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Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to salute national flags?

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Three Jehovah's Witnesses stand beside literature carts, holding religious magazines, at the Star Ferry Pier under a blue sign for City Hall and MTR Station in Hong Kong. — Jehovah’s Witness Adherents of the Jehovah's Witness movement distributing literature about their faith in Hong Kong, China.

Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to salute national flags because they believe that doing so constitutes an act of false worship.1

Their stance is rooted in a strict interpretation of the Bible, which they view as forbidding the veneration of symbols. Because they consider the flag to be an object of worship, they maintain that saluting it would violate their exclusive devotion to God. This practice is part of their broader commitment to maintaining a strict separation from secular government and political institutions, which also includes refusing to perform military service or participate in public elections.12

These beliefs have historically led to significant legal challenges regarding religious freedom. Notably, in the landmark case West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that compelling students to salute the flag was an unconstitutional violation of their freedom of speech and religion, affirming that the government cannot force citizens to express beliefs against their will.3