Can a Jehovah's witnesses work in army nursing?

Answer 1

They would not be able to work for the military in any way and still remain a Witness. Jehovah's Witnesses are, and always have been, politically neutral. Currently, over 600 young Jehovah's Witness men of conscriptable age are serving time in South Korean prisons because of refusing military service. South Korea has been issued multiple warnings, requests and orders by the United Nations to offer people who object to military service out of conscience... alternative service in lieu of joining the Army. This has already been done in many other countries such as Taiwan, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa, Israel, Belarus and several other progressive countries. In many other not-so-progressive parts of the world, many suffer worse treatment than the young men in Korea.

They take such a firm stand for their conscience because of the many clear principles that can be found in the Bible:

(John 18:36) . . ."My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source."

(Luke 10:27) . . ."'You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind,' and, 'your neighbor as yourself.'"

Its likely that doing nursing or vehicle repair or even working as a chef for an army will likely never put one in the situation where you will have to pick up a gun and kill another person. In the least, you will be required to pledge allegiance to the country the army represents. In that case, it cannot be said one loves Jehovah with whole soul and whole mind.

Second, an army is an army - it has one job to do. Is supporting some part of it really remaining neutral?

The Bible speaks of a time in the future:

(Isaiah 2:2-4) . . .And it must occur in the final part of the days [that] the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it all the nations must stream. 3 And many peoples will certainly go and say: "Come, YOU people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Zion law will go forth, and the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem. 4 And he will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And 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.

People who look forward to this time do not learn war now.

Doing this, they demonstrate they are peace-loving and hope to live in a united world where there is no army.