Military Service and Political Involvement

Military Service and Voting

A large part of the social separation of church members from the world had to do with the aspect

of military service and of voting. Both were forbidden by the church, as they were considered involvement in the world, and you as an individual were set apart from the world. You did not participate in either.

It was okay for you to register at age 18 for the selective service, if you were a male. It was a different story if you were called up to the Draft (when this was in force and active.). If you were called in to the Draft, you were to register as a Concsiencious Objector. The Church would help you with that paperwork, and in lieu of military service, in many cases, the church accepted these Concsiencious Objectors in their Ambassador College work program so they would not have to go to jail for draft avoidance. This wasn't exactly the best option for them, however, because it has been told that in the college, these people were extremely low on the “pecking order”, and it is rumored that these individuals were constantly the subject of much ridicule.

As far as voting goes, it was forbidden. No church member was to go to the polls for any election – local or national – as this was seen as participating with the world. You just did not do it. In truth, whole booklets were made on this subject and as to why you should not be a part of it. You simply were not to participate in the world's election systems. You were a spectator, you were not a participant – and this was the same in church as well – there were no elections.