It is easy to understand why some people, for religious reasons, choose to be vegetarian. It could be harder to imagine why someone would rather spend seven years in prison instead of serving their two-year stint in the military.
For more than three decades since the Jehovah's Witness denomination was introduced to Taiwan in the 1960s, over 100 out of a total of 4,000 have painfully proved that, for their religious conviction, they could endure the hardships of imprisonment.
"It's a privilege for me to endure for my belief," said Wu Tsung-hsien (
Chiu Chao-an (
"My eldest son has just been released from jail after serving his term of seven years. My middle son was also sentenced to seven years (for refusing to serve) and is serving the third year of his sentence. And my youngest one will soon be facing the same fate," Chiu said.
"I have three sons and as they grow up I have felt we're watching our kids step closer and closer to their coffins, painfully, one by one," the father said calmly.
The military cannot be blamed for the situation, as they also want to help these conscientious objectors -- as far as the law allows. But despite their willingness to help, there is still a gulf between what the military is prepared to offer and what the Witnesses expect.
Lieutenant General Chou Kang-sheng (
"Military service does not teach you to kill. It's training in self-defense and training to serve our country and our people," Chou said. "We could help them finish their two-year service by sending them to non-combatant and comfortable positions, such as cooks or typists. But what else can we do if they don't even want to wear a military uniform?"
"We're not asking for easy jobs. Otherwise, we wouldn't have chosen being jailed, which is neither comfortable nor good for one's reputation," Chiou said.
"Not getting involved in any secular conflict, that's what the Bible teaches us. We respect others' choice to serve in the military, but why can't they respect our choice not to serve?"
In the debate on whether the Witnesses should be exempted from serving, the principle of equality is usually cited to deter religious conscientious objectors from avoiding their obligatory duty.
However, Nigel N.T. Li (
"While women and the physically handicapped are exempted, for what reason can't we exempt Witnesses?" Li said.
"It's actually tougher to become a Witness than to do military training. For most of us it's almost impossible to live a life with no drinking, no smoking, no gaming and a restrained sexual life."
"There might be other people who want the exemption too and claim to be a Witness. But I bet they would quit as soon as they realize what a Witness' life is like," Li said.
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