by compound complex 29 Replies latest jw friends
I never understood the convoluted "reasoning" on standing for the pledge of allegiance but sitting for the national anthem ...
Your thoughts or experiences, please.
Thank you.
CC
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/198711/1/I-Will-Sit-No-More-Forever
when the national athem came on people would stand, so i guess sitting was to show the difference.
the pictures used to play the national anthem at the end of the show, there was a bit of a rush to get out during the credits so we'd leave then,
though there were a few times where we were somewhere it was played and were the only ones sitting for the duration.
i think the exception would have been if the queen was present in person, then we'd have been allowed to stand out of respect, but she didnt hang in this neck of the woods so i'm not totally sure on that
Thank you, Nelly, for the reply.
Whether in the USA or England, the "Theocratic" R&Rs apply the same, so it seems. Showing respect for the Queen by standing, however, is a new thought to me. Not an issue here!
Gratefully,
CoCo
I sat down when they played the National Anthem at my graduation. I felt utterly embarressed and decided I would never do that again. It showed total disrespect.
Some time after this I understand the 'instructions' were modified. If you were already standing you need not sit; if you were seated when the NA started you should not stand! What sort of logic is that!!??
George
Thank you, St George, for telling us your experience.
There is no logic, hence my confusion. Former confusion. Now I see it at you stated: an utter lack of respect.
I think of Naaman's assisting his king in worship at the temple of Dagon ...
Gratefully,
CoCo
yup that rings a bell george. i think the if youre already standing thing was so it didnt make a total point of being disrespectful...not that sitting already and making a point of not standing wasnt giving that impression already lol lol
I always stood, just didn't sing or do the hand-over-the-heart thing, same as I did with the Pledge of Allegiance.
*** w02 9/15 p. 24 “Salvation Belongs to Jehovah” ***
When national anthems are played, usually all a person has to do to show that he shares the sentiments of the song is to stand up. In such cases, Christians remain seated. If they are already standing when the national anthem is played, however, there is no need for them to take the special action of sitting down. It is not as though they had specifically chosen to stand for the anthem. On the other hand, if a group are expected to stand and sing, then merely standing up out of respect but not singing would not constitute sharing in the sentiments of the song.
However, just 5 years previous, a report about an Indian court:
*** w87 11/1 p. 21 Religious Freedom Upheld in India ***
In a landmark decision the court said: “We are satisfied, in the present case, that the expulsion of the three children from the school for the reason that because of their conscientiously held religious faith, they do not join the singing of the national anthem in the morning assembly though they do stand up respectfully when the anthem is sung, is a violation of their fundamental right ‘to freedom of conscience and freely to profess, practice and propagate religion.’”
George
Thanks, agonus, for stating what must have seemed a reasonable {?!?!?!?} approach.
We appreciate those quotations, St George. Ever mutating doctrine and practice.
CoCo
I sat through both the anthem and the pledge. There was another JW in my homeroom that would sometimes stand although I could tell I made that person unconfortable. I was so much holier than thou!
