Man - don't tell me they don't vote

[JoePa]

My son told me that the Amish and Mennonites don't vote - this that true - if so why not -

[Wendy]

I believe it is true. They want nothing to do with the government including collecting SS & Medicare. They take care of their own.

[Cyngbaeld]

The Anabaptists believe in separation of church and state. They feel the secular government is not their responsibility and that they, being citizens of Heaven first, should not participate in worldly government. They also do not serve on juries nor participate in insurance (except to carry liability on vehicles as mandated by law), nor do they participate in social security nor do they accept food stamps or other welfare payments. They do pay taxes. They are non violent and do not serve in the military, however they have served in civilian capacities as conscientious objectors during wars.

[arabian knight]

And if they don;t comply with local building codes those as simple as installing a smoke detector they can get kicked out of their house.

[||Downhome||]

If you take the time to read the Bible, I forget where and only paraphrasing,
May actually be a few different spots as well, Satan shall controll the world for a 1000 years, tempt and win the unworthy, the governments of the world are his, but at the end of this time he shall be bound and cast into the abyss the savior will return and rule for 1000 and the righteous will be resurrected,At the end of this time Satan will be released for a short time and his followers will be resurrected,On Judgement day they will be Judged and be cast in to the fiery Lake.
Again only paraphrased and more then likely in a few different verses.
Been a while...

But one reason a good few sects steer clear of intertwining faith and goverment.

I always have a little chuckle when I see politicians standing on faith and claims of christian governments.

After all if you do believe in the good book and the goverment is the hand of Satan how can it be so?

Certain Jewish sects do not accept Israel, for similar reason, Israel was not given back by gods hand but by the will of Human Government...

[DaleK]

Amish here vote for local municipal government but not provincial or federal, based on the amount of interaction they have locally but don't want it to go farther. Mennonites here are modern and vote across the board.

[big rockpile]

Non Violent I had to laugh one time I was doing business with one. I cut through the woods to the Sawmill.

Come up on a couple of the Boys, one was trying to get his Brother to do something, just as I got there he was going to hit his Brother with a Cant Hook. They seen me all was nice.

big rockpile

[Cyngbaeld]

The liberal Mennonites do vote and participate in social security, etc. The conservative ones that I am friends with cling to the old ways more.

[JHizzle207]

I no longer vote. I wasted too much of my life standing outside polling places with Badnarik and Ron Paul signs...

I realized voting is just consenting to the outcome of the vote, and I don't consent to being ruled. I'm an individual, not part of some collective. The entire concept of government is a bad one, voting is simply participation in it, and it doesn't matter anyway.

[||Downhome||]

^^^Well said ! ^^^

[Osiris]

They say, "if you don't vote you can't complain".
But I reply, "the First Amendment is NOT contingent upon my support for organized crime."

[MichaelZ]

One does not have to be a political zealot in order to exercise their voting rights and obligations. Personally, I feel that politics is a great way alienate others that are not of my faith so I am active, but in a private and cautious manner. And anyone that believes that the politician that showed up with a speech at your _______ meeting/conference/rally was 100% sincere in their statements should think again. I exercise my rights, but my main focus in making the next world a better place for others is sharing my faith, and that is often with those that vote differently than myself. I will not allow my faith to be pigeon-holed into some narrow politically-charged definition. And I very much believe that this allows me to properly separate my faith from the worldly affairs of the state.

[JoePa]

Well - if good people don't bother to vote then the government is taken over by bad people and the country goes downs the tubes - I personally think that it is your duty to vote - a lot of people around the world would be thrilled if they had the right to vote - and yes - I agree - if you don't vote you don't have any right to complain -

[mnn2501]

Originally Posted by Osiris

They say, "if you don't vote you can't complain".
But I reply, "the First Amendment is NOT contingent upon my support for organized crime."

I wonder if the R's and the D's political party can be tried under the RICO act?


*Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

[RomeGrower]

My hope is not in government, and certainly not in people. However, we do need each other too. It seems our government is out of control. It remains to be seen whether or not it can be pulled back. My hope is in God.

[Shoden]

Originally Posted by JHizzle207

I no longer vote. I wasted too much of my life standing outside polling places with Badnarik and Ron Paul signs...

I realized voting is just consenting to the outcome of the vote, and I don't consent to being ruled. I'm an individual, not part of some collective. The entire concept of government is a bad one, voting is simply participation in it, and it doesn't matter anyway.

I've supported and voted for the same people you have. If not voting was actually a way to withdraw your consent, then I would understand choosing that option completely. However, the government doesn't care if you don't vote, especially if you don't support the duopoly in power. As far as they're concerned, you consented as soon as you were born or chose to live here, and even if you go through the legal process of renouncing your citizenship, they've still got their hooks in you for 10 years after that date.

Voting is violence.

It may not be in-your-face obvious violence, but try not complying with the results of the vote and see how peaceful the state is in enforcing its will. You'll end up losing your property, your freedom, and possibly your life.

So you can choose the pacifist option and choose not to vote, just as you can choose not to resist or fight back against an armed criminal, but both the armed criminal and the state will be quite happy with that choice and do to you what they wish.

Or you can choose the non-aggression option, fighting back, resisting their violence with violence of your own. Our odds might be better against an armed criminal, but even against the state, a vote in "self defense" is still better than no vote at all.

If enough people vote for what they really believe in instead of just choosing the lesser of two evils, then we might have real change, or at the very least, the lesser of those two evils might might incorporate some of the ideals from a third party with a large minority of votes, even if it's just to pull some voters back into the duopoly against the greater of the two evils.


So, to summarize: Voting is violence. The state is perfectly happy if you choose not to resist, and they don't consider your consent withdrawn. Vote in self defense and at least let them know you're not happy with the status quo.

[Sawmill Jim]

Originally Posted by JoePa

Well - if good people don't bother to vote then the government is taken over by bad people and the country goes downs the tubes - I personally think that it is your duty to vote - a lot of people around the world would be thrilled if they had the right to vote - and yes - I agree - if you don't vote you don't have any right to complain -

I can see both sides after all they even have elections in Cuba now and then .

From looking at your first statement it would appear we have only had bad people voting I for one wish they would stayed home

[FarmboyBill]

I hate it that I continue to vote, for the reasons listed above, but I likely will continue to do so. IF I wasn't a vet, they could stick it.
just like I posted on HQ replying to the posting about pigs. Till theres a 3 party system, or more that's viable, then the 2 parties will always be fighting for the pork lol

[FarmboyBill]

Back in the 30s someone got elected to Wash who was a friend of my granddads. I can remember him telling dad that that guy told him that IF the people saw what all goes on in Wash thered be a revolution tomorrow. His words.

[plowhand]

Well..............big as this country is..............I don't see why somebody half-way decent can't be put forward to vote for!