bruceq

WHY IS VLADIMIR PUTIN'S RUSSIA SO AFRAID OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES?
BY MATHEW SCHMALZ ON 7/19/17 AT 7:36 AM         CLOS     OPINIONPUTINVLADIMIR PUTINJEHOVAH'S WITNESSESRELIGION IN RUSSIAEXTREMISM This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
On Monday, July 17, the Russian Supreme Court rejected an appeal of an earlier rulingsanctioning Jehovah’s Witnesses as an extremist group. As a last ditch effort, Russian Jehovah’s Witnesses intend to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. But, as of now, Jehovah’s Witness gatherings and preaching are criminal offenses in Russia. The Russian government also has the legal authority to liquidate any property held by Jehovah’s Witnesses as an organization.
There are over eight million Jehovah’s Witnesses in 240 countries worldwide. Russia, with a population of more than 150 million, has a total of 117,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses—one Jehovah’s Witness per 850 people.
Daily Emails and Alerts - Get the best of Newsweek delivered to your inbox
Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and why would the Russian, or any, government consider them to be a threat?
Early history
The story of Jehovah’s Witnesses begins in the late 19th century near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a group of students studying the Bible. The group was led by Charles Taze Russell, a religious seeker from a Presbyterian background. These students understood “Jehovah,” a version of the Hebrew “Yaweh,” to be the name of God the Father himself.
Russell and his followers looked forward to Jesus Christ establishing a “millennium” or a thousand-year period of peace on Earth. This “Golden Age” would see the Earth transformed to its original purity, with a “righteous” social system that would not have poverty or inequality.
Russell died in 1916 without witnessing the return of Jesus Christ.
But his group endured and grew. The name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” was formally adopted in the 1930s.
Early Jehovah’s Witnesses believed 1914 to be the beginning of the end of worldly governmentsthat would culminate with the Battle of Armageddon. Armageddon specifically refers to Mount Megiddo in Israel where some Christians believe the final conflict between good and evil will take place. Jehovah’s Witnesses, however, expected that the Battle of Armageddon would be worldwide with Jesus leading a “heavenly army” to defeat the enemies of God.
They also believed that after Armageddon, Jesus would rule the world from heaven with 144,000 “faithful Christians,” as specified in the Book of Revelation. Other faithful Christians would be reunited with dead loved ones and live on a renewed Earth.
Over the years, Jehovah’s Witnesses have reinterpreted elements of this timeline and have abandoned setting specific dates for the return of Jesus Christ. But they still look forward to the Golden Age that Russell and his Bible students expected.
Given the group’s belief in a literal thousand-year earthly reign of Christ, scholars of religion classify Jehovah’s Witnesses as a “millennarian movement.”
What are their beliefs?
Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the Trinity. For most Christians, God is a union of three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Instead, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus is distinct from God—not united as one person with him. The “Holy Spirit,” then, refers to God’s active power. Such doctrines distinguish Jehovah’s Witnesses from mainline Christian denominations, all of which hold that God is “triune” in nature.
But like other Christian denominations, Jehovah’s Witnesses praise God through worship and song. Their gathering places are called “Kingdom Halls,” which are ordinary-looking buildings – like small conference centers—that have the advantage of being easily built. Inside are rows of chairs and a podium for speakers, but little special adornment. Jehovah’s Witnesses are best known for devoting a substantial amount of time to Bible study and door-to-door evangelizing.
Their biblical interpretations and missionary work certainly have critics. But it is the political neutrality of the group that has attracted the most suspicion.
Jehovah’s Witnesses accept the legitimate authority of government in many matters. For example, they pay taxes, following Jesus’ admonition in Mark 12:17 “to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.”
But they do not vote in elections, serve in the military or salute the flag. Such acts, they believe, compromise their primary loyalty to God.
A history of persecution
Jehovah’s Witnesses have no political affiliations, and they renounce violence. However, they make an easy target for governments looking for internal enemies, as they refuse to bow down to government symbols. Many nationalists call them “enemies of the state.”
As a result, they have often suffered persecution throughout history in many parts of the world.
Jehovah’s Witnesses were jailed as draft evaders in the U.S. during both world wars. In a Supreme Court ruling in 1940, school districts were allowed to expel Jehovah’s Witnesses who refused to salute the American flag. Through subsequent legal battles in the 1940s and 1950s, Jehovah Witnesses helped expand safeguards for religious liberty and freedom of conscienceboth in the United States and Europe.
In Nazi Germany, Jehovah’s Witnesses were killed in concentration camps; a purple triangle was used by the Nazis to mark them. In the 1960s and ‘70’s, scores of African Jehovah’s Witnesses were slaughtered by members of The Youth League of the Malawi Congress Party for refusing to support dictator Hastings Banda. Many Witnesses fled to neighboring Mozambique, where they were held in internment camps.
Now it is Russia.
The Russian Supreme Court maintains that the country needs to be protected from disloyal religious fanatics.
But given their commitment to God above all things, Jehovah’s Witnesses see themselves as being persecuted by those who value loyalty to country over any other principle. They also believe that the Russian government has “trampled on the guarantees of their own laws.”
Many Jehovah’s Witnesses still attach a great importance to dates. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses are filled with foreboding, as April 20, the day the Russian Supreme Court first ruled against them, is also the birthday of Adolf Hitler.
Their memories of persecution have not faded with time.
Mathew Schmalz is associate professor of religion at College of the Holy Cross.

