BREAKING NEWS on www.jw-media.org

by Wrong Way 126 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  cognizant dissident

  Brother Dan

  What you said about critical thinking process was all true. Now take everything you said about your process and apply it to the WTBTS. Why shouldn't every person have the right to make that same decision for themselves about the WTBTS using that same process?

  If the government bans the religion or its writing, it is circumventing that process for everyone and saying in a paternalistic way, we will analyze and decide for you. That's not much different than what the WTBTS does to its members.

  Do you really want a return to the human rights abuses of the communist era, where JW's and any other thought dissidents were sent to Siberia, to live in misery? In this case, it is a very slippery slope indeed.

  JW facts nailed it, imo. Make specific harmful behaviours illegal, apply them evenly to everyone, sue or prosecute for infractions.
• 

  jehovahsheep

  if the govts are allowed to do this-there goes all our rights.its time to stop being hateful and vindictive.
• 

  Podobear

  The best way to put out a fire is.. to starve it of oxygen. Is the move of the Russian government a successful "wet blanket".. or will it fuel the fire with more oxygen.

  History has shown, time and time again, that the latter is true.

  Taking the Dutch model on Controlled Drug addiction as an example. If you control something, register and control both the drugs distributed and the distributors, you gain control. The issue falls into Apathy, the true addicts are controlled and medicated.. the curious dabble and walk away and the next generation finds it all too boring. It falls into the realm of Disease or Pest Control.

  Hope the analogy is not too veiled... but if you are "hooked" and harmless.. you can have your "fix" without harming others.

  Religion is the Opium of the People... (now who said that, then?)

  Podo
• 

  debator

  Slightly disturbing to see the glee from those who in any other breathe would hate Russia's control over their People but because it concerns Jw's enjoy and support the curtailing of freedom of religion.

  I applaud those on this thread that do not fall into that knee-jerk reaction to support Russia's decision.

  Russia is a Secular government it has no rights over the mental property of our spiritual choices and is going somewhere they shouldn't.

  Maybe at some point they will read the bible and start blocking out the bits or even ban it completely. Maybe changing wording like Jesus saying "narrow is the path, few finding it" change that to "all roads lead to God and everyone finds it via your nice friendly Russian government leaders because they chose it for you"

  Its interesting to see how different governments work towards the same ends. Producing a user friendly religion that doesn't ask too much of it's followers beyond a vague leaning towards "some God out there" and definitely doesn't challenge any governments rulership and control over their people.
• 

  VM44

  "The CoBoE in my wife's cong says that jw-media.org is an apostate website and everything on there is wrong"

  A "whois" search on "jw-media.org" returns the following information:

  Domain Name:JW-MEDIA.ORG
  Registrant Name:Watchtower Bible & Tract Society
  Registrant Street:25 Columbia Heights
  Registrant City:Brooklyn
  Registrant State/Province:NY
  Registrant Postal Code:11201-2483
  Registrant Country:US

  
• 

  VM44

  Do elders know what they talk about?

  Or do they just make things up?
• 

  Essan

  Debator,

  Maybe the Russian government just wants the Witnesses to refrain from producing scathing, insulting literature and going from door to door slandering and bad mouthing other religions and telling people that the members of these religions are deserving of death and that they will all be killed, soon, in their billions? Maybe they want JW's who come to disagree with the Society's teachings to be able to exercise freedom of thought without being demonized and shunned by their congregation and without their family members and lifelong friends being told to avoid all contact with them? Maybe they want JW's to be able to choose whether or not to have lifesaving blood procedures without outside pressure and the threat of sanctions? The JW's are a deeply negative, controlling force, and it doesn't surprise me that some states are waking up to this fact and are attempting to restrain them.

  Good.

  I hope they do force the JW's in Russia to make serious changes to such policies, or lose their ability to function.

  Let's see the JW's try to preach without constantly condemning others and maintain their membership while allowing sanction free thought, speech and choice. it's disgusting that it would have to take state intervention to force such a so-called Christian religion to adopt fair and compassionate attitudes and actions that Jesus himself commanded and thus refrain from judging, condemning and showing a gross lack of love. But if it takes the Russian state to teach Jehovah's Witnesses what goes against Christian love and freedom and to put an end to it, then so be it. Somebody has to. But what a terrible indictment of the JW's.
• 

  isaacaustin

  Essan, It is about time states are waking up to the harmful cult known as Jehovah's Witnesses. As a general rule, they are simply no big deal in the eyes of the world, perhaps the butt of a joke...a vague knowledge of some of their do's and don't's...but typical of a cult...very little of their true nature is known. Awareness goes a long way.
• 

  debator

  Since we recently got upheld fully on all counts in a European court of humans rights as an established religion against Russia's overt need to control freedom of religion. Your comments Essan and Isaac only verify your blinkered prejudice against witnesses.

  "The European Court of Human Rights has stressed that disruption of the religious meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses is a violation of the Convention, stating “The Court further reiterates that Article 9 of the Convention protects acts of worship and devotion which are aspects of the practice of a religion or belief in a generally recognised form… It is undeniable that the collective study and discussion of religious texts by the members of the religious group of Jehovah’s Witnesses was a recognised form of manifestation of their religion in worship and teaching. Thus, the applicants’ meeting on 16 April 2000 attracted the protection of Article 9 of the Convention.”

  http://www.hrwf.net/uploads/Jehovah's%20Witnesses%20Russia.pdf

  "The prosecutor for the Northern Administrative Circuit of the City of Moscow began a campaign against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow. Their accusations were based solely on material furnished by ‘anti-cult’ organizations, which are known throughout the world for their religious intolerance."

  At what point does blind prejudice become religious intolerance? When you can cheer on a clearly human rights abusive country because they agree with your personal hatred of a group?
• 

  Scully

  Isn't this a fulfillment of prophecy?

  Isn't this supposed to mark the beginning of The Great Tribulation™, when Governments attack and outlaw all religions?

  Why isn't the WTS rejoicing? Why aren't they welcoming this news? Wouldn't it mean that Armageddon™ is coming soon?

  Surely to appeal this action would mean that they are fighting against Jehovah's agenda, wouldn't it?