Russian Catholic official criticizes court ban on Jehovah's Witnesses

[Queen Esther]

Russian Catholic official criticizes court ban on Jehovah's Witnesses....

By  Jonathan Luxmoore, Catholic News Service,    April 28, 2017

OXFORD, England – Russia's Catholic Church has condemned a Supreme Court decision to outlaw the Jehovah's Witnesses and warned the move will increase fears of new restrictions on Catholic rights.

 

"Churches like ours don't recognize the Jehovah's Witnesses as Christian and don't engage in dialogue with them, but we must distinguish theological issues from legal rights," said Msgr. Igor Kovalevsky, secretary-general of the Moscow-based Russian bishops' conference.

"The situation in Russia is complex and difficult now. There are very strong misgivings among Catholics that we, too, may be facing – if not persecution, then at least new acts of discrimination and limits on our freedom of belief," he said.

An April 20 Supreme Court ruling branded Jehovah's Witnesses an "extremist organization" and ordered the nationwide seizure of its property.

Msgr. Kovalevsky told Catholic News Service April 28 that the Catholic Church could not understand which activities could be deemed "extremist," adding that all religious groups had a right to "exist and develop in the Russian Federation" if they did not violate the law.

"The law must apply fairly to everyone ... the law may be hard, but it's still the law. I think the government owes everyone a precise explanation why this group is being liquidated," Msgr. Kovalevsky said.

Jehovah's Witnesses were registered in Russia in 1991 and re-registered in 1999, but have faced regular arrests and police raids for handing out leaflets and door-to-door preaching. Their members have been assaulted and their property vandalized.

The Supreme Court ruling prescribed fines of up to nearly $10,700 and up to 10 years in jail for anyone engaging in Jehovah's Witnesses activities.

Msgr. Kovalevsky said although there were no signs that the Catholic Church would be treated like the Jehovah's Witnesses, "the government needs to reassure citizens freedom of conscience will be upheld."

"The Jehovah's Witnesses have the same right to defend dignity and faith and other citizens," he said. "Although upholding human rights isn't our main task, the Catholic Church defends everyone's right to freedom of conscience."

[Aaron Mathewson]

Can someone post a link to the original article? Thnx

[Queen Esther]

3 hours ago, Aaron Mathewson said:

Can someone post a link to the original article? Thnx

Sorry,  with iPad I can't do,  but little later from my Laptop, I will send the link, no problem ! 

[Bible Speaks]

According to the commission, the list of "dangerous" religious materials includes more than 4,000 items, "including many with no apparent connections to militancy, such as the Qu'ranic commentaries of Ottoman-era Kurdish theologian Said Nursi and numerous Jehovah's Witnesses publications," including a children's book titled My Book of Bible Stories. Also banned as dangerous is a 1900 sermon by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archbishop Andrey Sheptytsky, who was declared venerable by Pope Francis in 2015.

The Jehovah's Witnesses have been banned by the state despite video recording showing the police planting incriminating evidence against them. Innocent Muslims in Chechnya, Dagestan and Crimea were also tried on fabricated charges of terrorism and extremism. Some have simply been kidnapped and disappeared.

https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/faith-and-justice/religious-freedom-abroad-deteriorates-few-exceptions

 

[Queen Esther]

@Bible Speaks  Yours is not the right link, sorry....

I bring soon the right link !  Patience please 

[Queen Esther]

12 hours ago, Aaron Mathewson said:

Can someone post a link to the original article? Thnx

HERE  IS  COMING  THE  ORIGINAL  LINK  TO  MY  REPORT,  BROTHER  Aaron....

http://www.catholicregister.org/home/international/item/25028-russian-catholic-official-criticizes-court-ban-on-jehovah-s-witnesses

PS.  I  am  living  in  Germany  and  mostly  to  other  clock - times  here,  sorry !

Greetings  and  Agape  from  Germany

[Bible Speaks]

20 hours ago, Queen Esther said:

@Bible Speaks  Yours is not the right link, sorry....

I bring soon the right link !  Patience please 

Yes, I know; I already posted this is another link on opposing the Bible Story Book. This is a wonderful book for children. Not in any way hurting adults or children. 

[Queen Esther]

Of  course  I  love  that  little  Sweetie - girl  with  our  yellow  Bible - story  book  in  her  hands....  NO  question !      I  also  have  some  more,  similar  this,  all  ok