by email 32 Replies latest jw friends
Anyone here ever wanted or had the desire to serve in the military while you were a JW in good standing?
Would you do it now if you were younger and within the ages that they require for new recruits?
Are you willing to give your life for your country and what you believe in?
Are you willing to give your life for your country and what you believe in?
As John Lennon commented in 'The Dream is Over', ....I just believe in me....
Edited by - no one on 10 January 2003 14:24:37
Especially since Sept. 11 th there has been an increase in patriotism in the US and a better sense and appreciation for our freedoms. Freedoms that in many cases were fought and based on human sacrifices. Since I was young I remember my father talking about his experiences in the ROTC and how he wanted to continue his military career but because of other responsibilities (starting a new family) he never continued. Looking at pictures of him in uniform and talking about his experiences always made me think about that as a career. Unfortunately I was a JW and I never did it. Thinking back, if I wasnt a JW I think thats the path I wouldve taken in my life.
Edited by - email on 10 January 2003 14:22:0
this is a subject others and i raised a few weeks ago.
to the first question, i like many things about the army, but hate its ultimate purpose so i didnt/wont consider rejoining whilst a JW or now.
the answer to the last 2 questions is, NO CHANCE.
Pleasure,
You wouldnt give your life for what you believed in? Thats too bad.
Anyways, I am debating re-enlisting right now. My DD-214 finally arrived 2 weeks ago so now im in the process of deciding what to do. The OCS class already started so I would have to wait until next January to start. I really dont feel like playing GIJOE for $140/month. I wouldnt mind going to IRAQ but, and this is a BIG BUT (bigger than J-LOs), I graduate in October. If I did go to IRAQ I would lose all my classes and would have to redo months of school wait for classes to be available. I am SO close to being done and being that im on the 10year college progam its about darn time! So, who knows. I might just wait till next January to re-enlist. I have a degree so the money wont matter, its just something I would like to do. Plus I really dig tanks.....
Anyone here ever wanted or had the desire to serve in the military while you were a JW in good standing?
Yes. I regretted not being able to celebrate Remembrance Day on Nov. 11 of each year. I understand the sacrifices veterans made for me and my children, and always believed they should be honored.
The JW logic on war is unrealistic. If everyone laid down their arms at the same time, we would have instant world peace. Problem is, that is never going to happen. And any country who lays down their arms runs a high risk of being taken over by another country who hasn't yet. Canada is one of the few countries who could disarm simply because the U.S. would protect us.
Lets say all countries were going to disarm and never fight again under any circumstances. Who goes first? And how do you know some of the others are not lying?
For those who say that when our loving God disarms all the nations by slaughtering 99% of mankind, then we will have world peace....well, God's Kingdom is not here yet, so we need the military.
Hence, the military is necessary. And if it is necessary, then how can it be wrong? How unreasonable is God anyway? Why would he say that something that is obviously necessary is wrong?
BTW, as a JW I had the same problem with politics. God's Kingdom is not here yet. Somebody has to run things. So we need mayors, Presidents, Prime Ministers and Premiers and other rulers to run things. Since these people are providing a vital service, why are they sinning by doing so? It is like declaring that eating is a sin. Just as we have to eat, we have to have someone run our cities and countries.
I used to wonder if God was a moron or a bastard. This is because of all the stupid rules any religion has, especially the fundamentalist religions like the JWs. I finally figured out he is a bastard.
Would you do it now if you were younger and within the ages that they require for new recruits?
Yes, I would. I was disqualified due to age.
Are you willing to give your life for your country and what you believe in?
Yes, I would.
Richard
i didnt think that jw's were allowed to serve in the military. but i was looking at a list of religious preferences that you could put in your personnel file and jw was one of them.
as far as jw's going to war--they would probably be considered as "conscientious objectors", which is basically saying that they don't have to go because they believe that war is wrong. lucky bastards.
and another funny thing is they allow jw's to go door-to-door on post and leave their literature (well, at least in germany they did).
crazy
You wouldnt give your life for what you believed in? Thats too bad
i wouldnt put it quite that way...... i think a more appropriate question would be "you wouldnt kill people for what you believed in?" yes that would be too bad. ;-)
No way , Ho se'
One issue that I have always seen clearly , and agreed with the Wt on is their attitude to the millitary.. I can nowadays be happy to listen the views of those of those who disagree with me but so far I have never seen anything to make me change me change my view. I do not want to be a non questioning arm of the politicians might . - I do not trust the politicians to make sound decisions that could cause me to contribute towards someones death.
Are you willing to give your life for your country and what you believe in
Two questions here.
no to the first - yes to the second.
Incidentally, I do not know whether the American public is aware of the depth of the feeling against the upcoming war with Iraq,here in the UK . National newspapers giving full spreads to opposite views and T V openly critical and claiming that there are ulterior motives behind it . So far the general public are not behind the government at all.
My father, grandfather and great-grandfather were are military officers. I must confess that I wish I had continued the tradition, esp. when talking with my uncles and cousins who are all navel officers.
