MOSCOW - A Russian court has banned the Jehovah's Witnesses from Moscow. The ruling means the sect has lost its legal status and can be barred from holding organizing meetings.
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I don't know alot about what goes on in Russia. Is the banning of religions a normal practice over there?
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posted
As far as I know, banning Polish catholic priests from entering Russia is common practise there. This is the next step, it seems.
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posted
Okay. I did a bit of googling and reading on the subject. Jehova's Witnesses are not the only ones with problems in Russia, it seems. Baptists, Mormons, Pentecostals, and almost every other religious group which is not the Russian Orthodox Church seem to be having to fight for their right to exist.
BTW-- It was a very odd experience for me to read some of the terrible, and terribly written, attacks against the Jehovah's Witnesses as I researched this issue. I am familiar with anti-Mormonism, and the generally bitter atmosphere that populates their literature-- it was a shock to see, hey, we're not the only religion other folks call a cult.
Which helps me to remember that when I want information on a religion, the best place to go is the adherents.
EDIT:
Pertinent passage from d_h's first link:
quote:a news service in Bashkortostan reported that the chief federal inspector and the deputy chief of the republic’s FSB held a public meeting on security issues. During the meeting, the officials reportedly warned that non-traditional religions are used by foreign organizations to undermine the country's security. Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, the True Orthodox Church, the New Apostle Church, Aum Shinrikyo, and Satanists were named as dangerous sects. In September, Secretary Rushaylo of the Russian Security Council accused non-traditional religious confessions of acting at times beyond the limits of the law, calling for adequate responses by law enforcement structures.
Lotsa stuff in that link there:
quote:The Jehovah's Witnesses Organization cites two cases in which courts have reportedly discriminated against their religion in cases of child custody. In Dagestan, in April 2002, a mother lost custody of her two children to an absentee father. As a result, his parents are raising the children. The case has been appealed to the European Court of Human Rights. On June 19, a court in Bashkortostan ordered a mother not to take her children to worship services. The case has been appealed to the Supreme Court.
[ March 27, 2004, 04:28 PM: Message edited by: Scott R ]
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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quote:Actually, they're just practicing to see if it can work in the US. After all, it's got to seem "feasable" to the two or three legislators who would disagree over here.
I mean, come on: only Christians deserve to exist.
Where the hell did that come from? JW's have been the immediate beneficiaries of several Supreme Court decisions to protect their rights.
Granted, the fact that a court decision was necessary means someone was attempting to violate their rights. But the safeguards put in place worked for them.
posted
Hmmm. I didn't think he meant the legislators would actually do it. But that last sentence is hard to misinterpret, I think...
Edit: I'm sure the last sentence was sarcasm, what I meant was I don't see any way to interpret it except that John thinks actions taken on the basis of that sentiment are imminent.
posted
No you see Christians hate non-Christians. It's something you have to do, like communion. Out sole purpose is through legislature, violence, and divine wrath to destroy any other religious group.
The ignorence exhibited is sickening.
Posts: 650 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
I've actually been having Bible Study with some Jehovah's Witnesses (yeah, I know for other LDS this is like the "discussions") They don't believe in "The Trinity" (as LDS do not) though they don't believe the Holy Spirit is separate from God.
I also found out that the one lady who always visits is a distant relative of mine (also descended from John Taylor). It's funny that in five discussions, none of the things I generally hear returned missionaries complain about have come up. That mainly being the 144,000 elders or the blood thing. But I'm sure that's next week.
Military service (or lack thereof) has come up, and an explanation of the no holidays thing that I had never heard before. It's because they observe only one holiday, the last supper, which is only once a year. It makes a lot more sense than the rationale I had come to understand of them eschewing idolatry. Though it was pretty embarassing the second time they visited my son asked them if they wanted to watch "The Nightmare before Christmas."
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