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‘My Cup Has Been Full’The Watchtower—1987 | June 1
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The Flag-Salute Issue
Later, when Fred and Shirley were in public school, the flag-salute issue arose. The issue centered on the Bible’s teaching to “flee from idolatry.” (1 Corinthians 10:14) A young brother in the Lynn Congregation had refused to salute and pledge allegiance to the flag. Within a month seven children in the congregation were expelled from school, among them Fred and Shirley.
I must confess that it came somewhat as a surprise to us that our children took a stand in school as they did. Of course, we had taught them respect for the country and the flag, and we had also taught them God’s commandments about not bowing down to images and idols. As parents, we did not want our children expelled from school. Yet now that the issue had been forced, it seemed only proper that they take a stand for God’s Kingdom. So in weighing things up, we appreciated that our children were doing the right thing and that if we trusted in Jehovah all would work out for a witness to his name.
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‘My Cup Has Been Full’The Watchtower—1987 | June 1
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Prejudice and Kindness
The flag-salute issue brought not only a time of test and stress but also much publicity by newspaper and radio. It was quite a common thing to see photographers in front of our home taking pictures of the children as they arrived at the Kingdom School. Many of our neighbors, who had been quite friendly before, now became antagonistic. They thought it was a terrible thing for our children to refuse to salute the American flag. ‘After all,’ they would say, ‘isn’t this the country that gives you your bread and butter?’ They did not appreciate that without Jehovah’s watchcare, there would be neither bread nor butter.
On the other hand, there were others who understood the issues involved and gave us support. When people in the neighborhood boycotted a grocery store where our congregation’s presiding overseer worked as manager, a well-to-do person interested in civil liberty bought up most of the groceries in the store and distributed them free to the brothers in the congregation.
It was not until 1943, when the United States Supreme Court reversed its position on the flag-salute issue, that my son Robert was allowed to attend public school.
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