"little wife" is googles translation for our lawyer Zhenkov

Foreign reaction to Supreme Court ruling quick
EU STICKS UP FOR RUSSIAN JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Interfax.ru, 18 July 2017
 
Russian Jehovah's Witnesses, like all other religious groups, should have the possibility of enjoying freedom of assembly, the press secretary of the European External Action Service declared on Tuesday.
 
Yesterday the Supreme Court turned down the appeal of the Russian Jehovah's Witnesses of the ban of the organization and its liquidation on the basis of a lawsuit by the Russian Ministry of Justice.
 
"Jehovah's Witnesses, like all other religious groups, should have the possibility of peacefully enjoying freedom of assembly without interference, which is guaranteed by the constitution of the Russian federation and also by Russia's international obligations and international standards in the area of human rights" a statement of the press secretary of the European External Action Service, which was distributed by the embassy of the EU in Russia, says.
 
"This ban has already led to criminal prosecutions of Jehovah's Witnesses and also to police raids in places of worship, deliberate arson, and other forms of repression," the European Union's declaration says.
 
On 20 April, the Russian Supreme Court ruled, on the basis of a lawsuit by the Russian Ministry of Justice, that Russian Jehovah's Witnesses are an extremist organization and prohibited its activity on the territory of the country. On 17 July, the Supreme Court left without change its previous decision on the liquidation of all registered organizations. According to the ruling, the parent organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" is liquidated, as well as 395 regional divisions. The organization's property, according to the court's decision, was turned over as state income.
 
The lawsuit against the religious organization was filed on 15 March, at a time when, by order of the Ministry of Justice before consideration of the suit in the Supreme Court of the RF, the work of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia was suspended because of extremist activity. The press service of the ministry told Interfax that the lawsuit was filed on the basis of results of an unscheduled documentary inspection conducted from 8 to 27 February 2017, on the correspondence of the activity of the religious organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" with the goals and tasks declared in its charter. According to information of the Ministry of Justice, "the activity of the organization is conducted with violations of charter goals and tasks and also of existing legislation of the RF, including federal law 'On combating extremist activity.'"
 
In addition to the appellate complaint in the Russian Supreme Court, Russian Jehovah's Witnesses have turned to the European Court of Human Rights, a representative of the organization, Sergei Cherepanov, told Interfax earlier. (tr. by PDS, posted 18 July 2017)

Foreign reaction to Supreme Court ruling quick
EU STICKS UP FOR RUSSIAN JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Interfax.ru, 18 July 2017
 
Russian Jehovah's Witnesses, like all other religious groups, should have the possibility of enjoying freedom of assembly, the press secretary of the European External Action Service declared on Tuesday.
 
Yesterday the Supreme Court turned down the appeal of the Russian Jehovah's Witnesses of the ban of the organization and its liquidation on the basis of a lawsuit by the Russian Ministry of Justice.
 
