RUSSIA - September 2017 - Jehovah's Witnesses appeal extremist label and Supreme Court decision

by jwleaks 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  jwleaks

  Jehovah's Witnesses appeal Russian decision on declaring them extremist organization

  https://jw-russia.org/news/17091115-214.html

  [40 page court argument with 166 points.]
  
  

  On September 11, 2017, at 11:30 am, lawyers for Jehovah's Witnesses filed a supervisory complaint against the decision of the Supreme Court to liquidate and ban all 396 registered religious organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. The complaint must be scheduled for consideration by the Presidium of the Supreme Court of Russia within 3 months.

  The request is to completely cancel the decision of the Supreme Court of April 20, 2017 and suspend its execution until the end of the proceedings in the court of the supervisory instance.

  The decision of the Supreme Court of Russia, unjustifiably attributed to the "extremists" whole religion, has already resulted in the most negative consequences for believers in the form of dismissals , waves of religious hatred , attacks , police raids , criminal cases and imprisonment of innocent people.

  The international community unanimously condemned this decision of the court.

  
  More:

  https://themoscowtimes.com/news/jehovahs-witnesses-appeal-russias-extremist-label-58922
  

  http://tass.com/society/965160

  The Jehovah’s Witnesses have lodged an appeal with Russia's Supreme Court after being added to an "extremist" registry alongside banned terrorist organizations, the court told the Interfax news agency on Tuesday.
  

  Russia’s Justice Ministry added the religious group to a registry of banned organizations last month after the Supreme Court ruled in April to formally ban the group.

  The judgement forced 396 registered Jehovah’s Witnesses branches across Russia to dissolve.

  The Jehovah’s Witnesses said on their website on Monday that the Supreme Court has three months to consider the appeal.
• 

  jwleaks

  CURRENT NEWS

  Poll reveals most Russians familiar with Jehovah’s Witnesses support its ban
  

  Justice Ministry adds Jehovah’s Witnesses to list of organizations outlawed in Russia
  
  
  
• 

  smiddy3

  One part of me agrees with the ban and the other part of me thinks their must be other ways the Government can take.

  Banning any organization has it`s pros & cons.

  Russia could lift the ban on being a JW if that is what the case is now ,however refuse the Organization from owning any property in Russia ,and banning any public "witnessing".

  Also banning any literature printed by or for the beliefs of JW`s.to be distributed in any of Russian controlled territories.

  They could also have regular "expose" articles in their newspapers official and otherwise using ex JW`s experiences like we have here.

  Highlighting false doctrines,practices that have been discarded,false prophecy`s ,flip flops of beliefs once held as "true" etc.etc. You get my drift.

  What do you think about these suggestions and please if you can think of other ways without actually banning an individual for wanting to be a JW , just restricting their activities then please lets hear them.

  Thanks for the update jwleaks.i`m just looking for alternatives that may have the same desired effect.
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  jwleaks

  Smiddy, let's face the facts, namely the current JW 'teachings and beliefs' in Russia will one day be replaced with new 'teachings and beliefs' in Russia thereby relegating the old 'teachings and beliefs' to false 'teachings and beliefs'. Even jehovah knows this. So why complain that the Russian government is banning current JW 'teachings and beliefs' which will one day be declared by the gb as former 'teachings and beliefs' to be banned by the JWs as false 'teachings and beliefs'.
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  smiddy3

  I think you might have a point their jwleaks ,LOL

  Nobody else seems to be interested that JW`s are appealing their ban in Russia ? to make a comment ?

  I found it interesting that the poll taken most Russians support the ban.
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  konceptual99

  I have never supported the ban as I think it is symptomatic of a wider problem with the suppression of free speech and progressive values by the Russian government. We all know that the WTS has some nasty teachings but most followers are harmless and now are facing persecution and problems in everyday life due to state sponsored discrimination.

  The same is happening with many other minorities and in decrying one injustice you have to look at them all.
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  smiddy3

  We all know that the WTS has some nasty teachings but most followers are harmless and now are facing persecution and problems in everyday life due to state sponsored discrimination.

  fair enough point taken :

  However the message Jehovah`s Witnesses take to the Russian people is abandon your hope and trust and support in your government and all the benefits you get from this Government that you currently rely upon ,whether it be health care ,age care ,pensions etc,etc,and so on .And be neutral in the conflicts of war efforts and politics.

  Put your trust and hope in Jehovah`s kingdom of Christ Jesus guaranteed to you by the American based religion of Jehovah`s Witnesses .

  Do you see where I am going with this post ?

  Think about it.

  The average JW are just pawns in the bigger scheme of things.

  
  
• 

  menrov

  The WT pretends to take the bible as completely correct and true. If that is the case, they should not fight the government as they are there with support from God:

  Romans13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment,1 and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 So the person who resists such authority 2 resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment 3 (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, 4 for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities3 but also because of your conscience.
  

  The freedom of speech is not absolute. The WT believes it can do and say whatever they want, but as Romans explains, their freedom is limited. This is valid for every organisation. It is sooooo peculiar: they (WT) have not problem to shun and silence a person with a different view (ie person is considered dead / non-existent), and at the same cry as a huge victim when they experience the same treatment from a government.......
  
  
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  carla

  What do current jw's say about the above scripture (Romans 13)? I have brought it up to my jw in years past but he either changed the subject or brought up Hitler, etc... he seemed to dismiss this scripture. Maybe it reads differently in a jw "bible"?
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  Phizzy

  The problem I see for the JW Org with the Appeal is that if you look at the relevant Russian law that they were banned under, they fit the criteria for an extremist Org.