2006-09-17 11:27:36 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
They believe God is their one and only authority. They would ultimately desire to live in some form of theocracy, and basically that is what they do, by separating themselves from certain citizenship obligations and responsibilities.
They believe they are members of the Lord's army, which is not wrong, but they believe that means that they can not serve a worldly army too, because that would mean they were serving two masters. I believe they may use the following verse as their defense:
Matthew 6:24
"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Except that this verse is not referring to serving a person as well as God. I think "Honor your father and mother" and the following verse show why they are misled:
Matthew 22:21
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
For the same reasons they do not wish to engage in political affairs because they believe God should be their one and only representative and leader.
2006-09-17 11:35:04 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
john 13: 34, 35 "I am giving you a new commandment, that you
love one another, just as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have
love for one another." Can you say that you are showing
Christlike love if you are willing to kill another just because they are
from another land, another political party , another religion?
John 17: 16 " They (his disciples) are no part of the world, just as i am no part of the world:"
When the people of Jesus day tried to make him king
John 6: 15 " Jesus, knowing they were about to come and size him to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain alone."
In answer to Pilate: John 18: 36 " My kingdom is no part of this world."
In harmony with Jesus' teachings and actions, Jehovah's
Witnesses stay neutral with regard to the world's politics,
instead they are united worldwide in a brotherhood defined
by the love Christ said would identify his disciples. We do
not allow the world's definitions: race, politics, etc to
determine who we love or break the unity that we have found.
Even when the governments forcibly try to make us give up that
unity, we refuse. In Hitler's Germany, because of our refusal to join their
political party or don the uniforms of their military, our brothers and sisters
were sent to the concentration camps under death sentences.
They were the only group sent to the camps that only had to
sign a letter rejecting our dedication to Jehovah to be set free
from those death camps.Only a few did.
To this day, in many countries around the world, Jehovah's
Witnesses still take this stand of nuetrality even if it means
imprisonment for years on end. We pledge our loyalty to
Christ's Kingdom, which is no part of this world's politics.
2006-09-17 18:50:33 · answer #2 · answered by Caiman94941 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Around the globe, Jehovah's Witnesses respect the governments and flags under which they live. However, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that a "pledge of allegiance" can only made to God, and that true Christians must 'learn war no more" (Micah 4:1-4).
Jehovah's Witnesses understand the bible to teach that Almighty God requires exclusive devotion; that is, he requires that worship and unrestricted allegiance belong to Him alone.
(Exodus 20:5) I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion
(Matthew 4:10) Then Jesus said... ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’
Of course, Jehovah's Witnesses are well-known as law-abiding persons. The Scriptures also teach that obedience is owed to secular governments, which the bible calls "the superior authorities". Of course, such subjection is RELATIVE to the unrestricted allegiance which is owed to God.
(Romans 13:1) Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God
(Acts 5:29) We must obey God as ruler rather than men
Learn more:
http://www.jw-media.org/edu_videos/vcfi_e.htm
http://www.jw-media.org/edu_videos/vcut_e.htm
http://www.jw-media.org/vnr/5263723221/22812301.htm
2006-09-18 15:35:25 · answer #3 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At john.15:19..Jesus states that if (we)Christians were a part of
the world ,the world would be fond of us,but since Christ has chosen out of the world,on this account the world hates us(true
followers of Christ)Jesus tells us we are not to kill our fellow man
or be involved in the political elements of the world.we choose to
follow God rather than men.
2006-09-17 18:43:20 · answer #4 · answered by OldGeezer 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So as to not be found as complicit as guilty for participating in the hypocrisy of killing their religious brothers as the Churches of Christendom have.
For instance, all of the churches that proclaim to be Christian have encouraged their brothers to slaughter on another on opposing sides of wars. WW2, and subsequent wars prove this point!
({:-[/]
2006-09-17 18:29:55 · answer #5 · answered by Tim 47 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They follow the teachings of Jesus, and the Bible is their sword, folks. He was "no part of this world", and "those who take up the sword will die by the sword".
2006-09-17 18:42:26 · answer #6 · answered by avaddohn-Apollyon 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well if that is true... then it does not take much of an answer to be a very good one.
2006-09-17 18:30:19 · answer #7 · answered by Richard15 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because by & large the enemy isn't very receptive to the jehovah-speak.
2006-09-17 18:31:41 · answer #8 · answered by amuse4you 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