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Religious Persecution in Russia

Doug1943

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I wonder what the Putin-apologists will have to say about this.

The vile Russian Orthodox Church is eliminating competition, just as the gangster-oligarchs who dominate the economy assassinate rivals.
 
I wonder what the Putin-apologists will have to say about this.

The vile Russian Orthodox Church is eliminating competition, just as the gangster-oligarchs who dominate the economy assassinate rivals.

That's one of the big differences between a free society, and an autocratic regime. Freedom of religion is one of the cornerstones of freedom. Without it, a free society can't exist. Clearly, it does not exist in Russia, but then, we already knew that.
 
I wonder what the Putin-apologists will have to say about this.

The vile Russian Orthodox Church is eliminating competition, just as the gangster-oligarchs who dominate the economy assassinate rivals.

This has been happening for some time now...reminds me of Martin Niemoller's quote...

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

702018212_univ_cnt_01_md.jpg

Brother Arkadya Akopyan, a 70-year-old retired tailor from the Russian Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, will have his final day in court on December 21, 2018. He has been on trial in the Prohladniy District Court for over a year, defending himself against the accusation that he distributed “extremist” literature and ‘incited religious hatred’ during a Bible discourse at a Kingdom Hall.

In May 2018, the judge ordered the Russian Federal Center of Judicial Expert Studies, to examine a recording of Brother Akopyan’s discourse. On December 4, 2018, the court revealed the results of the so-called expert study, which claimed that Brother Akopyan made statements that incited hatred. It is uncertain whether the judge will issue a verdict on December 21. However, if convicted, Brother Akopyan faces a heavy fine or up to four years in prison.

Brother Akopyan is one of over 100 other Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia facing criminal charges for their faith. Consequently, we pray that all of our brothers and sisters who are standing firm in the faith continue to have the peace that only God can give.—Ephesians 6:11-14, 23.

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/russia/hearings-arkadya-akopyan-20181220/
 
I wonder what the Putin-apologists will have to say about this.

The vile Russian Orthodox Church is eliminating competition, just as the gangster-oligarchs who dominate the economy assassinate rivals.

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, this organization is a sect, its activities are prohibited in the territory of the Russian Federation. People there are brainwashed, they quit their jobs, visit homes of ordinary citizens (without any invitation) forcing to enter into religious discussions in order to convert to their faith, which they call no other than the "truth", which they impose very aggressively. Dissenters are threatened with eternal hell, many resort to personal insults. Ordinary citizens have a predominantly negative attitude towards them, not least because of the tough propaganda activities.
 
According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, this organization is a sect, its activities are prohibited in the territory of the Russian Federation. People there are brainwashed, they quit their jobs, visit homes of ordinary citizens (without any invitation) forcing to enter into religious discussions in order to convert to their faith, which they call no other than the "truth", which they impose very aggressively. Dissenters are threatened with eternal hell, many resort to personal insults. Ordinary citizens have a predominantly negative attitude towards them, not least because of the tough propaganda activities.
The best that Putin's apologists can do. But, hey, you will find wide agreement that JW's can be annoying ... just when you're trying for an extended snooze on Sunday morning, your doorbell rings ... so, in the civilized world, we just say "No, thank you" and shut the door. This is the way it will be in Russia some day as well.
 
According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, this organization is a sect, its activities are prohibited in the territory of the Russian Federation. People there are brainwashed, they quit their jobs, visit homes of ordinary citizens (without any invitation) forcing to enter into religious discussions in order to convert to their faith, which they call no other than the "truth", which they impose very aggressively. Dissenters are threatened with eternal hell, many resort to personal insults. Ordinary citizens have a predominantly negative attitude towards them, not least because of the tough propaganda activities.

Which is a lie...we are not aggressive in any way, unless you call talking to everyone we meet about the hope we have of the kingdom...and there is no eternal hell...lol...and we would never intentionally insult another person about their beliefs or lack thereof...everyone is entitled to their own thoughts/beliefs...we simply move on if a person says he's not interested...of course, there is always the possibility that person's circumstances will change and therefore he may become interested sometime in the future, so we do continue to call on him in the future for that reason...
 
Which is a lie...we are not aggressive in any way, unless you call talking to everyone we meet about the hope we have of the kingdom
Yes, I would consider that aggressive.
And are Jehovah’s Witnesses willing to listen to the beliefs of other religions or atheists?
 
