jail was somehow a fulfillment of bible prophecy??? (after predicting the end of the world just a few years previous)
What other religion makes such a big deal about the flag salute or the national anthem? What other religion has named political enemies as "the beasts of revelation" like they did the League of Nations and the United Nations?
What other religion so famously forced members into prison over the draft? (when they could have easily taken alternative service but were not allowed to do so) - not even the peaceful Mennonites or Quakers have been so adamantly anti-war and anti-government as the WTS.
What other religion forced members to refuse to buy a 25c identity card in Malawi and actually got many imprisoned, beaten, or even killed.
What other religion stubbornly refuses to obey state and city laws about door to door solicitation and actually has gone to court over it a record number of times? What other religion would practically bankrupt itself over literature sales by a stubborn refusal to pay sales taxes?
What other religion has created a shamefully political debate over refusal to accept a blood transfusion or other selected medical treatments?
No wonder people used to call me a Communist when I was a kid going door to door. What else were they going to think about us, given this track record?
