Answer (1 of 4): Jehovah's Witnesses are strictly neutral in regards to politics and regard the government(s) as under the control of Satan. The real truth, though, its that it would bring a bad name on Jehovahs Witnesses organization. About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. Followers believe their allegiance belongs to God alone, who runs an actual government in heaven. Jehovahs Witnesses cite the Old and New Testaments as the Biblical basis for refusing transfusions. In many countries, Jehovahs Witnesses are known for their outreach work, going door to door or standing in public areas to try to distribute religious material. It would be the first time in Australia that the Jehovah's Witnesses organisation has defended sexual abuse allegations in court. In Australia you are allowed to not vote for religious/conscience reasons. We polled them and found the 6 kinds of people who don't vote, Insider poll: More than 20% of Asian Americans say they do not plan on voting in the 2020 election, Insider poll: People without a college degree are much more likely than others to say they don't intend to vote this year, Unemployed Americans are more likely to not vote, a new Insider poll finds. In Russia, for example, a 2017 decision by the nation's Supreme Court banned Jehovah's Witnesses, criminalizing their activities as being "extremist." Why Russia is afraid of Jehovah's Witnesses - The Conversation Supposedly because of some twisted rule called the two witness rule which means that two people need to be present if someone accuses someone else of a sin. That's their job because we're Jehovah's people and it's their job to keep us safe and they failed," Ms Whitby said. The organisation's in-house production studio and publications pump out fear-driven content that keeps followers afraid that the end is coming and that they are being persecuted by the outside world. In Germany, more than 170,000 Jehovahs Witnesses are associated with 2,020 congregations, according to the organizations records. Jehovah's witnesses tow the path of non-partisan and politically neutral, with the belief that the bible supports such action. Inside the brutal world of the Jehovahs Witnesses, Keep up with the latest ASX and business news, MasterChef judge Jock Zonfrillo dies at age of 46. Your email address will not be published. 5 tips for voting in person during the coronavirus pandemic. If a person decides to vote, it would be a personal, conscientious decision and would indicate they no longer self-identify as one of Jehovahs Witnesses.. Jehovah's witnesses and compulsory voting in Australia. A former Jehovah's Witness in Australia is scheduled to appear in court this week to face charges that he sexually abused four teenage boys between 1993 and 2013, according to a news report.. Last parliamentary election in Norway was my first time voting. COVID-19has shuttered Kingdom Halls and stopped door-knocking in Sydney, but Ms Pickles said she wasprepared for them when they resume their door-to-door proselytising. "I know there are still good people inside the congregations. Read our research on: Congress | Economy | Trust in Media. (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main In some cases, governments may restrict or target specific groups within their borders but not formally ban them; these groups are not counted as banned. I stood in line and I got into the booth and I thought, I hope I do this right. Because there is so little regards for women in the organization of Jehovahs Witnesses, they wouldnt even be allowed to be present to support a female child or teenager who is reporting sexual abuse during a church judicial committee hearing. Do many besides Jehovah's Witnesses choose not to vote as a matter of principle? Im very well aware of a lot of corruption in government, so I feel I have a duty to vote for the person who is most likely to be honest and not give in to corruption.. Professor of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross. Inside the brutal world of the Jehovah's Witnesses - ABC News SIMPLY PUT - where we join the dots to inform and inspire you. Although few Witnesses vote, since 1999 it is technically a conscience matter. There are 1.3 million Jehovahs Witnesses in this country, including approximately 30,000 in San Diego County. If she did face the audience it would mean that shes teaching such audience and thats a no-no among Jehovahs Witnesses. Dolbee is the former religion and ethics editor of The San Diego Union-Tribune and a former president of the Religion News Association. In 2019, Bahai marriages were not legally recognized, and the country prohibited adherents from designating their religious affiliation on national identity cards. A large majority of witnesses are people of color 32% are Hispanic, 27% are Black, and 36% are white, according to 2016 Pew polling. The group rejects King Mohamed VIs spiritual authority and, although unregistered, is able to operate and hold events and demonstrations with some interference from the government. The royal commission slammed the Jehovah's Witnesses for failing to report child sexual abuse to police. Whether you answered in, Do you know that you can be allergic to marijuana without knowing that you are? 151 Things Jehovah Witnesses Can't Do (2022 List) For the purposes of this analysis, the term banned refers to official prohibitions that prevent a group from legally operating in a country. This Golden Age would see the Earth transformed to its original purity, with a righteous social system that would not have poverty or inequality. The organization