Prominent Russian Religious Scholar Testifies on Behalf of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Saratov

To preface the following news release: as you may or may not know in the recent past the Russian Federation liquidated the legal entity of Jehovah' Witnesses under false pretenses, using lies, slander, and corruption.

Some posters on this website have recently expressed their rejoicing over the persecution of God's people in another thread of mine, and said he cannot wait until religious freedoms are also suppressed in the Western World. In fact it is alarming how many people are relishing for the end to human rights, the stripping of a person's right to freedom of speech, assembly, and religion. People on this board have expressed these sentiments to me on a number of occasions. It is sad, but to be expected. Not all cherish the freedoms we possess in lands that are not under strict bans and government censorship.

I thought the comments to the court from this scholar to be very profound and refute a lot of the lies and accusations made against Jehovah's Witnesses. Even on this website, which has happened, almost all of these lies, constantly to me since I started to make threads awhile ago.

Prominent Russian Religious Scholar Testifies on Behalf of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Saratov

On September 4, 2019, during the trial of six Jehovah’s Witnesses in Saratov, a well-known religious scholar and state advisor to the Russian Federation, Sergey Igorevich Ivanenko, was invited to testify under oath on behalf of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Dr. Ivanenko is the author of two scholarly works on Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia. The following excerpts were taken from the testimony he gave under oath:

The religious life and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses. “One thing makes Jehovah’s Witnesses unique: They do not rely on strict rules or the authority of any particular leader, instead, they try to help adherents develop a Bible-trained conscience so that each individual can personally and voluntarily make decisions guided by the Bible.

The entire article is linked. I really enjoy how he pointed out the benefits of refusing blood transfusions and how educated people do not accept them, and are safer without them with superior alternatives:

Jehovah’s Witnesses and blood transfusions. “The Bible says that ‘life is in the blood’; therefore, blood should never be used. The context is a dietary prohibition, but they interpret it more broadly. They believe that blood should not be used in any form, not in food (they do not eat blood sausage) nor as a blood transfusion. They do, however, accept minor blood fractions. It is up to each believer . . . By refusing a blood transfusion they are not choosing to die, instead, they want quality treatment and first-rate medical assistance. Blood transfusions, in their view and from various medical standpoints, come with a risk because a person can contract AIDS or something else. Bloodless surgeries provide a higher guarantee, and I see from examining the statistics that wealthy people often prefer to forgo blood transfusions because this guarantees better protection from infections and complications.”

Mod note: do not copy the whole article, see this post.

Police raid a religious meeting being held in a private home in Tomsk


More Witnesses Imprisoned After Aggressive Home Raids in Russia



Locations of the raids in Russia

Russian authorities have stepped up a campaign of terror and arrested and imprisoned more of Jehovah’s Witnesses under the guise of fighting extremism. Police forces raided private homes in Birobidzhan, Khabarovsk, Magadan, Orenburg, Naberezhnye Chelny, Perm, Pskov, Saratov, and Tomsk. They arrested 15 more Witness men, bringing the total to 20 Witnesses in pretrial detention. Two others are under house arrest. At least 15 Witnesses, including some in their 70’s and 80’s, have been required to sign an agreement not to leave the area where they live. As of June 14, 2018, authorities in Russia have brought criminal charges against over 40 Witnesses. If convicted, they face prison terms of up to ten years.

The Russian government has directly violated its guarantee made in open court that the ban on the legal entities of Jehovah’s Witnesses would not affect the right of individual Witnesses to practice their faith. Russia has completely disregarded this guarantee and is misapplying Article 282 of the Criminal Code in order to charge the Witnesses with participating in, organizing, or financing an “extremist” organization. In reality, rather than fighting extremism, Russia is persecuting its own citizens for their peaceful worship.

Mod note: do not copy the entire article.

Will International Censure Have Effect?

Both the European Union (EU) and the United States have issued official statements condemning Russia’s disregard for fundamental freedoms. The EU called on Russia “to respect its international commitments on freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.” The United States additionally urged Russia “to immediately release all those imprisoned simply for exercising their freedom of religion or belief.”

Philip Brumley, General Counsel for Jehovah’s Witnesses, stated: “Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world are greatly disturbed by the harsh persecution of their fellow believers in Russia. Jehovah’s Witnesses are confronting the same type of repression today as they suffered under the Communist regime. By its actions and ongoing oppression, Russia is flagrantly disregarding its own guarantees to uphold fundamental human rights.”

