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Russia bans Jehovah's Witnesses and confiscates their property


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2017 May 12, 1:02pm   5,114 views  15 comments

by dublin hillz   ➕follow (1)   💰tip   ignore  

https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/europe/item/25996-to-fight-extremism-russia-bans-jehovahs-witnesses

"Under the guise of battling “extremism,” Russian authorities decided last month to ban the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization. The decision to prohibit the organization, seize its property, and shut down its operations came in the form of a Supreme Court ruling upholding a request from the Russian Ministry of Justice. The estimated 170,000 Russian adherents are forbidden from meeting or worshiping, and could risk jail for doing so. Some of the group's literature and publications were already banned in Russia as “extremist,” and now, all of it is. The move follows similar attacks on religious freedom by Russian authorities aimed at evangelical Christians and other Christian denominations.

According to the Interfax news service, Russian Justice Ministry attorney Svetlana Borisova told the Russian Supreme Court that the Jehovah’s Witnesses “pose a threat to the rights of the citizens, public order and public security.” Among other concerns, Borisova noted that the group's religious-based opposition to blood transfusions was a violation of Russia's healthcare laws. The state also claimed that the Jehovah’s Witnesses were violating a 2002 Russian law banning “extremism,” a statute that has been weaponized and abused to harass multiple religious groups, particularly Christian organizations and denominations not affiliated with the Russian state.

The Supreme Court agreed with the Justice Ministry that the Jehovah’s Witnesses were extreme, and therefore upheld the ban on April 20. Under the verdict, Judge Yury Ivanenko ordered the disbanding of all 400 local branches of the group, as well as the confiscation of their property by the government. The court cited a wide array of publications and documents — some of which the organization claimed were planted by authorities — in justifying the ban and asset forfeiture. The ruling makes all religious activity by adherents of the organization, which prosecutors described as a “sect” and a “cult,” illegal and punishable as “extremism” under criminal law. An effort days later seeking to have the order declared illegal was denied."

#politics

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1   Patrick   2017 May 12, 1:46pm  

Interesting. The Nazis also banned Jehovah's Witnesses.

I don't understand the real reason. They are a cult, sure, but so what?

2   Rew   2017 May 12, 2:13pm  

rando says

I don't understand the real reason.

When your people are angry and suffering you can unite them against fringe other groups. This helps you cement your own control and allows you to wield the fear of the masses as a weapon.

3   MisdemeanorRebel   2017 May 12, 2:14pm  

How's Scientology doing in Europe? Mostly not recognized as a religion, and their legal status is still under question in Germany and France.

Anybody really believe that religious groups that ban blood transfusions shouldn't be banned?

Somebody's kid dies because they don't believe in blood transfusions or vaccines, I say shut the whole thing down.

Most countries in the world allow the sexual freedom like prostitution. People literally don't believe me when I tell them it's banned in America.
"No, they make so many Pornos, but they don't have legal prostitution? You're pulling my leg."

If Americans participate in prostitution, you can lose your property as well. By the way - Americans can and will be prosecuted for prostitution by the USG even if it happens outside the USA.

4   curious2   2017 May 12, 2:18pm  

rando says

I don't understand the real reason.

They proselytize door to door. You can filter crazy religious groups into two categories:
1) out of sight, out of mind;
2) evangelists who knock on your door maybe while you're away, and try to convert your kids.
If you visualize it, you can feel the reason. Probably they knocked on too many influential doors.

5   dublin hillz   2017 May 12, 2:19pm  

rando says

Interesting. The Nazis also banned Jehovah's Witnesses.

I don't understand the real reason. They are a cult, sure, but so what?

When a government gets to decide who is extremist, it cements their power.
This move lessens competition for Orthodox Church which toes the party line.
Confiscation of assets is a hard habit to forget from the communist past....

6   Patrick   2017 May 12, 2:22pm  

Ah, this sounds like it could be the problem:

Jehovah's Witnesses believe their allegiance belongs to God's Kingdom, which they view as an actual government. They refrain from saluting the flag of any country or singing nationalistic songs, which they believe are forms of worship, although they may stand out of respect. They also refuse to participate in military service—even when it is compulsory—and do not become involved in politics.

7   MisdemeanorRebel   2017 May 12, 2:26pm  

Hey Dublin Hillz, can you practice Christianity (or Hinduism or Buddhism or anything besides Sunni Islam), even behind closed doors, in Saudi Arabia?

What sanctions are you suggesting the Western World as Liberals, impose on the Gulf States? An oil ban?

8   dublin hillz   2017 May 12, 2:29pm  

Lashkar_i_Trumpi says

Hey Dublin Hillz, can you practice Christianity (or Hinduism or Buddhism or anything besides Sunni Islam), even behind closed doors, in Saudi Arabia?

What sanctions are you suggesting the Western World as Liberals, impose on the Gulf States? An oil ban?

No one has suggested that we emulate the saudis or their social structure. However, certain alt right elements and their sympathizers have presented Russia as en example for America to follow. This is a crucial difference that needs to be taken into account.

9   Patrick   2017 May 12, 2:49pm  

Who ever said Russia is an example we should follow?

I did make the point that Russia is far closer to American values than Saudi Arabia is.

So why all the attention on Russia, while Saudi Arabia's massive and ongoing human rights violations are ignored?

10   NDrLoR   2017 May 12, 3:12pm  

rando says

do not become involved in politics

Probably won't find many on Pat.net!

11   MisdemeanorRebel   2017 May 12, 3:15pm  

dublin hillz says

No one has suggested that we emulate the saudis or their social structure. However, certain alt right elements and their sympathizers have presented Russia as en example for America to follow. This is a crucial difference that needs to be taken into account.

Nope, Russia is not an example we should follow. But it's far, far, far, far closer to us in terms of values than Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, and Bahrain.

The same neoliberal elements that flip out on Russia are the same that ignore rape victims being lashed in Saudi Arabia, or tanks crushing the majority population demanding rights in minority-ruled Bahrain.

12   RWSGFY   2017 May 12, 5:04pm  

rando says

Interesting. The Nazis also banned Jehovah's Witnesses.

And this is only one of many similarities.

13   CBOEtrader   2017 May 12, 5:09pm  

rando says

Who ever said Russia is an example we should follow?

I did make the point that Russia is far closer to American values than Saudi Arabia is.

So why all the attention on Russia, while Saudi Arabia's massive and ongoing human rights violations are ignored?

We hold white people to a higher standard. There is no other possible explanation for this. We are racist as fuck.

14   Strategist   2017 May 12, 7:19pm  

Why don't they just ban Islam? Is there any doubt Islam is a radical extremist religion?

15   MisdemeanorRebel   2017 May 12, 7:26pm  

Strategist says

Why don't they just ban Islam? Is there any doubt Islam is a radical extremist religion?

Most Muslims inside Russia smoke and drink vodka, and that's just the women. There are only small population of radical Muslims, living up in the Mountains of the Caucasus, funded by Saudi Arabia, that are the troublesome ones.

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