nathan natas said:
: Like Franklin J (above) I am in the USA. I was eligible for the draft when I turned 18. Having been raised a JW, I claimed that I was a conscientious objector and a minister (I was pioneering - 100 hours/month selling WTS literature from door-to-door). I very honestly expected to have to go to jail, but my local draft board granted me my ministerial deferment - I had no punishment to bear, just keep up "the good work."
Unlike Nathan, I paid the price. I pioneered for over three years before I got my "1A" That meant you were toast, you were just drafted. I appealed for a "4D". This was the Holy Grail in dubland: you were considered a "Minister" and thus draft exempt. I received a "CO" "exemption instead. This meant I was a Concientious Objector, and I was therefore obligated to do my part with civilian work, i.e. "alternative military service." According to the holy laws of the Watchtower Corporation, such service was a "compromise" and thus wrong. (They have since changed this shit.) Therefore, I was sentenced to two years in the Federal Penal system, suspended upon my completing two years voluntary service, which was the SAME thing they offered me in the first place (without the felony conviction, though.) I had to report to a Federal Cop every month for two years and report what I did.
According to Freddie Franz: "You must do the time or face the consequences and deny all other offers. This shows your have not "compromised" yourself before the mighty Jehovah. However, if you do EXACTLY the same thing after you are convicted of a felony, and a Judge orders that as your sentence, you have not compromised your "integrity." To this day, I do not see the difference. If we were really not to compromise ourselves, then WHY would it be OK to do something some Judge rules, but NOT OK to do the same DAMN thing the military people said was fine and dandy?
Military says: "dude, we ask you to help people in hospitals."
Dub says to military: "No can do."
Military says: "Why not?"
Dub replies: "Because we can't."
Military says: "Why can't you?"
Dub says: "I'm not sure, really?"
Military says; "Ok then, well prosecute you."
Dub says: "Ok."
Judge says (in the trial): "You're guilty. We will suspend that sentence if you will help people in hospitals. Is that ok with you?
Dub says: "yes. that is ok with me. I will be happy to do that."
Judge says: "but wasn't that the same offer the military made to you before this trial and your sentence?"
Dub says: Well, yes.
Judge says: "So, then, what's the difference?"
Dub says: I didn't "compromise on that one.
Judge says: "But your sentence is the SAME thing that was offered you before your were charged and convicted and sentenced!"
Dub says: "I didn't compromise" (without knowing that this idiocy was part of Watchtower LAW back then.
I know. I was that dub. This nonsense happened to me. Really.
I did my two years time, and I'm thankful to Jehovah that he had his "slave" to protect me through those two precious years of my youth that I lost. I'm also thankful to the "slave" that "Jehovah" later revealed to them that, after all, alternative military service was ok, and one didn't need to to first be convicted of a felony to do it.
FUCK YOU, Watchtower LIARS and charletans. You live in your ivory towers and you dictate our lives and ruin our destinies and you don't give a rat. FUCK YOU, Watchtower liars!
(Don't edit this, moddies! This is a major issue for me, and one that hurt me a lot)
Sorry, folks. Unless you walked in my shoes, you wouldn't know how much this hurt me.
Farkel