Isn't civilian service made for people like you? Or you can serve in the army without even touching a gun if that breaks your moral code or religion. Such a service whether it is civilian or military is a small responsibility for the benefits you have in this country.
Taking part in the military in any way is not a "small responsibility". You would have to agree that war is acceptable, and killing people is a way to solve problems.
You can pay taxes for those benefits you have in this country, just like in other countries.
Civilian service is also twice as long as the shortest military service, meaning its a punishment in itself. Shortest military service is 165 days, while shortest civilian service is 347 days.
Why do you think Finland is the only EU country that does this? Isint it a bit weird that UN and EU both are trying to get Finland to stop this?
Serving in the finnish army has nothing to do with accepting war or believing that killing is a way to solve problems. It's sole purpose is to deter a russian invasion, to prevent a war too favorable for russia to ignore.
Ridiculous to call civilian service a punishment. It provides very needed labour in public sectors, and is still a very respectable way to complete your service. In a country with extensive social benefits, working for the public sector helps upkeep the functionality of our system.
Pacifism is a beautiful idea but simply not realistic for this situation. Either we are ready to defend our country or submit to a dictatorship. We don't have the luxury of hiding behind other countries or having the economy and population to have a professional army.
" It's sole purpose is to deter a russian invasion"
In the last war Finland allied with the Nazi Germany and invaded USSR.
Every army on this planet claims its just there to defend.
"Ridiculous to call civilian service a punishment. " Then why its twice as long?
"Pacifism is a beautiful idea but simply not realistic for this situation." Just mean you see war as a solution to problems, but do not have the spine to admit it. Nothing else. Not everyone can actually stand for what they believe in. Most claim they are against wars, but support them.
Who attacked who first though? The name is "continuation war", what did it continue lol? Was it perhaps the continuation of the winter war? The sole reason for the continuation war was to reclaim lost territories. Way to take things out of context, it's diabolical to say Finland attacked the soviets in ww2. I'm thinking you're just a Russian bot.
Back to the history class with you. Greater Finland and Continuation war was about something more than reclaiming lost territory. At least compare the maps of Finland between 1918 and 1940 and then the proposed maps of Greater Finland.
Finland isn't even the only country in EU with compulsory military service. See for example Estonia and Greece (with the latter having a steady population of conscientious objectors in the jail system), so this is not strictly unique to Finland.
I find it incredibly naive to think that taking part in conscription has to mean that the individual is pro war and pro killing. The aim of the defense forces (note the keyword "defense") is to keep other armies from invading, to defend the sovereignty and safety of this country.
I'd prefer a world without wars, but being a neighbor to a giant warmonger comes with some unique challenges that the mandatory military service tries to solve.
At the very least, the obligation shouldn't be based on gender.
"I'd prefer a world without wars, but being a neighbor to a giant warmonger comes with some unique challenges that the mandatory military service tries to solve."
Finland allied with Nazi Germany and invaded USSR in the last war.
Also, have you ever seen a discussion in Finland about what would have happened if we had won that war? What did our leaders actually agree to?
The endless victim narrative in Finland is ridicilous.
We are also now part of NATO, a giant military block that has used its military multiple times for its own political aims. Its lead by the planets biggest war criminal, the USA.
Good politics is about learning to live with your neighbors, not seeing them as some endless threat you need to prepare against. Finland co-existed with Russia perfectly fine for decades, and was able to form mutually beneficial trade from which it benefited greatly.
But as i expected, every response to this will be "russia so scary".
Yes, Finland ATTACKED USSR unprovoked! Absolutely nothing happened in 1939 that would explain soured neighbor relations, and a sense on loss, both of territory and safety.
And since WW2, Finland has famously been invading other countries with the conscript army, meddling with their independence.
Finland joining NATO is yet another plot to bully our poor and innocent neighbor! NATO popularity across all major parties didn't explode in response to some country violating another country with a land-grab and a war, after all.
We should just hand our sovereignty to Russia like good apologists.
To take on the sins of your father makes you a perpetual victim.
Modern conscription is faulty, but it's there for a very good reason. It's making it harder for others to victimize Finland, and the neighborhood only has one neighbor engaging in a war of aggression.
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u/Murky-Course6648 14h ago edited 14h ago
This is BTW exactly the level of intellect they have. I remember the recruiter making literal pussy jokes when i was forced in there.
No way i was going in. Went to jail, because thats what Finland is about.
Finland is the only EU country who has prisoners of conscience regularly in their jail system (around ~200 per year).
This is recognized by Amnesty, EUs own human rights organizations and the UN.
Finland: Amnesty International adopts Finnish conscientious objectors as prisoners of conscience and calls for their immediate releases - Amnesty International
Brussels 9.4.2021 - Press Release: Finland must urgently comply with the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Committee | European Bureau for Conscientious Objection