Hi guys,
I have been told that a while ago there was a Watchtower article that said that voting, (I'm in UK) is down to individual conscience. I always thought it was a judicial matter. Can anyone clarify please?
Voting
by confused 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Gorbatchov
In the 90"s, there was an article saying so.
G.
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freddo
W99 1st Nov pp 28-29 QFR.
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DesirousOfChange
It is up to your conscience.
But if your conscience allows you to vote and you do so, you have violated the rule of maintaining political neutrality and thus you have disassociated yourself by your actions and shown that you no longer wish to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Still Confused? You shouldn't be! -- IT'S A CULT!
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blondie
1) If you live in a country where voting is mandatory, then you can choose to vote for whomever you want to, Jehovah, Jesus, Hitler. (Australia has a $40 fine if you don't which is not the strictly enforced)
2) If you live in a country where voting is NOT mandatory, you can be df'd if it is discovered you voted and you do not repent.
The following supports this idea and was found at www.jwfacts.com I found it great place to quickly find answers to such questions as to current WTS policy on voting.
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Incognito
While voting had been a DF'g offense, there are some countries that put pressure or opposition on WT for penalizing members for voting when voting is an expectation for that country's citizens. WT then declared voting to be a conscience matter, but as DOC stated, a JW having voted, is considered to have disassociated by his/her actions, similar to agreeing to and receiving a blood transfusion or enlisting in the military.
Whether Disfellowshiped or Disassociated, the resulting treatment is the same so that is a distinction without a difference.
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blondie
That is correct, incognito, and the WT written statements on that were in a Questions from readers in 1999 which is discussed on jwfacts if anyone wants it for written record.
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wifibandit
2011 cg-E Correspondence Guidelines
pg 84 NEUTRALITY
Jehovah’s Witnesses are neutral with regard to the political and military affairs of the nations. (See Reasoning, under “Neutrality.”) The Witnesses do not interfere with what others do as to voting in political elections, running for political office, campaigning for politicians, or joining the military. (Concerning voting, see w99 11/1 28-9; see also POLITICAL ELECTIONS.)
But since true Christians are “no part of
the world,” a baptized Christian who deliberately pursues a course in violation
of Christian neutrality removes (disassociates) himself from the congregation of
Jehovah’s people.—John 15:19; 17:14-16;
1 John 2:19.and
pg 88 POLITICAL ELECTIONS
Since Christians are no part of the world, they do not take sides in its political affairs, although they do not interfere with what other people choose to do in this regard. (John 17:16; Jas. 1:27; 4:4; 1 John 2:15) Jesus Christ set the example for his followers by declining to accept political office on earth. (Matt. 4:8-10; John 6:15; see also NEUTRALITY and EMPLOYMENT.) Early Christians avoided all political involvement. —w99 11/1 28-9; rs 269-76; g84 9/8 28; li 295-320.
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smiddy
In Australia it is compulsory for people 18 years old to register to vote.
Their are also exceptions for people who do not want to vote such as religious objections.
Many Jw`s take advantage of that ,also many JW`s go to polling booths and cast informal votes either by stuffing up the procedure making it void or by adding Jesus Christ /jehovahs kingdom on the ballot paper which I did on many occasions.
Others just wait for a please explain letter and put religious exemption as a JW which I have also done and nothing more is heard about it again
Though I have been out for over 20 years now if you voted for a political party you would be denying your neutrality and rejecting Jehovahs Kingdom of Christ Jesus that would get you DF.
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confused
Thank you everyone for your replies. it has been really helpful and clears thinks up. much appreciated.