16 Jehovah's Witnesses on trial in Russia

by LisaRose 6 Replies latest social current

  • LisaRose
    LisaRose

    I apologize if this has already been posted, the search function doesn't work on my Kindle tablet.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/sixteen-jehovahs-witnesses-may-be-russias-most-pacifist-extremists/2015/11/20/6e046610-8898-11e5-bd91-d385b244482f_story.html

    As much as I hate this religion, I don't see that it does any good for any religion to be banned. All it does is make martyrs out of people and make them even more determined to practice their faith. If you are busy defending yourself from attacks from the government you don't have time to think about the issues that exist within the religion itself. Many Jehovah's Witnesses who were put in concentration camps in Germany in WW2 went on to leave the religion after the war ended, they were willing to die for a religion they later abandoned, it wasn't that they had great faith, it was that the persecution made the situation very black and white.

    Officially, the Jehovah’s Witnesses were banned from Taganrog in 2009 for inciting religious hatred by “propagating the exclusivity and supremacy” of their own religion, a charge that defense lawyers say every major religion is guilty of. Unofficially, the case is a potent example of the bizarre and byzantine forms that anti-extremism legislation, primarily meant for violent nationalist and religious groups, can take in lower courts here.
  • the girl next door
    the girl next door

    ""propagating the exclusivity and supremacy” of their own religion"

    Many even on this forum will not agree with the stance Russia has taken because it encroaches on the freedoms of religion that Western democracy holds out. But this quote stands out to me. How can anyone really argue against it. Specifically if you have inside knowledge after escaping the cult? At the same time, many religions propagate their exclusivity. That Russia categorizes Watchtower with ISIS is also curious. It will be interesting to watch how this all plays out.

  • mana11
    mana11
    It is a CULT, It should be Banned!. All cults should be banned.
  • smiddy
    smiddy

    Instead of any country /Government banning a religion ,whether it be Jehovah`s Witnesses or any other religion , they should concentrate on an educational program in the wider community / nation , about the claims , hypocricy`s , contradictions , absurdities , history ,and any other questionable practices by the religion in question.

    And the first port of call for Governments / Country , would logically be those who have left the religion for one reason or another , because they are the ones who can give the most informative information to debunk the beliefs , claims ,of the religion and expose questionable practices .

    Those that leave a religion or belief system are best to test the validity of the claims made by religions.

    smiddy

  • Syme
    Syme

    I agree with the OP.

    The JWs do believe they have "supremacy" and "exclusivity", but then again, so does the Russian Orthodox Church. So, why doesn't the Russian court ban the Orthodox church, too? (a rhetoric question, obviously)

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    It is a CULT, It should be Banned!. All cults should be banned.

    The problem is when I get to decide that YOU are in a cult, but I am NOT.

    Doc

  • LoveUniHateExams
    LoveUniHateExams

    I largely agree with your OP, LisaRose.

    But, I must ask, how willing is the WT to reach some sort of compromise with the Russian government?

    “propagating the exclusivity and supremacy” of their own religion - agree with the girl next door, here. Who among us could argue against this summary of the WT 'preaching work?'

    It might be interesting to research the history of interactions between the WT and governments at this point. Does WT have a history of trying to reach a compromise with hardline governments?

    Did the Bible Students try to reach a compromise with the US government in 1917-19?

    Did Rutherford seek a compromise with Nazi Germany in WWW2?

    It would take a lot of empirical evidence to persuade me to abandon my prejudices ...

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