Why are jehovas witnesses against military service?

Question

In the bible war is talked about alot...god never sais you cannot fight in the military? I am protestent and therefor believe in military service for the right reasons... the military is immportant in my mind you have to defend yourself from terriost snakes... Example in ww2 the jehovahs witnesses did nothing when hitler was murdering people?

Answer 1

They are pacifists. That is their belief system and it doesn't make them wrong.

EDIT: 7 thumbs down? Way to be open-minded of other people's beliefs. I thought there was this thing called freedom of religion.

Answer 2

they dont believe alot of things..they dont believe you give blood...they dont believe in holidays..why would they believe in the military? their religion is cult like ...not trashing anyone...try talking to someone that believes as they do and then try talking to someone who at one time was involved and then left the church...very odd. religion

Answer 3

JW's don't recognize the government except as necessary to keep them out of jail.  They have no professed loyalty to any person or human entity.

Answer 4

The only war their religion allows them to fight in is Armageddon, the final battle between good and evil.  Jehova's Witnesses don't use the same bible as most christians, they rewrote it and eliminated a lot.  

Answer 5

They are neutral.  They do not believe in voting either, because they do not believe in "worldly" affairs.  They only see God as the true leader, not some president or some government.  And for your information, during WW2, Jehovah's Witnesses got murdered during the war because they would not go along with Hitlers plan.  Maybe you need to read up on history.

Answer 6

Jesus imposed new commands upon Christians that had not applied to Jews (see points below).

While Jehovah's Witnesses do not oppose any military and do not advocate against any military, it is true that they recognize many reasons why a true Christian (such as a Jehovah's Witness) would refrain from serving in the military of any country.

1. Bloodguilt by association

Most of the individuals in ancient Israel were not personally guilty of bloodguilt, yet their tolerance of it meant that most of them shared in bloodguilt by association. A true Christian makes it clear that he does not condone the bloodguilt of others.

.. ..(Isaiah 1:15-16) And when you spread out your palms, I [Jehovah God] hide my eyes from you. Even though you make many prayers, I am not listening; with bloodshed your very hands have become filled. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the badness of your dealings from in front of my eyes; cease to do bad.

.. ..(Revelation 18:4) Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.

2. Use of violence

The Bible teaches that true worshippers would pursue peace and eschew violence. True worshippers do not even "learn war", which all military personnel must.

.. ..(Isaiah 2:4) 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.

.. ..(Micah 4:3) And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. They will not lift up sword, nation against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.

.. ..(Matthew 26:52) Jesus said to him: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take the sword will perish by the sword.

.. ..(Luke 6:27-29) 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. To him that strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also

3. Allegiance

The Bible teaches that a Christian has only relative subjection to human governments. A true Christian cannot pledge his unfettered allegiance to anyone but God and Christ.

.. ..(Romans 13:1) The existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God

.. ..(Acts 5:29) We must obey God as ruler rather than men

4. Neutrality

A true Christian is a subject of God's Kingdom by Christ. Service in a country's military aligns an individual with that human government, a position at odds with the neutrality that is required of an ambassodor or envoy of Christ the King.

.. ..(John 18:36) Jesus answered: “My kingdom is no part of this world.

.. ..(Daniel 2:44) “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite

5. Coming judgment

.. ..(Revelation 6:15-17) And the kings of the earth and the top-ranking ones and the military commanders...keep saying to the mountains and to the rock-masses: “Fall over us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

.. ..(Revelation 19:16-18) King of kings and Lord of lords. [After Armageddon] I saw also an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice and said to all the birds that fly in midheaven: “Come here...eat the fleshy parts of kings and the fleshy parts of military commanders and the fleshy parts of strong men

Answer 7

this is true.ever wonder why they don't have windows in their church? that just seems really odd to me.but hey,to each there own.

Answer 8

My uncle (now deceased) was a JW.  He was in the Navy when he returned to the faith and was considered a conscientious decenter.  JWs are against war, they are peaceful.  I am not JW but have attended services with my JW relatives.  Nothing weird goes on in there.  They give sermons like every other church.  They are nice people, but in my personal view, it seems a bit cult like.  The leader of our local witness hall disowned his child for marrying outside of the faith.  I cannot find a place in the bible that says to do that.  I do not subscribe to their religion, but i respect that they have the right to practice it.  I just wish they would stop sending the congregation to my house.  I know, I know, it's part of their faith.  At least they go when I ask.

Answer 9

Duh.  Religious people don't want to kill other people.  Jesus said love one another.  I just don't get it, either.  They are soooo wierd.

Bible = bibical

Jesus = Holy and Spiritual

Old testament = not Jesus

New testament = Jesus

you do the math

Just because it is "bibical" does not make it "spiritual" nor truthful nor as Jesus would have wanted it to be.

Answer 10

Chris,

Like Scott said they don't believe in government except as necessary.

On top of that, the JWs don't believe in taking oaths - which is why they also won't say the Pledge of Allegiance.

"Ranger"

Answer 11

Its their religion, and that's part of our freedom. Its why we serve, freedom of speech, freedom of religion etc.

I always did wonder about the windows.....Whats going on in there?

Answer 12

The most simple answer to your question would be that Jehovah's Witnesses believe in remaining neutral as far as government is concerned.  Serving in the military would be like putting the government before God, and Jehovah's Witnesses strongly believe that they should never put their relationship with God in jeopardy by taking sides in a war.