While it has been pointed out that some on this website are happy to see honest, peaceful citizens, arrested and thrown into prison for worshipping God, surely many can see the true source of the attacks, and as such the who is really behind the spirit of those people.

Jesus said that during the time of the end this was to be expected:

"“Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name."-Matthew 24:9.

"But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me."-John 15:21.

"In fact, all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted."-2 Timothy 3:12.

Following are videos documenting details of perseuction of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia:

Caught on Camera: Russian Authorities’ Blatant Actions to Fabricate Evidence

The Kalins: Printing Under Ban in Siberia

A Message From Behind the Iron Curtain

International Delegation Supports Russian Brotherhood

Russia Confiscates Former Branch Property

“No Weapon Formed Against You Will Have Any Success”—Russia

originally posted by: EdgeofParadise
To preface the following news release: as you may or may not know in the recent past the Russian Federation liquidated the legal entity of Jehovah' Witnesses under false pretenses, using lies, slander, and corruption.

Some posters on this website have recently expressed their rejoicing over the persecution of God's people in another thread of mine, and said he cannot wait until religious freedoms are also suppressed in the Western World. In fact it is alarming how many people are relishing for the end to human rights, the stripping of a person's right to freedom of speech, assembly, and religion. People on this board have expressed these sentiments to me on a number of occasions


www.jehovahs-witness.com...

.

Not many people including me want to see your choice of faith liquidated

Want we want to see is Jw.org stop harbouring child sex offenders


Stop the lies
Protect children

A former member of the Jehovah's Witnesses is taking on the leadership of this wealthy, secretive religion, who she says failed to protect her from a predatory pedophile. She blames what she says is the church's policy of silence on child abusers.
abcnews.go.com...

Stop playing the victim edge and protect the real victims, the children in your care

You are still denying the truth?


And this guy Sergey Igorevich Ivanenko, is a nobody, a JW scholar with no notable scholarly value outside of your pedophile protecting organisation
Go figure

And just so you know, you are welcome to your beliefs, do as you wish, just don’t pretend your organisation cares about children

He was a Bethel Elder and governing body member. He was a homosexual and pedophile. He really love the “brothers” especially the younger brothers. He raped young Mark Palo when he was just ten years and many others.

Mark's father was a Bethelite in Rutherford's day. When Mark was old enough, he volunteered to go to Bethel also. Guess what their answer was? No!

So back to Mr. Greenlees. How did they deal with this pedophile? What punishment was administered? What example did they make of one of their own?

They gave him a golden parachute and “asked” him to leave

www.jehovahs-witness.com...

Sorry Edge, don’t care what you choose or believe, just don’t pretend you care about children

a reply to: EdgeofParadise
I personally believe everyone has a right to their chosen delusions as long as it doesn't affect the lives of those around them. In the case of the JW's I believe you are a danger to yourselves and everyone around you, BUT my personal beliefs aside...
I don't agree with the way Russia is handling this. I get it, they believe the JW church is seditious and has ordered them to disband, but putting them in prison for years is just sadistic and has no real value other than creating martyrs of them.

At the same time, the JW church keeps sending people over there, knowing full well they are breaking Russia's laws. I don't feel sorry for you if you go there knowing you could be put in prison for practicing your faith. I DO feel sorry for those who live there and can't leave the country, or don't want to leave their homeland.

Cult......CULT is the problem

They have their bible that takes care of the trouble in the book of John......let's get to the details then

Jesus is not God......Michael is God and Jesus is just a little god.........

I fight the wits that destroy their children.............definition of cult right there

a reply to: Klassified

originally posted by: EdgeofParadise
Some posters on this website have recently expressed their rejoicing over the persecution of God's people in another thread of mine, and said he cannot wait until religious freedoms are also suppressed in the Western World. In fact it is alarming how many people are relishing for the end to human rights, the stripping of a person's right to freedom of speech, assembly, and religion.

Isn’t the suppression of your speech — exactly what you want. According to your doctrine, this signals the end of times (Armageddon). Which is what EVERY JW wants. You know, when 95% of the world perishes a horrific death. Leaving the earth for all JW’s to frolic with the lions, tigers and bears — for eternity...

i am a little surprised that the Orthodox Christian foundations of Russia would be so concerned with the Jehovah Witnesses, must be a pretty boring place. From my understanding of JW's, it is not as extreme as Scientology, a bit more extreme than Mormons.

For a group of people to look towards the Bible for guidance is a good thing, lot more darker and extreme texts around.

a reply to: EdgeofParadise

"But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me."-John 15:21.

Here I thought he was referring to the Jews