Jehovah’s Witnesses Mobilize Global Response to Threat of Ban in Russia

[MS60F7]

Interesting tidbit I came across today.

Did you know that this guy, "Vladimir Lukin" who was for many years the Ombusdman for the Russian Federation and has spoken out many times on behalf of Jehovah's Witnesses (and others) that are being railroaded in the country...

will be at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY - tomorrow March 24th!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conference-25-years-of-us-russia-relations-tickets-32660588700

Read a little about him (Search his name on the page / some references maybe for some letter writing?):

• http://russiancouncil.ru/en/author_profile/index.php?author_id_4=156
• https://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/eur/136054.htm
• http://eng.yabloko.ru/People/Luk/lukin1.html#4
• https://wwrn.org/articles/33853/
• http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=1415
• http://tinyurl.com/l6wdu45
• http://www2.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/160309a.html

Interesting, don't you think?

[TrueTomHarley]

Here, Putin is routinely reviled by politicians and media. Respectful letters from ones who have every reason to gripe may make more impression than we realize.

[TrueTomHarley]

As our brothers in Russia brace for their greatest trial, Mark Sanderson speaks to them on JW Broadcasting in Russian! Who knew?

[ARchiv@L]

 

The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses wants to heighten attention to this critical situation,” states David A. Semonian, a spokesman at the Witnesses’ world headquarters
https://www.jw.org/en/news/releases/by-region/russia/jw-mobilize-global-response-to-threat-of-ban/

 

[bruceq]

AGREE WE MUST NOT BE SILENT AS JEHOVAH'S ORGANIZATION HAS TOLD US THROUGH THERE SOCIAL MEDIA HERE ON THE INTERNET [JW.ORG]. THINK ABOUT THIS - 20 TO 30 YEARS AGO WHEN WE LAST WROTE TO OFFICIALS WE HAD TO WAIT FOR LETTERS FROM THE GOVERNING BODY TO TELL US WHAT TO DO. NOW HOWEVER BECAUSE OF JW.ORG AND BROADCASTING THIS MESSAGE TO SPEAK [OR WRITE] OUT CAME INSTANTANEOUSLY THROUGH THE USE OF THE INTERNET. AND NOW OUT LETTERS ARE ARRIVING AT THE SAME TIME IN RUSSIA. WHAT A GREAT WITNESS.

[bruceq]

ONE OF MY BIBLE STUDIES YESTERDAY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARE THE TRUE RELIGION BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN RUSSIA. HE NOTICED THAT ONLY THE WITNESSES AND NO OTHER RELIGION IS TARGETED TO BE BANNED ON APRIL 5. HE SAID "THERE ARE OVER 2,000 RELIGIONS IN RUSSIA AND THEY ARE PICKING ON A SMALL PEACEFUL RELIGION THAT CANNOT FIGHT BACK AS MOST WOULD DO. WHY ONLY THE WITNESSES?" HE SAID IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT THEY HAVE THE TRUTH. MANY RELIGIONS ARE BEING RESTRICTED IN RUSSIA BUT ONLY ONE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE SUPREME COURT TO BE ABOLISHED !!!

[bruceq]

AMAZING - THE MOST READ NEWS ITEM IN RUSSIA AT THE TASS RUSSIAN NEWS AGENCY IS ON JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES !!!

Most read

Now

Today

This week

1

Russia designates myriad of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ materials as extremist

2

Press review: Russia cools down tensions with NATO and Turkey exits Syria

3

The might of Russia's advanced nuclear submarine

4

Moscow puzzled by Tillerson's statements about ‘Russian aggression’ in Ukraine

5

‘Secret spy room’ uncovered in Moscow during renovation work

6

Ukraine’s top diplomat says there will be no concessions for Russian singer at Eurovision

7

Free Syrian Army and Turkey may be planning new operation in Syria

More:
http://tass.com/russia/759625

NOT ONLY ARE THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES THE MOST READ ITEM FOR "TODAY" BUT IF YOU CLICK ON THE "WEEK"  IT IS THE MOST READ ITEM FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK ON THE RUSSIAN NEWS  - TASS

Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia suspended over extremism

More:
http://tass.com/society/937146

[TrueTomHarley]

There was a report (does anyone have it?) that our brothers in Russia have withdrawn all appeals and have instead requested the largest possible courtroom for the April 5th hearing, the 'overflow' courtroom. Though I haven't confirmed it (you may know all about it) it is exactly what they would do - play this out before the largest possible audience. 

It is just how Jehovah is having it play out on the world wide today. The GB invites us to write, to bring our gift to the altar. Our people respond to such an enthusiastic degree that national Post Offices are getting crushed.  Of course, this leads to publicity everywhere as to just why that is, and the reason is astounding to non-Witnesses. I'd be surprised if every Witness in the world does not write to Putin or one of his chums. Surely, the world takes notice of a faith where each member takes such an interest in each other - especially since they risk getting run over in the parking lot of their own church once services are over. Putin may just load the letters on supertankers and sink them at sea - just how do you cope with millions of unexpected letters - but he cannot fail to be know that they exist.

