STOSUNEK ŚWIADKÓW JEHOWY DO WOJEN PIERWSZEJ POŁOWY XX WIEKU. DOKTRYNA I PRAKTYKA

• Authors: Wojciech Włoch
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

PL

THE ATTITUDE OF JEHOVAH WITNESSES TO THE WARS OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURYThe tragic war experiences of the Researchers of the Holy Scripture, and since 1931 of Jehovah Witnesses, were the direct result of the doctrine professed by them as well as the moral precepts which were accepted by them on its basis. They made eschatology the foundation of their teaching and created a complete conception of an apocalypses which was to have been realized in the present. Thus it was not only awaiting for the inevitably approaching end, but in fact experiencing it in accordance with the earlier scenario which was just being discovered. By forecasting an imminent end in accordance with a strictly defined “order of events” and a precise “arithmetic of ultimate matters”, the Jehovah Witnesses demanded that their followers adhere to a definite lifestyle. They professed the principle of “neutrality” towards every type public institution which expressed itself in contesting any participation in the society’s organized life, such as all kinds of political, social, cultural or even sporting institutions and in extreme pacifism.Among the few religious and lay pacifist movements which existed between the year 1914 and 1945, the Jehovah Witnesses were characterized by extreme radicalism in refusing to participate in any activities which had something to do with war operations (including the medical and first aid services or e.g. the digging of anti-tank trenches). Adopting such an attitude, at a time of great military conflicts and growing nationalistic tendencies had led to numerous repressions against the Jehovah Witnesses which were both organized and spontaneous in character.During the II World War, the Jehovah Witnesses were usually arrested for their refusal to do military service or work for the army; or else they were punished for any activities which were regarded as clandestine (printing and distribution of literature or missionary activity). Depending on the country, they were either imprisoned in concentration camps, or else were put on trial; the courts usually  issued very severe sentences, including capital punishment; if the accused refused to renounce his faith, he was usually sent to a concentration camp. It is worth noting here that the convicted Jehovah Witnesses could be released instantly the moment they signed a document in which they renounced their faith.

Keywords

PL

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Jagielloński
• Journal: Studia Religiologica
• Year: 2003
• Volume: 36

Dates

published

2003

online

2015-07-24

Contributors

author

Wojciech Włoch