Is Russia "right" about presecuting Jehovah's Witnesses?

by iliketreasure 40 Replies latest jw friends

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  iliketreasure

  Jehovah's Witnesses are presecuted in Russia. On par with the IS and other terroristic groups. It happened when the anti-extremism laws were extended to non-violent groups.

  I don't believe that Russia actually cares for the well-being of their citizens with this move and probably merely a law to stop other political forces (and the jws are one in a way, since their gather authority over large groups of people and also have their own political and judicial institutiona), but are they right about it anyway?

  I think the JWs are extremists for sure and even though they stay non-violent, they sure pose real psychological danger to those who come under their influence. They also try to gain political power over people all over the world.

  So the category can be right. I don't agree on the way it is carried out. You can't stop a religious cult by force, except by imprison almost every single person who believes in it. cults are structured in a way that they need an enemy to unite their people. It reassures JW's that their believe is correct, just as with other extremist groups. That's why the WatchTower loves reporting it over and over with many heartbreaking emotional details and wrongings to create more hate towards the enemy they need.

  Also most JW's are mostly just victims, who needs help instead of presecution. Things get worse when its handled loke in Russia. Knowledge and education is the better tool. I know for sure I was a victim, when I was dub and I feel sorry for Russian JW's being presecuted for things Rutherford created and not even understanding why, since they feel they're just "good christians".

  What do you think?
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  Tobyjones262

  Its not persecution in my book. I know it may fit the strict def. But its like saying a rapist is being persecuted. They are destructive. They cause problems in families and countries. They don't bring together they separate. I would be for a world wide ban.
  
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  Simon

  Claiming that the JWs are extremists on a par with ISIS or are like rapists is totally unrealistic.

  They are usually law abiding and peaceful citizens and banning them is persecution likely driven by them being a Christian sect.

  It should be condemned for what it is, not supported just because we don't happen to like the WTS.
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  Tobyjones262

  I think that the WBTS may not be bombers but they are destructive non the less. Most other religions do not destroy family's and use mind control to force their converts to toe the line. I think a good step would be to strip them of tax exempt status. You don't have to go the Russia rout just take away their tax status and you have given a death strike. Let them keep their property just tax the crap out of it.
  
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  john.prestor

  I agree with Simon. People can and should believe what they want.
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  stillMS

  The last reason Russia banned JWs is because of Jdubs being 'destructive' and caring for people's well-being. The only thing they need now (similarly, to JWs, BTW) is not to loose full control of minds/behavior of the people they're robbing.
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  Giordano

  Whats behind this 'crackdown' of the JW's:

  The Russian Orthodox Church has become the de facto official religion due to a close relationship with Putin.

  https://www.apnews.com/392856ef9df44ecc80c3a29cf7fd3ac9
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  Incognito

  ... just take away their tax status and you have given a death strike. Let them keep their property just tax the crap out of it.
  

  If that happened, I expect WT would then place further burden on R&F JWs to make-up for the increased expense.
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  cofty

  Putin is promoting a form of Russian nationalism called ‘Eurasianism’ that links national identity with ethnicity and geography. The Russian Orthodox Church is an important part of that identity. No opposition will be tolerated.

  Russia is not a democracy let alone a liberal one. It does not even see personal freedoms as a virtue. It values the collective over the individual and submits to a leader who brooks no opposition — much like the Governing Body.

  Anybody who cares about freedom and democracy must condemn Putin's attack on the Watchtower. Sadly many self-satisfied, smug, Chomsky-loving, pseudo-intellectuals in the West have fallen 'hook line and sinker' for Putin's anti-democratic propaganda. They have no clue how many of the tropes they echo on social media originated in Putin's Russia.

  JWs should be free to preach their bullshit in every country on earth. Freedom does not just belong to people we agree with.

  See Black, Wind, White Snow — The Rise of Russia's New Nationalism by Charles Clover and The Invention of Russia by Arkady Ostrovsky.
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  sparky1

  No religion, including Jehovah's Witnesses, deserves to be banned by any government. Freedom of speech, even speech we don't like or approve of should be guarded at all costs. Period. End of discussion. They have the freedom to publish all the bullshit that they want and we have the freedom to counter it without fear of reprisal or censorship.

  Thank you Giordano for the link to that article. Most people do not realize that Kirill the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and Putin have a history together. Putin believes that Kirill's father baptized his mother and himself when he was a baby. Kirill has Putin's ear and influences him accordingly. Orthodoxy is part of Russian social identity and Putin and Kirill will brook no religious competition in their efforts to unite the hearts and minds of the Russian people. There is now a Ukrainian branch of the Orthodox church has decided to break away from the 'mother' church and that has Putin and Kirill pissed.