Jehovah’s Witnesses should take part in non-military national service.Latest news from Sweeden

by Hairyhegoat 12 Replies latest social current

• 

  Hairyhegoat

  Defence Minister Wallin: Jehovah’s Witnesses should take part in non-military national service

  Stefan Wallin, Minister of Defence

  print this

  “The exemption from the obligation of military service granted to the Jehovah’s Witnesses is unfair, and should be abolished”, Minister of Defence Stefan Wallin (Swedish People’s Party) told the Finnish commercial television channel MTV3 on Wednesday.
  In Wallin’s opinion, the Jehovah’s Witnesses could perform a non-military national service in their congregations.
  
  Jehovah’s Witnesses, who refuse to take part in the military service or any of its non-military alternatives ( siviilipalvelus , see link below) for reasons of conscience, were exempted from the compulsory national service in 1987.

  Well the JW'S in Sweeden better get used to having to comply with this very soon then. The governments around the world are onto the WTBTS at last. HHG
• 

  blondie

  http://ed5015.tripod.com/JwAlternativeService70.htm

  *** lv pp. 214-215 Flag Salute, Voting, and Civilian Service ***

  Civilian service. In some lands, the State requires that those who reject military service engage in some form of civilian service for a period of time. When faced with a decision on this matter, we should pray about it, perhaps discuss it with a mature fellow Christian, and then make our decision on the basis of an informed conscience.—Proverbs 2:1-5; Philippians 4:5.

  God’s Word tells us to “be obedient to governments and authorities as rulers, to be ready for every good work, . . . to be reasonable.” (Titus 3:1, 2) With that in mind, we might ask ourselves the following questions: ‘Will accepting the proposed civilian work compromise my Christian neutrality or cause me to be involved with false religion?’ (Micah 4:3, 5; 2 Corinthians 6:16, 17) ‘Would doing this work make it difficult for me to fulfill my Christian responsibilities or even prevent me from fulfilling them?’ (Matthew 28:19, 20; Ephesians 6:4; Hebrews 10:24, 25) ‘On the other hand, would engaging in such service involve a schedule that would allow me to expand my spiritual activities, perhaps sharing in the full-time ministry?’—Hebrews 6:11, 12.

  If a Christian conscientiously concludes that he could perform civilian service rather than go to prison, fellow Christians should respect his decision. (Romans 14:10) If, though, he feels that he cannot perform such service, others should respect that position as well.—1 Corinthians 10:29; 2 Corinthians 1:24.
• 

  dgp

  As of today, November 3, 2011,

  http://www.jw-media.org/kor/20110501rpt.htm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

  Conscientious Objectors

  South Korea
  May 2011

  Currently, there are 804 of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are imprisoned in South Korea. They have been charged under South Korea’s Military Service Act for their conscientious refusal of military service based on religious grounds. Since 1950, there have been 16,272 of Jehovah’s Witnesses sentenced to a combined total of 31,168 years for refusing to perform military service. The names, grounds (under Military Service Act*), duration of sentence, and present locations of detention are as follows:

  (a long list)

  * Article 88, Section 1 states: If a person who has received a draft notice for active duty or Notice of Summons (including Notice of Summons for voluntary enrollment), without justifiable cause, does not report for service within the period specified in the following clauses or refuses the summons, then he shall be sentenced to a prison term of three years or less. However, if a person who receives a notice summoning him to get a physical checkup as a part of a wartime draft fails to participate in a one-time checkup, then he will be sentenced to a prison term of no more than six months, a fine of no more than two million won, or be detained.

  Last updated 05 July 2011 14:48:15 GMT

  I found this in a Spanish forum. It was suggested that someone tells the South Korean witnesses that, some years ago, Mexican male witnesses were let off the hook and allowed to pay bribes to avoid military service just so that Watchtower property would remain in the Watchtower's hands.

  If my information is correct, nowadays it is the Branch office that takes care of stating that all male witnesses are "ministers" and therefore are exempt from military service. As Ray Franz pointed out, that was always possible, but it was not done so that the Watchtower would not be officially a "church" and their property were not held in custody by the Mexican governments, as was the case with all other churches.

  I think it is so sad that someone should be in prison for the Watchtower after what happened in Mexico. Someone should tell these guys that they are wasting their time, not just serving it.
• 

  Band on the Run

  I am shocked that civil service is a matter of conscience. Most people think JW's objection is to killing other people. I believe this objection has to do with keeping separate from worldly authority. The UN ngo status shocked me. I could not imagine sitting in prison b/c of an org that compromised the very belief for which I must suffer punishment. It isn't only the prison sentence. My father served at Bethel and received a ministerial exemption. My uncles went to prison. It marks you for life. Finding employment afterwards is difficult. It must be very difficult in Korea, where everyone shares the same culture.

  The hours to be a pioneer always coincided with the hours required for a ministerial exemption by the Selective Service.
• 

  ScenicViewer

  I could not imagine sitting in prison b/c of an org that compromised the very belief for which I must suffer punishment.

  Yes, Band, many JWs have sacrificed, even died, to maintain Christian neutrality, while the Society itself has thumbed it's nose at the same concept by becoming an NGO supporter of the UN.

  This is one of the issues that really opened my eyes to the true nature of the WTS.
• 

  smiddy

  In the 60`s-70`s many brothers ,if I remember correctly in greece ? were incarcerated for years because of not partaking in military service

  smiddy
• 

  Dold Agenda

  Actually, this is not in sweden. It is in Finland, the country neighbour to sweden.
  Due to history there are big part of the finnish people that actually talk swedish.
  This is a party for those.

  In sweden:
  For 30 years ago tho.. there could be talk of prison when refused to service.

  Nowadays in sweden the military are at minimum with almost no military service engagion at all for people (men).
  I dont think that the government demands partification at all for now!?
  The military volunters i enough.
• 

  sizemik

  New International Version If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

  New Living TranslationIf a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.

  Good News TranslationAnd if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles.

  New World TranslationAnd if someone under authority impresses you into service for a mile, go with him two miles.

  The JW's should do twice as much as everybody else . . . it's in the Bible.
• 

  dgp

  Dold is right. Stefan Wallin is the defense minister of Finland.

  However, that doesn't help the Watchtower. Finland is most unlucky to have Russia as a neighbor. Their having armed forces is a must. It must not sit well with the Finnish that someone claims exception from something that is in their vital interests to maintain.
• 

  JustHuman14

  Sh@t, do you know how many years we spend going in and out to prison due to WT's attitude of alternative service? Do you know how many lifes of young people screwed due to this policy?