"Jehovah's Witnesses, like all other religious groups, should have the possibility of peacefully enjoying freedom of assembly without interference, which is guaranteed by the constitution of the Russian federation and also by Russia's international obligations and international standards in the area of human rights" a statement of the press secretary of the European External Action Service, which was distributed by the embassy of the EU in Russia, says.
 
"This ban has already led to criminal prosecutions of Jehovah's Witnesses and also to police raids in places of worship, deliberate arson, and other forms of repression," the European Union's declaration says.
 
On 20 April, the Russian Supreme Court ruled, on the basis of a lawsuit by the Russian Ministry of Justice, that Russian Jehovah's Witnesses are an extremist organization and prohibited its activity on the territory of the country. On 17 July, the Supreme Court left without change its previous decision on the liquidation of all registered organizations. According to the ruling, the parent organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" is liquidated, as well as 395 regional divisions. The organization's property, according to the court's decision, was turned over as state income.
 
The lawsuit against the religious organization was filed on 15 March, at a time when, by order of the Ministry of Justice before consideration of the suit in the Supreme Court of the RF, the work of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia was suspended because of extremist activity. The press service of the ministry told Interfax that the lawsuit was filed on the basis of results of an unscheduled documentary inspection conducted from 8 to 27 February 2017, on the correspondence of the activity of the religious organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" with the goals and tasks declared in its charter. According to information of the Ministry of Justice, "the activity of the organization is conducted with violations of charter goals and tasks and also of existing legislation of the RF, including federal law 'On combating extremist activity.'"
 
In addition to the appellate complaint in the Russian Supreme Court, Russian Jehovah's Witnesses have turned to the European Court of Human Rights, a representative of the organization, Sergei Cherepanov, told Interfax earlier. (tr. by PDS, posted 18 July 2017)

Between a man with no spiritual qualifications (self assessed), and an inability to evaluate things spiritually? Sorry James. I don't follow your reasoning this time. 

Better back off, Trom. Just wait till you hear his answer.
 
Since they haven't explained anything else, I wouldn't hold my breath.

They already did with Dvorkin and the anti-cultists venom against us saying EXACTLY what you James just said. Except Putin unknowingly already destroyed that entire concept that we destroy families just last month with the award given to a Witness family for "family values". But they don't care as this is all political.

"Jehovah’s Witnesses spokesman David Semonian said in a statement that “it’s very concerning that despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, powerful elements within Russia continue to frame our organization as extremist.”
http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/russian-supreme-court-upholds-ban-on-jehovahs-witnesses/
 

They already did with Dvorkin and the anti-cultists venom against us saying EXACTLY what you James just said. Except Putin unknowingly already destroyed that entire concept that we destroy families just last month with the award given to a Witness family for "family values". But they don't care as this is all political.

News Alerts
 
BREAKING NEWS | Russian Supreme Court Rejects Appeal by Jehovah’s Witnesses
 
Today, the Appellate Chamber of Russia’s Supreme Court ruled against Jehovah’s Witnesses, upholding the April 20 decision to liquidate their Administrative Center and effectively ban their worship. Despite this outcome, we are confident that Jehovah will continue to support our brothers in Russia. (Hebrews 13:6) Please continue to “carry on prayer” for them.—2 Thessalonians 3:1
JW.org

12  “But before all these things happen, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you,+ handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name.+ 13  It will result in your giving a witness." LUKE 21:12,13.

Jehovah sees all and will use this and other events affecting his named people to further his will. We just need to have faith and rely on the blessings from Jehovah. Keep our eyes on the prize and pray for endurance for all the brotherhood.  

19:10 July 17, 2017 the Supreme Court of Russia has missed the last chance to restore law and justice for the 175,000 Russian citizens professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Only a 20-minute meeting took a panel of three Supreme Court judges, to leave unchanged the decision taken earlier by the judge Yuri Ivanenko, the liquidation and ban any and all registered organizations of the religion. Since there is no more effective domestic remedies, the believers will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights and other international organizations.