says Christmas is not approved by God because there is no proof that Jesus was born on December 25th and that the symbols of Christmas, including the lights and the tree, have pagan roots.. Thats in line with the teachings of Jesus: Submit to superior authorities. (Ro 13:1) They uphold the constitution, pay income tax, and support the government in providing for the needs of the citizens. They teach that Jesus was created by God and not coexistent wth Him. Ms Clare said she left after realising the extent of abuse within the organisation, including allegedly against her own daughter. by slimboyfat - To vote in a public election was on my to do list when I left Jehovah's Witnesses. Jesus Christ is his firstborn son, is inferior to God, and was created by God. It was basically three men who were in an interview panel with me," she said. "It just doesn't happen in that religion. Such acts, they believe, compromise their primary loyalty to God. Here are 12 most outrageous facts about Jehovahs Witnesses. However, the requirement not to vote has varied over time. "I knew I would definitely be shunned by friends, but I honestly didn't think my siblings would shun me because of what we'd all been through together," Ms Whitby said. Jehovahs Witnesses have no political affiliations, and they renounce violence. He also grieves for his two boys and eldest daughter, who continue to shun him. Even though some witnesses have dated and broke off their engagement at times, they could never openly say that theyre just dating, for the fun of it. When leaders in government FAIL your needs and your loved ones needs, do you still follow them and their rules? They also believed that after Armageddon, Jesus would rule the world from heaven with 144,000 faithful Christians, as specified in the Book of Revelation. In Russia, for example, a 2017 decision by the nations Supreme Court banned Jehovahs Witnesses, criminalizing their activities as being extremist. In 2019, hundreds of Jehovahs Witnesses in Russia faced detentions, travel restrictions, investigations and raids on their homes. No more than four-in-ten members of the group belong to any one racial and ethnic background: 36% are white, 32% are Hispanic, 27% are black and 6% are another race or mixed race. Jehovah's Witnesses -10 Things to Know About Their Beliefs The Elders of the church knew everything that happened to the older child but said nothing. A closer look at Jehovah's Witnesses living in the U.S. Amy saidshe was abused by a trusted member of the congregation, inside the home her family shared with another Jehovah's Witnesses family. I hope I put the pointer into the right hole. Here is the full religious restrictions report published in 2021, and its methodology. Ms Flynn's firm, Shine Lawyers, is representing 10 former Jehovah's Witnesses who allege they were abused within their congregations. As of 2019, authorities in Uzbekistan had criminalized membership in 22 religious organizations, citing threats to the governments secular authority and the need to prevent incitement of interreligious instability and hatred, according to the U.S. State Department. A 2020 document describes the royal commission's findings as "factually wrong and unlawful". Beware. The attack has put a focus on the religious group, which has some 8 million members across 240 countries. Russell and his followers looked forward to Jesus Christ establishing a millennium or a thousand-year period of peace on Earth. I understand that it's very difficult to help them because they're very enmeshed. Most men are already engaged or married leaving lots of women single by default, and at times desperate to find a mate. These students understood Jehovah, a version of the Hebrew Yahweh, to be the name of God the Father himself. Witnesses believe they should only be loyal to and representatives of "God's kingdom" and should take "no part of the world. ( John 15:19; Isa. While the Bahamas also outlaws Obeah practices, the penalties are not always enforced there either. Jehovah's Witnesses risk exclusion if voting in elections - Reddit I'd just be going around and just that anger, because all I wanted to do was run in there and scream at them that he shouldn't be allowed up there," Ms Whitby said. Despite Ms Clare's complaints, the man remained in the congregation and even took to the stage to deliver Bible readings. They saycongregation members exercisetheir personal religious conscienceto limit or ceasetheir association with adisfellowshipped person.. And I said to him, 'I'll never forget you'. They say that God will start a worldwide war called Armageddon, and the people who do not obey God or worship him the way he expects will be killed. By their rationale, time in college would be better spent out on the . But if its because of our political ideology, well thats just not something that a Christian would do, in our mind. While we try to take care of our bodies and maintain good health, we sometimes "need a doctor.". I love his balance when he said there are obligations, you have to pay Caesar his things and God his things.. Because of this despicable rule, a documentary exposing pedophiles among Jehovahs Witnesses exposed a man who was able to rape his older daughter and 3 years later his younger daughter. It formally joined the scheme last week afterthe Federal Government threatened to withhold funding and strip the organisation of its charity status. Required fields are marked *. I was so excited at the polling booth after leaving jws, so I could have my say. This cult is notorious for protecting pedophiles and putting people