JWs: Why won't you defend the country of your origin when it is attacked?

Question

If you would use self defense one on one, why would you not fight to protect your family and neighbors from attackers?

Teasergirl: I'm not picking on JWs. I'm trying to understand their logic.

Answer 1

While we understand that the governments of any given nation are operating with God's permissions, we need to act accordingly.

Rom. 13:1, 5-7: “Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities [governmental rulers], for there is no authority except by God . . . There is therefore compelling reason for you people to be in subjection, not only on account of that wrath but also on account of your conscience. . . . Render to all their dues, to him who calls for the tax, the tax; to him who calls for the tribute, the tribute; to him who calls for fear, such fear; to him who calls for honor, such honor.” (No government could exist without God’s permission. Regardless of the conduct of individual officials, true Christians have shown them respect because of the office they occupied. For example, regardless of the use that governments have made of tax money, worshipers of Jehovah have made honest payment of their taxes in return for those services from which everyone could benefit.)

Mark 12:17: “Jesus then said: ‘Pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.’” (So Christians have always recognized that they must not only “pay back” money in the form of taxes to the secular government but also fulfill the superior obligations they have toward God.)

Acts 5:28, 29: “[A spokesman for the Jewish high court] said: ‘We positively ordered you [the apostles] not to keep teaching upon the basis of this name [of Jesus Christ], and yet, look! you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us.’ In answer Peter and the other apostles said: ‘We must obey God as ruler rather than men.’”

When there has been a direct conflict between the commands of human rulers and the requirements of God, true Christians have imitated the example of the apostles by putting obedience to God first.

What scriptures have always had a bearing on the attitude of true Christians toward participation in carnal warfare?

Matt. 26:52: “Jesus said to him: ‘Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword.’” (Could there have been any higher cause for which to fight than to safeguard the Son of God? Yet, Jesus here indicated that those disciples were not to resort to weapons of physical warfare.)

Isa. 2:2-4: “It must occur in the final part of the days that the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains . . . And he will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.” (Individuals out of all nations must personally decide what course they will pursue. Those who have heeded Jehovah’s judgment give evidence that he is their God.)

2 Cor. 10:3, 4: “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage warfare according to what we are in the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things.” (Paul here states that he never resorted to fleshly weapons, such as trickery, high-sounding language, or carnal weapons, to protect the congregation against false teachings.)

Luke 6:27, 28: “I [Jesus Christ] say to you who are listening, Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you.”

Matt. 5:43 “YOU heard that it was said, ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 However, I say to YOU: Continue to love YOUR enemies and to pray for those persecuting YOU; 45 that YOU may prove yourselves sons of YOUR Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous. 46 For if YOU love those loving YOU, what reward do YOU have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? 47 And if YOU greet YOUR brothers only, what extraordinary thing are YOU doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing? 48 YOU must accordingly be perfect, as YOUR heavenly Father is perfect.

Ask yourself about the first century Christians...what did they do? As to serving in the armed forces, what does secular history disclose about the attitude of early Christians?

“A careful review of all the information available goes to show that, until the time of Marcus Aurelius [Roman emperor from 161 to 180 C.E.], no Christian became a soldier; and no soldier, after becoming a Christian, remained in military service.”—The Rise of Christianity (London, 1947), E. W. Barnes, p. 333.

“We who were filled with war, and mutual slaughter, and every wickedness, have each through the whole earth changed our warlike weapons,—our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into implements of tillage,—and we cultivate piety, righteousness, philanthropy, faith, and hope, which we have from the Father Himself through Him who was crucified.”—Justin Martyr in “Dialogue With Trypho, a Jew” (2nd century C.E.), The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids, Mich.; reprint of 1885 Edinburgh edition), edited by A. Roberts and J. Donaldson, Vol. I, p. 254.

“They refused to take any active part in the civil administration or the military defense of the empire. . . . it was impossible that the Christians, without renouncing a more sacred duty, could assume the character of soldiers, of magistrates, or of princes.”—History of Christianity (New York, 1891), Edward Gibbon, pp. 162, 163.

That pretty much sums it up. Our loyalty and first allegiance is to Jehovah alone.

Answer 2

properly, regardless of the reality that we could constantly have carried out something to shield, that often leads to a distinctive conflict that we won't have the money for precise now, and Obama's acceptance to be re-elected as President might have long gone down the drain.. to respond to your question, i assume that's greater inexpensive to rebuild new homes even possibly lose some sturdy men and females persons than to cope with issues the previous-shaped way by skill of dropping a mushroom bomb. The worst that can happen, the U.S. takes on the popularity of being called wimps or cowards, some greater homes could get destroyed, yet we saved a brilliant variety of money by skill of not likely to conflict over it. On a financial stand element, we are employing our brains better than our Iron fist.

Answer 3

Our allegiance is to God's Kingdom not earthly governments. Just as early Christians said, "We must obey God as ruler rather than men."

It is also an identifying mark that true Christians have "love among themselves". The attacking country has members of JWs as well as Catholics, Methodists, Protestants of all sorts. Why is it only JWs obey this command? Have you asked yourself why do the others NOT OBEY?

Our loyalty is as Jesus' was, to Jehovah only. Not some man in a suit that will be replaced in a few years.

Answer 4

Someone wrote God directed Christians to fight all the time in the bible. Well, what happened was Israel was chosen out of all the nations, and God promised them a certain parcel of land. To obtain the promised land, they had to clear it of the people who populated it. This was done through warfare. To say that a war between nations today is doing the will of God, is preposterous. Countries today fight for oil, land, religion, or just centuries old conflicts, but the only wars that will be mandated by God will be when Jesus returns and sets up his thousand year reign, and after the reign when satan is loosed, and the final war when the devil is cast in the lake of fire and brimstone. The bible is clear we fight not "against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12) Iraq is not spiritual wickedness, but flesh and blood.