Yes, I would consider that aggressive.
And are Jehovah’s Witnesses willing to listen to the beliefs of other religions or atheists?

Everyone is free to say they're not interested...even us...:2razz:

I have not had anyone come knocking on my door ever, wanting to talk about their faith, though...;)
 
Little known fact: The "Ring" doorbell was originally developed as a "Witness" notification device and was so effective it was taken nationally.


Russia should use their incredible military to develop
дверной звонок
 
The Kremlin labels JWs as "extremist" mainly because they refuse military conscription and refuse to cease proselytism.

The Putin regime actually has little patience for any religion except the traditional Russian Orthodox Church.

After Moscow illegally annexed the Ukraine oblast of Crimea, the Russian state came down hard on Western Christian faiths, and ordered such church's to register as "foreign agents" if they received even $1 from a foreign source.

The Kremlin is also very hard on the majority-Muslim Crimean Tatar people, persecuting them endlessly.

Russia Bans Jehovah’s Witnesses as Extremists

Human Rights Watch | Russia: Sweeping Arrests of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Why Putin’s persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses should worry us

Putin Is Persecuting Jews, Tatars and Christians in Crimea

Human Rights Watch - Crimea: Persecution of Crimean Tatars Intensifies

How Russia’s security services target Crimean Tatars as “Islamic terrorists”

UN report details grave human rights violations in Russian-occupied Crimea
 
Everyone is free to say they're not interested...even us...:2razz:
Of course. But asking others to listen to your beliefs and refusing to listen to theirs is hypocritical at best.
Personally, I i don’t ask anyone to listen to my beliefs and have little interest in hearing others’ except in certain contexts.
 
Of course. But asking others to listen to your beliefs and refusing to listen to theirs is hypocritical at best.
Personally, I i don’t ask anyone to listen to my beliefs and have little interest in hearing others’ except in certain contexts.

Nope, not when they don't come a knockin' it ain't...:2razz:
 
This is not simply a personal dislike for someone ringing a doorbell and proselytizing.

Russia has banned the JWs and is incarcerating them in penal colonies. This is little different than how Hitler's anti-JW policy began.
 
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Yet dozens of Jehovah's Witnesses are in prison in Russia.
 
I get a visit about once a month from the JWs, and have done for years. I invite them in for tea, and we talk about the world -- we rarely talk about religion (they know I'm a devout atheist). Towards the end of their stay, the senior of the two will utter a few ritual sentences, like "The Bible predicted this long ago..." or "The latest Awake! has a good article on this..." Then they leave me my complimentary copy of Awake! and are gone.

Although sometimes they arrive just at the wrong time, when I'm rushing to finish something, it's usually a pleasant break. I have a lot of time for the JWs ... they're the only people I would trust to administer the state [ie not loot the public coffers] in Africa. But, sadly, they are resolutely non-political. I also admire them for their moral courage: they refuse to fight in wars, or even to say the Pledge of Allegiance. (This has become something of a fad now, as the US rots away internally, but eighty years ago it took real guts for a kid to decline to do this.) In some countries they have been hung for their beliefs. On the negative side, they will let their innocent children die before getting a blood transfusion, which they regard as Bibically-prohibited cannibalism. But in Russia they're being persecuted by real cannibals.
 
An update on Bro. Arkadya Akopyan...

Judge Oleg Golovashko of the Prohladniy District Court in Russia announced the verdict in the case against Brother Arkadya Akopyan on Thursday, December 27. The court sentenced Brother Akopyan, a 70-year-old retired tailor, to 120 hours of community service based on the absurd accusation that he allegedly commissioned non-Witnesses to distribute extremist literature.

While Brother Akopyan was not sentenced to prison, this conviction is a gross violation of human rights. Therefore, the ruling will be appealed to a higher court.

In the coming weeks, we anticipate a judgment on the case involving Dennis Christensen. We pray that Jehovah continues to support and comfort our brothers and sisters in Russia who are facing imprisonment for their faith.—2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17.

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/russia/court-convicts-arkadya-akopyan-20181227/
 
Eastern Orthodox persecutor...

Did they forget All the Greek and just go balls out?
 
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