2 Minutes silence. Refusual to part take on religious grounds?

[**streety**]

Hi all.
As we all know Monday was rememberance day and at work we all honoured the 2 mins silence.
However one person at work refused as they are a Jehovah Witness?

I've never come across this before and thought how absurd it was.  I can't understand what on earth religion has to do with standing and remebering those who fought for us.  Everyone not matter what religion or not have someone in their family tree who was directly affected by war

[guardpig]

Ah well, when canvassing for a local by election recently we came across a Jehovahs witness who very politely informed us that they didn't vote on religious grounds because they had already voted for the kingdom of God and were awaiting the coming.  She insisted that secular matters had nothing to do with them(things like taxes benefits bin emptying etc) and that the Kingdom of God was the one to vote for.  She was silenced when I happily qoted the bible to refute her stance(well what else was there to do Sunday's when I was a kid?).

Really rather enjoy Jehovahs Witnesses.

[millielilac]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion....so if this person thinks that refusing to acknowledge 2 mins silence on Rememberance Day is appropriate for them ....then so be it.

Of course they should not be surprised if other people find their behaviour disrespectful or even offensive ...they might even then make assumptions about Jehovahs Witnesses as a whole ....but this could well be just that one persons particular behaviour.

It would certainly not endear most people to them ....the silence is really about remembering all those who have been touched by the horror of war , regardless of colour , creed or religion ...whether they were soldiers, civilians , suvivors or relatives of deceased people.

It does not reflect well on them as a person ( regardless of their religion ) ....but of course that is just in my opinion ....some people may have a different view.

[ginap.123]

I used to work with someone who refused to go & stand outside during the silence on the grounds that it was 'to cold'. I pointed out that it's a good job that our forces didn't find it 'to cold' or 'to hot' when they were fighting for our freedom

[**streety**]

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@millielilac wrote:
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion....so if this person thinks that refusing to acknowledge 2 mins silence on Rememberance Day is appropriate for them ....then so be it.

Of course they should not be surprised if other people find their behaviour disrespectful or even offensive ...they might even then make assumptions about Jehovahs Witnesses as a whole ....but this could well be just that one persons particular behaviour.

It would certainly not endear most people to them ....the silence is really about remembering all those who have been touched by the horror of war , regardless of colour , creed or religion ...whether they were soldiers, civilians , suvivors or relatives of deceased people.

It does not reflect well on them as a person ( regardless of their religion ) ....but of course that is just in my opinion ....some people may have a different view.

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 Exactly my thoughts

[**streety**]

Still dont get what part of their religion states they cant morn the loss of lives

[captainbovine]

lives are sacrificed for the Kingdom of God?????

ah well, most wars seem to start or have religion attached to them......

I can respect anyones views, but if they don't want to stand still in the supermarket, office or any building, they should go outside, I must admit, I get very angry when I see people talking and carrying on with their shopping.

[tintinthegingertomcat]

Personally.....I would find that behaviour offensive. When you were officially called up - nobody took into account religion. You lived in this country and you were called up to defend this country....end of. Some people use religion as an excuse to do/not to do what they want.

As an example....the Gurkhas are from Nepal....but they come over to this country to serve this country...bless them. Lovely chaps.

If it was me working with somebody who refused to honour the two minute silence....they would find that I was no longer their friend. Sorry if this offends some people but that is my own personal belief.

[captainbovine]

did I upset you there tintin? I'm sorry if I did...........

[**forum-decorum**]

Hello everyone,

An interesting Topic.

As a Jehovah's Witness I myself on Monday was shopping in our local Tesco when a 2 minutes silence was observed. I quietly went on with my shopping while others stopped what they were doing and went silent, I respected their decision to observe the silenc so was happy to be as careful as I could with trolley and speaking to my OH so I whispered and tipped toed around.

I chose not to observe the silenc myself as doing so would be a sign that I condoned war of anysort which I don't, in line with God's teachings in the Bible, Thou shalt not kill.

Ah well, when canvassing for a local by election recently we came across a Jehovahs witness who very politely informed us that they didn't vote on religious grounds because they had already voted for the kingdom of God and were awaiting the coming.  She insisted that secular matters had nothing to do with them(things like taxes benefits bin emptying etc) and that the Kingdom of God was the one to vote for.  She was silenced when I happily qoted the bible to refute her stance(well what else was there to do Sunday's when I was a kid?).