inside and outside of the church at risk. But the tough talk may not be necessary. But as a young man, he began studying with the Jehovahs Witnesses and was baptized in 1972. Parents, siblings, friends are instructed to cut all ties. "There'd just be no way that those elders would not have known that he was charged, arrested by the police and then went to court," Ms Clare said. The Centers annual restrictions on religion study also examines other types of government limits on religious activity, such as laws that curtail the religious activity of allowed groups; official actions and policies that favor certain groups over others; and harassment of certain groups or individuals that can amount to physical violence. Over the years, Jehovahs Witnesses have reinterpreted elements of this timeline and have abandoned setting specific dates for the return of Jesus Christ. Concordia University Theological Studies professor, Andr Gagn says: Since the governments of this world are not under Gods authority, Jehovahs Witnesses see no reason to adhere or submit themselves to the authorities of the world, including government, the courts and police, especially when laws go against their beliefs.. In Nazi Germany, Jehovahs Witnesses were killed in concentration camps; a purple triangle was used by the Nazis to mark them. Over Zoom, Hendriks told me members may vote on issues in their homeowners association or some other residential situation. Consider what the Bible says about this occasion. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. Many actually see voting and political activism as an extension of their faith. The study does not include bans on groups that are formally designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. State Department or banned groups within a country that have been shown to engage in systematic violence. Times Syndication Service. 10. The Jehovah's Witnesses say they will notimplement these recommendations because their practices are based on the Bible. She says she became disillusioned with what she said were its changing stances on what had been fundamental issues. List Of 151 Things Jehovah Witnesses Can't Do (2022 List): 1.Be a member of another organization or group in order to socialize with nonbelievers. Explore our site. However, some are not counted, including those that the U.S. State Department labels foreign terrorist organizations or those that have been shown to engage in systematic violence. The Old Order Amish, Christadelphians, and Rastafarians are all religious groups that have long avoided politics. But it is the political neutrality of the group that has attracted the most suspicion. "They rip your reputation apart. ( Luke 5:31, Easy-to-Read Version) In fact, as was the first-century Christian Luke, some of Jehovah's Witnesses are physicians.. Doesn't want a funeral. In Australia you are allowed to not vote for religious/conscience reasons. I dont like it because of all the responsibility thats involved. Who are Jehovah's Witnesses? A religion scholar explains the history of An explanation of why Jehovah's Witnesses do not participate in patriotic observances may be helpful. .And do NOTHING to intervene with the governing power that directs influence in your Life? She is speaking out in order to expose the organisation's practices. This, of course, is a major diversion from orthodox Christianity. However, JWs around the world have decided not to exercise their right to vote. 3. Almost 100 million eligible Americans did not vote in the 2016 presidential election. Notably, the denomination is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse of any religious group in the US. Without a doubt, helium-filled balloons typically have. So many jws complain about political parties but never do anything about it. In Bahrain, a Sunni-governed country where Shiite leaders have faced routine detention and harassment, the government banned the largely Shiite Al-Wefaq political opposition party in 2016. I care about having good laws in my country and in my city. Since the 1950s, the Witnesses have preached a doctrine allowing Jehovah's followers to deceive anyone outside of the religion if doing so protects the organization. Jehovah's Witnesses were banned in eight countries spanning the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Middle East-North Africa region. Spoiling your ballot is a lot like JW's, pretending to knock on doors, pretending to witness on the internet, pretending to do phoney return visits, etc. Six adults were killed March 9, 2023, in Hamburg, Germany, in what police described as a rampage after an evening religious service. "There weremeetings with the elders in my friend's home, but I was never believed. She's suing for breaching the duty of care they owed her, by failing to protect her and allowing sexual abuse to occur. They're not taking another part of my life," Ms Whitby said. The Bible instructs everyone to pray for rulers and those in leadership positions, particularly when they decide things that could impact religious freedom. As Jesus said of them: "They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world." Not even to the family of the pedophile, leaving the youngest child of the pedophile as prey. The subject of intense international criticism, lawsuits and a Royal Commission, the Two Witness Rule is the Jehovah Witnesses interpretation of scripture that, in the absence of a confession, there must be two material witnesses to a sin for them to be acted upon. Those types of bans are included in this analysis.). That was sufficient and there was never any