TresSugar

Ever Wondered Why Jehovah's Witnesses Don't Vote?

CitizenSugar — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:00:55 -0700

I'm not so much a sportsy-follower and admit that I didn't know that Serena Williams is a Jehovah's Witness until she started talking about Barack Obama in this Slate piece, but I'm glad she did - this is fascinating stuff. Do you know why Jehovah's Witnesses tend not to vote? Passages like John 17:14 where Jesus says of those who follow him: "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." This other-worldliness is what Jehovah's Witnesses have interpreted as a directive to remain above terrestrial concerns like the election and neutral in all political matters.

Though voting isn't completely prohibited it's cautioned against - the Watchtower, the official publication of the Jehovah's Witnesses has suggested that whether to stop into the voting booth was one of personal conscience. Not limited to voting, Witnesses also don't serve in the military, pledge allegiance to the flag, or run for office.

The cautioning against politics does work - only 13 percent are registered to vote, and though they're the biggest religious group that opts out of voting, there are others, like the Amish and the Rastafarians (though even their attitudes have altered the last few years.) Is God a big reason to stay vote-free? In the US about 2 percent of people who don't register to vote cite religion as the reason.

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The State You're In: 15 License Plates That Speak

TresSugar — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:00:00 -0700

It used to be we'd slap whatever the state handed us on our bumpers, but that's such efficient use of tax dollars. That all changed in 1977, when a family of Jehovah's Witnesses taped over the "Live Free or Die" part of their New Hampshire license plate, claiming it violated their free speech rights. The case went to the Supreme Court, which decided it was unconstitutional to force individuals, or their cars, to be "mobile billboards." Of course, if you can't force 'em, you can't stop 'em.

So here we are, 22 years later with a license plate for everyone. This week Florida gave drivers a new option - Jesus on the cross. When Florida governor Charlie Crist was asked about the breach of church and state, he said, "If they don’t want one they don’t have to buy one."

But what can we buy?

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What Would You Wish For? Saudi Arabia Debates Birthdays

CitizenSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Though it's a lightning rod in its own right, My Super Sweet Sixteen pales in comparison to the birthday controversy blowing its way through Saudi Arabia. The country's most senior Muslim cleric has recently denounced birthday parties as an unwanted foreign influence, going head-to-head with another cleric who's said pony rides and cake are just dandy.

Under the strict interpretation, even modest birthday celebrations are "haram," or banned. The Saudi ban on birthdays is observed by the conservative Wahhabi sect that is dominant in the kingdom. Their belief is that all Christian celebrations, plus most Muslim feasts celebrated elsewhere in the Islamic world, are nixed as alien customs.

The cupcake controversy started when the more lenient cleric announced on TV that it's OK to celebrate milestones like birthdays as long as the word "eid" (feast) isn't used to describe them. The blowback was swift and pointed (especially if you've been to a Hallmark store lately) from the cleric: "Christians have Mother's Day, an eid for trees, and an eid for every occasion. And on every birthday, candles are lit and food is given out." Between no birthdays for Muslims and no voting for Jehovah's Witnesses, what would you give up for religion?

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GiggleSugar Reader Spotlight: Loren Ashley

GiggleSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 15:05:59 -0700

This beautiful woman may look familiar. Is it LorenAshley? Nope. It's the person LorenAshley says she's going to look like after all the plastic surgery. Haha. We like Loren at GiggleSugar cuz she's got that edge that rounds out all the cuteness and fluffitude. (There are so many fuzzy bunnies one can look at--am I right?) Without further ado, we'd like to introduce ~~Gabrielle Union~~ Loren Ashley!

GS: What's your motto?
LA: Easy Peezy pumkin peezy pumpkin pie, muthafucka!!!

GS: Where are you from?
LA: Chicago, Illinois.

GS: What do you do?
LA: You mean other than prank calling priests using my "9 year old boy voice?" I am a student studying marketing.

GS: Describe your sense of humor.
LA: Just a plain old goofy girl.

GS: What's your favorite GiggleSugar post?
LA: Cookin' Meth with Rena Ray! I can't stand Rachael but her "sis" and I could be best friends. I love that Rena, a drug dealer, looks more put together than Rachael--she always looks rattled and thrown away.

GS: Who are the cutest comedians?
LA: Sandra Berhardt--if you like the "I just got hit with a hot skillet look" like i do, and Bruce Vilanch. (GS: I love Sandra and her tough look!) What can I say? I like 'em gross.

GS: Who are your favorite comedians?
LA: You gotta love Sara Silverman. She's a riot. I love that she doesn't hold anything back. She's got enormous balls. Jeff Ross--if you don't know who this man is PLEASE look him up! he's fearless! Love that man!

GS: What's your favorite comedy?
LA: The movie Grandma's Boy!!!! If you haven't seen this movie..PLEASE DO! It's outstanding. I am shocked that more people haven't seen it.

GS: If your life were a movie, what would it be?
LA: If you like seeing Jehovah's Witnesses get doors slammed in their face then you'll LOVE my show!

GS: Do you look like someone famous?
LA: Once I get all my plastic surgery done I will look JUST LIKE Gabrielle Union!

Thanks,LorenAshley!

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(Gabrielle Union--Loren's ideal, Jeffrey Ross, Sarah Silverman, Bruce Vilanch, Sandra Bernhardt)

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