There is an Elder currently still serving in my old Congregation that is retired Air Force and from what I have heard, still gladly and discreetly cashes his monthly pension. Granted, he did "earn" it, but I always felt it was rather odd to supposedly be anti-government but yet still benefit from government money. Would the society consider this a conscience matter? Thoughts?
An Elder/retired service member cashing their military pension??
by HereIgo 9 Replies latest jw experiences
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HereIgo
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Pete Zahut
Granted, he did "earn" it, but I always felt it was rather odd to supposedly be anti-government but yet still benefit from government money
Rather than anti-government I'd say JW's view themselves as anti war/killing.
I don't have a problem with someone getting the military pension they earned but It does seem ironic that some young JW's went to prison when they were young and their prison record made the rest of their employment life difficult, and the likelihood of having a pension of their own, possible. Years later, one of the elders in their congregation who did go to war and may have possibly killed someone, is now able retire (and possibly pioneer) on the pension he got for doings so.
It seems to me if the elder in question had a sensitive conscience, he might reason that according to his new beliefs, what he did in the past was displeasing to God (according to JW's) and to benefit from pension that was earned in that activity, might be considered a compromise of ones faith by some.
I think the Society leaves it up to ones conscience and I'm sure they'd gladly take the pension money for themselves if the elder in question couldn't bring himself to spend it.
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LostGeneration
I'd respect a military pensioner a lot more than any of those pioneers mooching off the system on welfare or food stamps. Im sure he's brainwashed like the rest of em, but at least at one time in his life he served for the greater good. -
steve2
There is an Elder currently still serving in my old Congregation that is retired Air Force and from what I have heard, still gladly and discreetly cashes his monthly pension.
Talk about a "loaded" and judgemental opening statement!
Firstly, how does such a private matter become known in the congregation? Isn't this a private matter? If I were the elder, no way would I tell others because it's none of their business.
Further, we are told the elder "gladly and discreetly cashes his monthly pension", I would have thought if he "gladly" "cashes" it, how can he also be "discreet"? Isn't being discreet the opposite of being glad?
And the word "cashes" makes it seem like ill-gotten gains.
Then another poster referred to the "disadvantage" faced by JW males who face prison lags for military-service refusals and compared their lot with JWs with a former military background who draw pensions. Again, what has one got to do with the other? The disadvantage experienced by JW males has nothing to do with the advantage experienced by a JW who has subsequently left the military but receives a legitimately-entitled pension.
It's not unlike the shoddy argument about some people being born into wealthy families having unfair advantages over those born into poor families. Yes we can agree about the advantage/disadvantage equation but what does one have to do with the other? It reeks of the politics of envy.
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HereIgo
LOL Steve2, don't overanalyze it. What I meant is, he is discreet meaning he doesn't go around bragging about his military service (obviously) but he has opened up to a select few individuals about it and it leaked. He has had conversations with my (worldly) father who also is in the Air Force, and told him, who then told me. Also, the for the record, I judge no one, just thought it was interesting. Relax.
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LongHairGal
STEVE2:
How does such a private matter become known in the congregation?
The last congregation I was associated with had the low-down on every member. Even judicial matters and people's private faults got repeated to new people. I suspect an older pioneer sister and her family were to blame. They were there longer than a lot of other people and came to know many things. Even a private person's general story becomes public knowledge in the Kingdom Hall whether they like it or not. They could have spoken in confidence years ago to somebody and that person blabbed.
I don't have a problem with a person collecting a pension if they earned it. If people in the hall think it's "hypocritical" because it's military who cares? Witnesses are the most envious bunch I ever met.
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HereIgo
Longhairgal, great point, and yes nothing is a secret for long among JW's. I knew about personal lives of other JW's in the hall, even as a teen, told to me by elders! If Steve 2 spent any amount of time in, he would know this.
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Pete Zahut
Then another poster referred to the "disadvantage" faced by JW males who face prison lags for military-service refusals and compared their lot with JWs with a former military background who draw pensions. Again, what has one got to do with the other?
That would be me....
No judgement on my part toward either one.
If you re-read my comment, you'll see that I was simply pointing out the irony between one person who supposedly did the "godly thing" and ended up in prison and one who went to war and they both end up in the same place only the one who did the supposedly "godly" thing, is still working because he was never able to get a decent job with benefits. This happened in the congregation I grew up in, time and time again and it didn't go unnoticed. -
HereIgo
It is safe to say that Steve jumps to conclusions without fully reading what a person has typed.
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OUTLAW
An Elder/retired service member cashing their military pension??
Regardless of how crazy you may be..
If you served in the military...
You Deserve Your Military Pension.