I would the same as that JW explain where my vote had been cast, but Jehovah's witnesses are required to be law abiding and pay our taxes and do. Our stance is of neutrality where anything regarding earthly governments are concerned but accept each person has their own freedom to choose.

Personally.....I would find that behaviour offensive. When you were officially called up - nobody took into account religion. You lived in this country and you were called up to defend this country....end of. Some people use religion as an excuse to do/not to do what they want.

Jehovah's Witneses were and are still conscientious objectors choosing to go to prison before agreeing to take up arms against a fellow human being (regardless of others race, creed or religion - in God's eyes he made us all equal)

Even now there are Jehovah's witnesses in prison in some parts of the world because they refuse to go to war.

Jehovah's Witnesses are peace loving people choosing to live by the principals of their God Jehovah whos a God of love.

If every single person past and present chose not to go to war and to live by Gods peaceable loving principals then this world would be a far better place to live in.

Of course I do respect individuals choices to observe the silence as I would also respect them as people too.

[cookiecookuk]

i believe that everyone has a choice to do as they will regarding this subject and should not be badly thought of for following thier own beliefs.

[guardpig]

Well I do not consider remembering the dead war-mongering or anti-peace. It is to remember the dead, on all sides and, imo, remembering the fallen makes a very good statement against more war and conflicts.

[dr-whos-assistant]

Did our soldiers not fight for everyones right to choose, perhaps those who refuse to take part should remember that but then again so should we the ones that do.

[millielilac]

As stated everyone is entitled to their own opinion ...

However by observing a two minute silence does not in any way indicate that the observer condones war of any sort.

For myself and for many others it is a way of " remembering " and of reflection ....it is a small window in time for showing respect to ALL those who have suffered / are indeed are still suffering due to conficts.

It is just a sign of respect for many people and for the vast majority of people it is totally disassociated from religious viewponts.

I would imagine that most people who observed the silence do not support war at all..........

[**streety**]

Each to their own of course, but the 2 mins silence is in no way showing that we condone war.. How absurd and completely missing the point.

Ofcourse it would be an ideal if everyone refused to go to war (especially in the world wars) but in reality there was no choice.   We would live in a very different country now if we had let the dictators walk all over us.  I think war is awful, I think the loss of lives of all those brave men (and women) was terrible and what they went through, upsetting.

There are a lot of things I don't believe in, things that maybe I'm not particularly comfortable with but when with others that do (i.e most of the country), I honour it out of respect to others.   That I believe is respecting others as people.

[**streety**]

I hope that made sense!

[ilove2patch]

Yes it makes complete sense Streety.

[****merlin*****]

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@golden*nugget28 wrote:

Hello everyone,

.

I chose not to observe the silenc myself as doing so would be a sign that I condoned war of anysort which I don't, in line with God's teachings in the Bible, Thou shalt not kill.

Of course I do respect individuals choices to observe the silence as I would also respect them as people too.

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repsecting other peoples right to obesrve the silence but you continued to talk and shop isnt particularly supportive or repsectful

and the silence is to mark the end of war, not support it

i feel very passionately about it and if it were not for those who made great sacrifice, many through no choice, you may not be here to go shopping and whisper. i for one think 2 minutes from my year is not too much to ask, 

At 11am on each Remembrance Sunday a two minute silence is observed at war memorials and other public spaces across the UK. The silence is meant as a tribute to those who lost their lives fighting for their country - but what is the significance of that date and time?

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 the guns of Europe fell silent. After four years of bitter fighting, The Great War was finally over. The Armistice was signed at 5am in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiegne, France on November 11, 1918. Six hours later, at 11am, the war ended.

[**streety**]

Well said Merlin.   
Everyone should put their personal beliefs aside for 2 mins once a year to remember their grandfather, greatgrandfather etc.

Some people believe that suicide is a sin.  If in the awful event a loved one killed themselves, would they then refuse to remember them from then on?

[2017clearout]

I don't usually post much at this time of the year (we're on 20 hour days) but I was just having a lurk and saw this thread and wanted to link to this video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojTVKvjNQGE

Two minutes is a pittance of time to reflect on those who died to give us freedon: and no sane person condones war, no matter their religious beliefs/

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@**streety** wrote:

Hi all.
As we all know Monday was rememberance day and at work we all honoured the 2 mins silence.
However one person at work refused as they are a Jehovah Witness?

I've never come across this before and thought how absurd it was.  I can't understand what on earth religion has to do with standing and remebering those who fought for us.  Everyone not matter what religion or not have someone in their family tree who was directly affected by war

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