The DRAFT
by OK. Especially here on ezabel, I hear the same talk over and over again about how everyone is afraid of the draft. "Oh no, theres a war going on! I'm 20 and I'm gonna get drafted and I'm gonna be in prison!"
1) Will there be a draft?
why would there be a draft if the government has conned millions of young people into joining the army cause they're too poor to pay for college? There's plenty of currently enlisted men that there's probably not gonna be a draft unless this war drags on really really long.
2) Ok, well what if there is a draft, I'm going to jail!?
Well people, ever heard of "Conscientious objectors"? If you're a Jehovah's Witness in the U.S., you've got several court cases upholding your right to, get this, NOT GO TO WAR. It's that simple. You're religious beliefs prevent you from killing other people. If you're a pioneer, elder or ministerial servant, the draft review board would probably disqualify you since due to the religious service you perform. Being a conscientious objector was a lot harder in World War II because these cases hadn't been tried yet, but now there is a record that justifies this.
3) Ok, well lets say there is a draft, I state my objection, and they say I don't have to fight, but I do have to do some kind of service for the country, such as work on a farm making food for the military?
This is where it gets tricky. This is where your conscience comes in. while making food for the military might be easy to refuse as it directly *supports* the war, something like working in a public works (building bridges, constructing buildings here in the U.S.) might be acceptable to some. Others may see this as diverting themselves from the spiritual work of field service and then object on these grounds(say you're a special pioneer in a seldom-worked territory for example). If you object to alternative service, that is when jail-time is a possibility. But even then, you'll most likely be in a prison with fellow Christians. Do not despair.
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And read the Yearbook! tons of faith-strengthening examples of how our brothers dealt with war and sometimes forced military service.
beachbums's comment from the deleted journal:
There was an exp in the current yearbook of a young bro in Niceragua who went to prison for not going in the army and while there he was assigned to wash military uniforms. He refused stating that it might lead to larger compromises of his faith. I imagine that was a conscience matter, but I thought it was a very interesting statement b/c I wondered if I would have thought that or if I would think it was a harmless task. Something to think about.
i remember reading that...and how they made him walk in the front of the army with bombs and grenades attached to him so he'd be a huge target that the opposing army would see first...
where did you get this information, Dean?
it just kinda popped out of my head this morning.
I'm old. I read stuff. its sticks in my head.
was part of this past convention's Q & A on this or am i remembering incorrectly?
here's the official info: http://www.sss.gov/FSconsobj.htm
Dean, serious...thanks for this...the draft issue was one of my biggest concerns...made me feel better. :)
oh, if the draft was reinacted, it's not like you can just be like, okay, i'm gonna start pioneering now...i think there is a time stipulation...i dont know how long it is though...
a lot of people have done that in past times of war. that's doing it for the wrong reasons tho.
very good point. Start pioneering TODAY! But Pioneer out of love and loyalty to Jehovah!
the CO recommended going to Jehovah in prayer and telling him why we're not pioneering.
whoa, that's really thought-provoking! Hmm, thought-provoking, or guilt-tripping...
All I know is that with everything going on there are no guarantees. We could get drafted, could get arrested, could get persecuted, could get killed. All we really can do is put our faith in jehovah and draw close to him, because the only sure bet we have is that he'll see us thru. Because everything we ever knew can change in a second
wow, Dan that was a really good comment.
he's practicing for when he gets baptized. jk cerrat...that was a good comment bro.
don't forget about watching your association...
Everyone's failed to mention (I think) that the government can change it's policies if and whenever it wants to.
Worry about that when the time comes. I feel its NOT gonna happen in the immediate future. It would take a lot to get all those laws overturned. I am not saying it won't happen, but it would be a LOT harder here in the U.S. than in other countries. I'm not being pro-U.S. but that is just the way our current government (the one that's been around for the last 230 years) over here works. I don't want to make conjecture, but I almost feel like we'd have to be in armageddon before the U.S. would start eliminating civil liberties and personal freedoms. But yes, who knows what's gonna happen or when. I'm not saying young christians will not go to jail, I'm just saying, it'll take a lot more than this little war.
the only draft that concerns me at the present is my 2003 fantasy baseball draft
amen to that.....
so while eating at a friends house, her father brought up that if they do reinstate the draft, consciencous objections would not be allowed for anything. even if you have a medical reason that you would be unable to serve, they want you to perhaps be like a guard at the airport or something since all those jobs are now federal.
I was sitting here..and I was like "what friend's house is this at!?" and then I was like "oooh..right I was there sitting next to you when my dad started this conversation"