trouble that I know of with JWs not voting. One questioner asked what they should do to avoid Jehovah's Witnesses knocking on their door. Like political candidates,. They are also predominantly women and lower-income 48% of Witnesses in the US make less than $30,000 a year and 65% of the denomination's following are women. Ahmadis, meanwhile, were banned in four countries in 2019, according to the sources used in this study. Government restrictions on religion take many forms around the world. I have chosen to refrain., He says he feels the best positive change I can make, and its been a lot of work, is to try to improve what kind of person I am and the children Ive raised., A few minutes later, he adds this: We really have tried to model our way of life after Jesus and what he would do. For us, thats a badge of honor. In 2019, several reports also detailed the forcible extraction of organs from religious prisoners mainly from Falun Gong practitioners that for years were conducted for the countrys organ transplant system. The Holy Spirit is the name of God's active force in the world. As part of Ms Whitby's legal case, she is claiming that the Jehovah's Witnesses elders must have known her alleged abuser had been convicted the previous year of offences against an eight-year-old boy. But they dont take partisan sides and they dont vote. This rule creates many loveless marriages for sex. In the battleground state of Pennsylvania, a GOP PAC is reaching out to the traditionally secluded Amish community, hoping to coax them to get in their buggies and vote for the president. (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax What does he say to folks who resent doing the heavy lifting in this democracy going to candidate nights, studying the propositions, wrestling with decisions that shape all our futures while he reaps the benefits of their labors? Like most cults, the organization of Jehovahs Witnesses is a dangerous one which can affect peoples lives in a very negative way. They believe it is Gods will to abstain from blood (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:10; Deuteronomy 12:23; Acts 15:28,29). Ohmyjw saod . Australia does what US won't: Investigate Jehovah's Witness cover-up I was so excited at the polling booth after leaving jws, so I could have my say. I asked Hendriks if there was a similar effort aimed at Jehovahs Witnesses. 902 of the 1,006 case files in Australia did not concern a Jehovah's Witness official, and 54 of the remaining 104 allegations involved familial abuse committed by elders or ministerial servants. Jehovah's Witnesses cover up child sex abuse and oust a victim. An unshakable faith that is no voting matter. He was born into the organisation and raised his three older children as witnesses. Of the 86,000 registered charities in Canada, they rank 18th with more than $80 million in donations in 2016. For instance, they do not disrupt with voting or stop those who intend to vote. The wife is considered only a complement to her husband. The organization says: We avoid taking blood not only in obedience to God but also out of respect for him as the Giver of life.. I believe it is the main reason for a lot of my trauma. Many of the groups listed as banned in the sources consulted also count as banned in this analysis. ", Mark Silk, director of the Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life and a professor of religion at Trinity College, said Witnesses are "hostile to all kinds of patriotic exercises. Of course now that I'm out I quite happily go along to the polling booth and vote. Last year, it reported an income of more than $32 million. Jehovah's Witness - Beliefs | Britannica Most Jehovah's Witnesses in America do, in fact, abstain from voting. Jehovahs Witnesses do not believe in Hell. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd. A man crosses himself outside the Jehovahs Witnesses building in Hamburg where several people were killed during a shooting March 9, 2023. Bahais and Jehovahs Witnesses in the country were not permitted to have places of worship or import religious literature. Jesus Christ is God's agent, through whom sinful humans can be reconciled to God. If your excuse is not accepted you are fined I think it is or was $50 I would use the against my conscience as a JW excuse and was never fined I voted at the last election and I am happy to say I didn't vote for the backstabbing bitch that is ruining the country now Not my fault I didn't vote for her. In some countries, governments cite security as a rationale for banning political or social groups with religious affiliations. George Wallis wasnt raised in a religious family. In many countries, repercussions for membership in banned religious groups can include detention, raids and seizure of property. Other Christians, though, have decided otherwise. Driver charged in crashed that injured CTV reporter in Ont. They are scarred by what allegedly happened to Amy as an 11-year-old girl growing up in the remote Queensland town of MountIsa. I felt uneasy because I had been so opposed to voting for so much of my life, she says. Read the Bible online. The case is significant because it stems from an ongoing investigation by the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which found that Jehovah's Witnesses do . The only way a woman can talk from the platform of Jehovahs Witnesses kingdom halls is by speaking to another woman facing her, not the audience. I know that. Hartman, who is 83 and lives in Allied Gardens, doesnt remember exactly when she began voting but she remembers how she felt. Jehovah's