Those who hate Jehovah's Witnesses join in the fray, writing letters in support of the ban, like the Edomites of Psalm 137 who screamed "lay it bare!' This almost makes it better, for it adds to the tonnage. But more importantly, everyone takes their place on the world stage. Let the people firmly and publicly divide themselves into the sheep or goats category. Perhaps the GB is luring them all, as with hooks in their jaws.

Meanwhile, note how our people conduct themselves. Note how extraordinarily respectful they are (as is seen in our videos) toward  Russian authorities. Note the Sept 2016 Study Wt article on Defending the Good News before courts, which is being used today as a template. Note how our respectful response is so contrary to what the world would expect that it only adds to the witness.

Let every person in the world become aware of and take a stand on this issue. If it is to be, let Russian officials look themselves in the mirror and publicly declare: "I believe, what with all the villains and scoundrels on the loose today in our country, that taking out Jehovah's Witnesses is the most important thing we can do."

The campaign may fail in its goal of swaying the minds of Russian officials. But it will not fall short in its goal of giving a massive witness. it will not fall short in stepping up the preaching work worldwide, as it presents fresh evidence that 'the time left is reduced.' It will not fall short in giving our Russian brothers tremendous reinforcement. For the rest of their lives, persons will approach them and say: "You crushed our Post Office. Just what kind of people are you, anyway?"

After all, if any of the hard or soft apostates here suffered the same hardships our Russian brothers are suffering, does anyone think their fellow apostates would come to their aid? Or would they just be roadkill?

[bruceq]

Yes Tom that is true and it is also in the public press here :

Enormous attention to Jehovah's Witnesses case

PETITION FILED FOR SPACIOUS COURTROOM AND VIDEOTAPING IN HEARINGS IN SUPREME COURT OF RUSSIA

Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, 23 March 2017

 

On 21 March 2017 the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia sent to the Supreme Court of Russia a petition that for the hearing on the lawsuit of the Russian Ministry of Justice a courtroom for the sessions capable of accommodating 200 and more persons be provided and also that there be provided the possibility for persons present in the courtroom to make video recordings of the judicial session.

 

"In and of itself the submission of such an unprecedented petition to the court is for Russia an extraordinary event, attention to which is riveted not only in all of Russia but throughout the world also, since Jehovah's Witnesses are not only a well known and recognized religion in Russia but also a famous Christian religion worldwide, that is professed in an overwhelming majority of countries and territories of the world. After the posting of the aforementioned information on the website of the Supreme Court of the RF, the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia received numerous requests for clarification of the date and time of the hearing from representatives of local religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses, state bodies, news media, rights advocacy organizations, representatives of embassies of various countries, believers, and other persons," one of the petitions says. "Orally they express their desire to be immediately present for the consideration of this case."

 

The hearings will begin on 5 April 2017 at 10:00 in the Supreme Court of Russia, located at the address: Moscow, ul. Povarskaia, 13. The closest metro stations are Barrikadnaia and Arbatskaia. (tr. by PDS, posted 25 March 2017)

Russia Religion News Current News Items

[bruceq]

On 3/31/2017 at 8:32 AM, bruceq said:

ONE OF MY BIBLE STUDIES YESTERDAY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARE THE TRUE RELIGION BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN RUSSIA. HE NOTICED THAT ONLY THE WITNESSES AND NO OTHER RELIGION IS TARGETED TO BE BANNED ON APRIL 5. HE SAID "THERE ARE OVER 2,000 RELIGIONS IN RUSSIA AND THEY ARE PICKING ON A SMALL PEACEFUL RELIGION THAT CANNOT FIGHT BACK AS MOST WOULD DO. WHY ONLY THE WITNESSES?" HE SAID IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT THEY HAVE THE TRUTH. MANY RELIGIONS ARE BEING RESTRICTED IN RUSSIA BUT ONLY ONE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE SUPREME COURT TO BE ABOLISHED !!!

Such a massive ban of an organization with such a great number of regional representations and members has not been in Russia," Gefter said in commenting for a Kavkazskii Uzel correspondent.

From Russia Religion News Current News Items

[bruceq]

There has never been such a widespread ban in Russia

http://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/299858/

[TrueTomHarley]

The trick will be to generate such worldwide publicity, to make every person aware, that for Putin to snuff out Jehovah’s Witnesses will be comparable to his strangling a cat on live TV. He may decide not to do it. He wants to be regarded as wise, as firm where necessary, but certainly not as an unhinged Kim Jong-un. 

To be sure, he plays hardball when he has to, but he may come to realize that here he does not have to. What with Post Offices around the world being crushed with the volume of JW letters, likely from every Witness in the world, (to him or to one of his associates) everyone except the most disconnected may become aware of the situation soon to be decided by him. Will he want to be an international pariah? All our letters will be respectful, [except some seeded in by those religious enemies who want the ban to proceed] in sharp contrast to how he is usually portrayed in the West. 

He may get fed up, not with us, but with the house church that is trying to feed him the line that jw.org is extremist, doing so for the purpose of taking out the competition. He may, on a night he cannot sleep, peruse jw.org, see that it plainly is not extremist, as every other nation in the world sees, and come to resent the house church that would have him look like a total ass on the world stage. In short, he may come to realize that, what with all the very real concerns facing his country, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not one of them.