Moscow   17 July, 19:45SporPRe   TASS NEWS   Russian Supreme Court upholds ruling to disband Jehovah's Witnesses organization
Society & Culture  July 17, 19:42 UTC+3  The resolution took immediate effect
Share 0                               © Artyom Korotayev/TASS MOSCOW, July 17. /TASS/. Appeals college of the Russian Supreme Court has upheld an earlier ruling of the court to quality the Jehovah's Witnesses center as an extremist organization, to disband it and to ban its activities on the Russian territory.
By passing the resolution, the appeals college down an appeal filed by the Jehovah's Witnesses.
 
READ ALSO Jehovah's Witnesses lawyer asks Russian Supreme Court to question religious expert
 
"The passed by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on April 20 shall remain unchanged and the appeal shall not be entertained," the presiding judge said.
The resolution took immediate effect.
  The defense attorneys of Jehovah’s Witnesses are planning to appeal the ruling of the Russian Supreme Court on disbanding the organization at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), attorney Viktor Zhenkov said.
"The chapter has not been closed yet. Since the Supreme Court has violated not only Russia’s legislation but also the norms of international law, we will appeal this decision at the ECHR," Zhenkov said.
More:http://tass.com/society/956654

12  “But before all these things happen, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you,+ handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name.+ 13  It will result in your giving a witness." LUKE 21:12,13.

12  “But before all these things happen, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you,+ handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name.+ 13  It will result in your giving a witness." LUKE 21:12,13.

19:10 July 17, 2017 the Supreme Court of Russia has missed the last chance to restore law and justice for the 175,000 Russian citizens professing the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses. Only a 20-minute meeting took a panel of three Supreme Court judges, to leave unchanged the decision taken earlier by the judge Yuri Ivanenko, the liquidation and ban any and all registered organizations of the religion. Since there is no more effective domestic remedies, the believers will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights and other international organizations.

Public statement of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
February 24, 2017 Trying to complete ban Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia
  Fulfilling the current legislation on countering extremist activity, centralized religious organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" makes a public statement that has no relation to the grounds of extremism and events described in the judicial acts on administrative liability, as well as the recognition local extremist religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, entering into its structure.
Religious organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" does not charge local religious organizations within its structure, as well as individual believers distribute, store or otherwise use literature after its inclusion in the federal list of extremist materials.
The program of worship of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia does not include a study of informational materials that are prohibited by law.
Religious organization "Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia" does not agree with the actions of individuals who bring in liturgical publications of Jehovah's Witnesses building, included in the federal list of extremist materials. For each fact planted the banned literature believers seek a statement to law enforcement agencies to prosecute those responsible.

"strongly objected" apparently one of the three Judges has an attitude against us.
no surprise here

Images from the courtroom:

outside court from earlier: 

15:45    The representative of the Administrative Center Kalin upheld the appeal and explain the lawyers. The right to present his case transferred to the representative of the Ministry of Justice Borisova.
15:50    The Ministry of Justice considers that a court decision banning Jehovah's Witnesses had been lawful and justified. Borisov says that every religion has the right to spread their beliefs and attitudes, however, the wording should not offend the followers of other religions.

15:35    Omelchenko indicates that there has been a violation of the right to freedom of religion, expression and association, as guaranteed by Art. Art. 9, 10, 11 of the Convention. For example, he drew attention to the requirement of international law that state intervention should be provided by law. In particular, the law must be certain and its application foreseeable. Omelchenko on the materials of the case shows that the use of anti-extremist legislation Jehovah's Witnesses is uncertain and unpredictable.
15:40    International law requires that state interference pursued a legitimate aim and was necessary in a democratic society. Omelchenko notes that the 100-year history not recorded any extremist manifestations on the part of Jehovah's Witnesses. But after this decision, a huge number of believers suffered groundless violation of their rights.
 

15:10 Novakov drew attention to paragraph 34 of Resolution number 16 of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on June 15, 2010. Plenum explained that "new facts" (that is, the facts revealed during the 12 months following the issuance of the warning) may not be recognized as the violations that were revealed after the warning, but allowed in the materials distributed earlier this warning. Novakov notes that the Court of First Instance did not give any assessment to the fact that, although these warnings and made after March 2, 2016, but announced in connection with the events "took place" prior to issuance of the warning of the Russian Federation Prosecutor General's office in Voronezh, in Snezhnogorsk, Stavropol.

This is from before hearing