by ILoveTTATT 96 Replies latest jw friends
I am without words. Is Sep 18th the chilean independance day?
So displaying the flag on independence day is up tot he local congregations? There has to be some kind of direction from the branch on this. This is hypocricy at its finest!
I am fuming right now!
I see it this way: if the Society has to deny (lie) about flags having been in Germany, if removing digitally the flags in the JW history video was seen as revisionist, then this, in JW land, is absolutely wrong!
Chilean JW's and exJW's see nothing wrong with this since they've been doing it for many years... It is seen as just a minor thing... But for most other JW's and exJW's in the world, this is ludicrous!!
^^^^wait.....what? I am clearly missing something.
This whole thing strikes me as even worse hyposcrisy than the UN scandal. How has it been kept secret for so long? Seems to me though that the fine involved for not displaying the flag may not be the real issue. I always fall back on"follow the money" as regards WT decisions. I wonder what other issues regarding money may be involved.
How is this different from erecting a cross within the Kingdom Hall's vicinity?
"How would the U S A Witnesses react if one of their number took to wearing a lapel pin of the national flag?"
How did they react when the Williams sisters saluted the flag as they won the Olympics?
As asked earlier, how closely do the Chilean secular authorities monitor flag display compliance and how thoroughly do they issue fines for those who don't comply?
You'd expect the Witnesses to seize this issue as a wonderful opportunity for a "witness" regarding their exclusive devotion to "Jehovah, the God of truth". Instead, in the service of fine avoidance, they have the "freedom" to make their own decisions.
Marking.
I also think the rationale is along the lines that there is a difference between displaying the flag and saluting or pledging allegiance to it.
However, the mandate to display the flag is directly to do with celebrating a patriotic holiday. I wonder what would happen if a Kingdom Hall in the U.S. displayed the flag on July 4th? No 'act of worship' is involved - no saluting, no anthem-singing, no pledging allegiance - just displaying the flag on July 4th. It would be a huge scandal and HQ would jump on the KH BOE from a great height.
Individuals cannot join the UN only sovereign nations. Groups can associate with the UN as NGOs, non-governmental organizations but must support the charter of the UN which has a clause that they support any military actions by the UN.
Ditto, congregations that rented buildings that displayed the flag or holiday decorations, did not take them down. I noticed that many convention site buildings that are rented, have flags displayed and I have never seen jws take them down.
Also, if a jw put up and took down the flag each day where they worked, that was fine unless there was some ceremony.
*** w02 9/15 p. 25 “Salvation Belongs to Jehovah” *** Hold a Good Conscience”
After describing the ineffectiveness of man-made objects of veneration, the psalmist said: “Those making them will become just like them, all those who are trusting in them.” (Psalm 115:4-8) Obviously, then, any employment that directly involves manufacturing objects of adoration, including national flags, would be unacceptable to Jehovah’s worshipers. (1 John 5:21) Other employment situations may also arise when Christians respectfully show that they worship neither the flag nor what it represents but only Jehovah.
An employer, for example, may ask an employee to raise or lower a flag displayed at a building. Whether an individual would do so or not depends on his personal view of the circumstances. If raising or lowering the flag is part of a special ceremony, with people standing at attention or saluting the flag, then performing this act amounts to sharing in the ceremony.
On the other hand, if no ceremony accompanies the raising or lowering of the flag, then these actions constitute nothing more than performing such tasks as preparing the building for use, unlocking and locking the doors, and opening and closing the windows. In such instances, the flag is simply an emblem of the State, and raising or lowering it among other routine tasks is a matter for personal decision based on the dictates of one’s Bible-trained conscience. (Galatians 6:5) The conscience of one person might move him to ask his supervisor to have some other employee put up and take down the flag. Another Christian might feel that his conscience would permit him to handle the flag as long as no ceremony is involved. Whatever the decision, true worshipers should “hold a good conscience” before God.—1 Peter 3:16.
There is no Scriptural objection to working in or being in public buildings, such as municipal offices and schools, where the national flag is displayed. A flag might also appear on postage stamps, automobile license plates, or other government-produced items. Using such objects does not in itself make individuals participants in devotional acts. What is significant here is, not the presence of a flag or a replica thereof, but how one acts toward it.
Flags are often displayed on windows, doors, cars, desks, or other objects. Clothing with the motif of a flag imprinted on it can also be purchased. In some countries, it is illegal to wear such items. Even if doing so would not violate the law, what would it indicate relative to a person’s position with regard to the world? Concerning his followers, Jesus Christ said: “They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.” (John 17:16) Not to be overlooked is the effect such an action could have on fellow believers. Could it injure the conscience of some? Might their resolve to remain firm in the faith be weakened? Paul counseled Christians: “Make sure of the more important things, so that you may be flawless and not be stumbling others.”—Philippians 1:10.
