Jehovah's Witness do not vote

The political neutrality of Jehovah's Witnesses is also expressed by their refusal to participate in military service, even when such is of a compulsory nature, and by their detachment from secular politics. Before 1996, Jehovah's Witnesses also refused alternatives to military service.[105][106][107] Jehovah's Witnesses are discouraged, but not prohibited under all circumstances, from voting in elections.[108] They believe voting or elections in themselves are harmless, for example, although they would not generally vote to elect a political leader, they would have no problem voting on a trivial issue such as what color balloons to buy for a party.[109] They do not stand for any political office.[110]

en.wikipedia.org...'s_Witnesses

May not sound that bigger of a deal to you, depending where you come from, but here in Australia it is a big deal. Recently a lot of the big radio talk-back hosts have been picking up on it and having debates, so i thought i'd start one here.

With the looming NSW state election on Saturday, there will be fines sent out to hundreds of Jehovah's witnesses, because they did not vote. Voting in Australia is compulsory, and yet, as seen in past elections, the witnesses simply do not turn up on polling day and receive a fine. They then proceed to challenge the fine on the grounds of being against religious beliefs, and are excused the fine. It happens every election according to the sources quoted today by John Laws on radio.

Why should they be excluded because of religious grounds? It says in Jehovah Witness law that they are to abide by the national laws of where they live, and yet, they still refuse to vote. I'm not trying to be racist or religionist or whatever you want to call it, it just infuriates me when something so simple as voting on election day is becoming an 'option' because of political correctness, and not wanting to offend a religion.

Make them pay the fine!

Anyway whats wrong with respecting their beleifs? They dont want to vote, people know they dont want to vote, so why bother sending the fines? It takes up tax money to hire people to write the fines out, locate the people, then it goes to court wasting more money and time, and if what you say is true the fines get thrown out!!! seems like an excercise in pointlessness to me.

As a former JW, I can understand where they are coming from. Although their faith does allow them to abide by secular laws, they feel that God's "laws" should take precedence. If the two should be in conflict, God's way should be the one that is followed.

A major part of their faith concerns non-participation in political arenas. (To live in this world without being of this world.) In the US many of them were imprisoned for dodging the draft during the Vietnam war. If facing years of imprisonment would not cause them to bend, then I think a fine isn't going to do it either.

Requiring these people to vote would be like requiring a Christian to spit on a Nativity scene. It just isn't likely to happen.

To avoid the vote is an act of worship.

Although I am not knowledgable about law in Australlia, I know that in the US it would be a complete violation of the freedom of religion to require a JW to either vote or pay a fine.

Originally posted by wellwhatnow
As a former JW, I can understand where they are coming from. Although their faith does allow them to abide by secular laws, they feel that God's "laws" should take precedence. If the two should be in conflict, God's way should be the one that is followed.

A major part of their faith concerns non-participation in political arenas. (To live in this world without being of this world.) In the US many of them were imprisoned for dodging the draft during the Vietnam war. If facing years of imprisonment would not cause them to bend, then I think a fine isn't going to do it either.

Requiring these people to vote would be like requiring a Christian to spit on a Nativity scene. It just isn't likely to happen.

To avoid the vote is an act of worship.

Although I am not knowledgable about law in Australlia, I know that in the US it would be a complete violation of the freedom of religion to require a JW to either vote or pay a fine.

I can understand that...

But at one stage they had to come to this country knowing full well that our constitution makes voting compulsory, regardless of sex, race or faith.

During WWII the religion was banned in Australia. Could it happen again?

Right of religion or forced civic duty?
This should get interesting...

I have known this for a long time. The reason they don't vote is because they don't think that any earthly form of government is worth voting for. They say that the only perfect government that will ever be established is the government ruled by God.