Standing for the National Anthem?

by eyeslice2 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Londo111

  All this made me stand out at school events and sometimes earned the ire of teachers and students.
  

  When I was a JW, I was taught:

  If the national anthem was played first, I could not stand.

  If the flag salute came first, I could stand and not salute. If AFTERWARD, they played the national anthem, I could remain standing since I was already.

  These rules seem inconsistent and didn't make much sense to me. I couldn't back it up from the Bible. But I complied.

  Earlier this year, I attended a college graduation where the national anthem was played. My then girlfriend (then wife) made me cover my heart during the national anthem. Truth be told, after all these years, it felt like an empty ritual and was pretty meaningless to me.
• 

  steve2

  Nevuela asks:
  

  Um, what country is this? I live in the United States and have seen several movies in the theater recently (including 2 just last weekend) and I have never once in my entire life even heard of the national anthem being played at a theater, much less been obligated by law to stand for it

  In most if not all British Commonwealth countries, either the National anthem or "God Save the Queen" was mandatorily played at the start of movie programs until the 1970s when it stopped. All patrons were expected to stand. If you sat, your non-JW peers teased or bullied you (e.g., kicked the back of your seat, punched or slapped you, etc - and in worst case scenarios ushers ordered you to stand or you were told to leave. It was different when you went to the movies with your parents - nonJWs just glared at you and ushers knew they had no mandate to expel you from the theatre. This for me was hell - although some JW kids thrived on the attention.

  I think there was a change in government legislation at that time permitting movie theatre proprietors to choose whether to play the anthem - most chose not to.
  
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  UnshackleTheChains

  So according to the GB branch correspondence guidelines.

  1. You can fly the national flag of the kingdom hall if the body of elders conscientiously agree to this.

  2. You can stand for a national anthem as long as you don't sing or hold your hand on your heart

  I really have to laugh. Most witnesses have no idea where they stand on a lot of things 🤔
• 

  UnshackleTheChains

  I used to squirm when with groups of witnesses on nights out in one particular country where the national anthem is played at the end of the night.

  We looked like a bunch of ignorant disrespectful ass holes as we sat there like stone faced prats.