Witnesses believe their allegiance belongs to God's Kingdom, [1] which they view as an actual government. So I guess you might say I dont like to vote the same way I dont like to brush and floss my teeth every night, she adds, laughing. Ahmadi community leaders in Pakistan reported that 11 individuals were charged for practicing their faith and that six of them were arrested on blasphemy charges. If they were smart instead of what they are they'd just go ahead and vote. She was a congregation member until 1997 when, aged just 21, she was interrogated by a judicial committee over her personal life, judged to be "unrepentant"and disfellowshipped. Read:10 Biggest Churches in Nigeria (2021). Copyright 2023. Asia and the Pacific the largest region in the study, with 50 nations had the greatest number of countries with bans (17 out of 50 countries, or 34% of the region). The shunning can be as severe as total abandonment for the rest of the life of the one who leaves. If Jehovah's Witnesses did engage in politics, experts say their political allegiances would likely reflect a cross-section of American society given the group's large size, diversity, and even spread across the country. Amy Whitby and her mother, Theresa Clare, left the Jehovah's Witnesses in 2015. Until W5 steps in, The Death Debate: why some welcome Canada's move to assisted dying for mental illness and others fear it, 9 things to know about medical assistance in dying for mental illness, Largest art heist in Canadian history still a mystery after 50 years. Jehovah's Witnesses organization like just about any other cult believes that they are the only people who have God's backing, and like any other cult out there have created outrageous. A few weeks after the election we would get a letter asking to explain why we did not vote, with the option of paying a fine if you did not have a valid reason. Jehovah witnesses also recognize other citizens political decision-making privileges. Sometimes the groups are opposition movements to parties currently in power. At times, disputes between members and ex-members have revolved around criticism over practices such as refusing blood transfusions and disfellowshipping members who do not repent for committing what the group considers serious sins. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. latest This goes along the fact that the woman is simply a sub-citizen compared to the man. A man and a woman cant be in a house, an apartment or even a room alone unless they are related or married. Conscience Matter Watchtower 1999 11/1 pp.28-29 Questions From Readers - How do Jehovah's Witnesses view voting? But then after I voted, I thought that wasnt so bad. But like other Christian denominations, Jehovahs Witnesses praise God through worship and song. America's 1.3 million Jehovah's Witnesses will be sitting out this election. Jehovahs witnesses neither campaign nor engage in any political effort to support a change of governments. That includes children, parents, and siblings. So I have no hate against a lot of the members, but theorganisationitself, I hate them and they need to change.". 12-13, 16; 18:36 Mark 12-13, 17. I know what it was like when I was in it. College of the Holy Cross provides funding as a member of The Conversation US. Russell died in 1916, but his group endured and grew. It's unclear how Jehovah's Witnesses would vote if they engaged in. Its not what Christ would do.. "I think that there is a kind of attitude of, 'Well, we told you so,' when they see social chaos, whether it's COVID, or the antics of the Trump administration, or threats of war in the Middle East that these are all potential signs that the end times are upon us and that human efforts are really in the end for naught," Schmalz told Insider. They point to global conflicts, ISIS and natural disasters as signs that we are on the verge of the Apocalypse. In a statement to Four Corners, the Jehovahs Witnessesdefended the practice ofshunning. It made me feel like a good citizen, she says, invoking the same phrase that Fajardo and Wallis used about not voting. Historical evidence indicates that the first Christians did not involve themselves in political affairs. Its a sign of her lesser being-ness. "I would try to help them. There also is a practical consideration. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Do Jehovah's Witnesses Accept Medical Treatment? | FAQ - JW.ORG In a Supreme Court ruling in 1940, school districts were allowed to expel Jehovahs Witnesses who refused to salute the American flag. Like all Americans, we can choose how much, if any, active involvement in politics that we choose. I thought, this is the first step in many steps I have to take.. The organization defends shunning with this biblical passage: Remove the wicked man from among yourselves., Followers are discouraged from having close relationships with those who are not part of the faith. But many people are unfamiliar with their beliefs, and when the group makes headlines, it is often for reasons related to persecution abroad. Why Do Jehovah's Witnesses Observe the Lord's Supper Differently From the Way Other Religions Do? Jehovahs Witnesses, however, expected that the Battle of Armageddon would be worldwide, with Jesus leading a heavenly army to defeat the enemies of God. Such doctrines distinguish Jehovahs Witnesses from mainline Christian denominations, which hold that God is triune in nature. A handful of other religious movements abstain from politics and are reluctant to vote. In 2014, the country had also banned the Islamic Ulema Council, a group of Shiite clerics.