Besides the bible is clear that the true Christian dwells in peace and safety. (Psalms 4:8 & Proverbs 1:33). Either you believe the bible, or you don't. I choose to believe. If there is evil in the life of a Christian, then that Christian needs to search themselves.

Answer 5

'‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind,’ and, ‘your neighbor as yourself.’" -- Luke 10:27

"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 among yourselves.”" -- John 13:34,35

"They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world." -- John 17:16

Our love for God and for our neighbors and also because we are not part of the world motivates us not to participate to wars. Jesus said that LOVE will be an important characteristic of the true Christians.

There are cases when for example someone comes into your house and tries to harm you. In this case you have to defend yourself. Or if at the time of childbirth a choice must be made between the life of the mother and that of the child, it is up to the individuals concerned to make that choice.


For more information go to:
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2005/1/1/article_02.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1998/7/8/article_01.htm
http://www.jw-media.org/vnr/5263723221/62734221.htm

Answer 6

Plain and simple, the Jehovah's Witnesses [JWs] do not share in the politics and wars of any nation and they maintain a stand on neutrality. This is ONE OF THEIR FIRM BELIEFS.

Take it or leave it.

Peace be with you.

Answer 7

Read this and tell me you think it has no meaning in todays world that you live in?

(James 4:1-6) 4 From what source are there wars and from what source are there fights among YOU? Are they not from this source, namely, from YOUR cravings for sensual pleasure that carry on a conflict in YOUR members? 2 YOU desire, and yet YOU do not have. YOU go on murdering and coveting, and yet YOU are not able to obtain. YOU go on fighting and waging war. YOU do not have because of YOUR not asking. 3 YOU do ask, and yet YOU do not receive, because YOU are asking for a wrong purpose, that YOU may expend [it] upon YOUR cravings for sensual pleasure. 4 Adulteresses, do YOU not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God. 5 Or does it seem to YOU that the scripture says to no purpose: “It is with a tendency to envy that the spirit which has taken up residence within us keeps longing”? 6 However, the undeserved kindness which he gives is greater. Hence it says: “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.. . .

A person either serves God or he serves the world he lives in no matter where he lives. If all people refused to fight and kill their neighbors no matter where they lived you would not need to defend your Country so from a JW standpoint they have already beat their swords into plowshares. Isa. 2:4
They truly put their trust in Jehovah.
(Isaiah 26:4) 4 Trust in Jehovah, YOU people, for all times, for in Jah Jehovah is the Rock of times indefinite.

I personally spent 4 years in the army as a young man and have lived through wars from world world two to present and have seen there results. are these results something we can be proud of? Don't you think it would be better to let our creator fight for us?
God’s promise of protection is conditional—it is realized only by those who draw close to him. Proverbs 18:10 states: “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection.” In Bible times, towers were sometimes built in the wilderness as safe places of refuge. But it was up to the one in danger to flee to such a tower to find safety. It is similar with finding refuge in God’s name. This involves more than just repeating God’s name; the divine name itself is no magic charm. Rather, we need to know and trust the Bearer of that name and live in harmony with his righteous standards. How kind of Jehovah to reassure us that if we turn to him in faith, he will be a tower of protection for us!

Answer 8

The same reason neither Jesus nor his apostles would take up carnal warfare to defend themselves against such.

When the Romans attacked in 66 C.E., the first century Christians fled. They did not take up arms.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 9

Jehovah’s Witnesses have been noted for their influence for good. To keep free from any taint of false religion, they have based their beliefs and actions solely on God’s inspired Word, the Bible. And like first-century Christians, they have followed Jesus’ command to be “no part of the world.”
In Nazi Germany, for example, they refused to compromise Christian principles and therefore were not acceptable according to Nazi ideology. Hitler hated them for it. Says one school textbook: “Jehovah’s Witnesses . . . followed the teaching of the Bible not to take up weapons in any cause. So they refused to serve in the army or to have anything to do with the Nazis. In retaliation, the SS imprisoned whole families of Jehovah’s Witnesses.” (Germany—1918-45) Indeed, hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany died as a result of the Nazi persecution.
.. On a side not the female in this thread said God encourages Christians to " fight" which is Nonsense.She ought to Read her Bible in a better light.
It tells us: “There are six things that Jehovah does hate; yes, seven are things detestable to his soul: lofty eyes, a false tongue, and hands that are shedding innocent blood, a heart fabricating hurtful schemes, feet that are in a hurry to run to badness, a false witness that launches forth lies, and anyone sending forth contentions among brothers.” — Prov. 6:16-19)

Answer 10

I can not follow the command to love my neighbour, my brother and my enemy if I go to war. There is nothing loving about it.

War would require me to kill or take part in killing my neighbour, my brother and my enemy.

I have to choose whom I serve. I can not claim to serve Jehovah and follow the direction of Jesus Christ if I ignore those commands and go fight against people I do not know just because the leader of the country I reside in has decided he wants to play war.

Jesus commanded his followers to be no part of the world.

We are just doing as ALL Christians were commanded.

Answer 11

I thought this might be your next question......I think it is a good question. you little minx


To say that Jesus wouldn't fight is missing the point...Jesus came for one purpose. To show that his Kingdom was not earthly ....The two are not mutually exclusive.......If you actually READ the entire Bible..God directs Christians to war all of the time.

When I left the Witnesses, and decided to actually READ the scriptures, I was amazed at all of the waring in the early scriptures.