Mephis: Thing is this is Russia. Where minority groups are targeted for unpleasant behaviour. Where the state turns a blind eye to actions by those who support it. Where censorship and restrictive controls are becoming the norm once more. Where speaking out against the ruling oligarchy is increasingly uncommon and increasingly dangerous. It's not some glorious crusade to show the JWs are wrong about neutrality, it's another case of the Russian state being heavyhanded, authoritarian and deeply unpleasant at its heart. The JW persecution complex really doesn't need feeding by it actually happening eg by the police turning a blind eye to mob attacks etc.
Yes. This is Russia.
And Russians have very long memories. This is evident in Putin's honoring of past political heroes such as Pyotr Stolypin and the raising to sainthood of the last Tsar and his family. What runs deep, very deep, in the Russian memory is the role of religious sects on the ruling power of Russia - Rasputin's ghost will always hover in that dark and bloody history and will never disappear.
Russia has a long history with cults and their influence on political events is an integral part of their past. In fact, there was an Apocalyptic cult that committed mass suicide just outside the edge of Moscow on the eve of the Tsar's abdication.
I know that this is "old" history to some, but in a Russian's mind, it isn't.
Fringe extremist religions will never get far in Russia when someone like Putin is in power. He is deeply rooted in the past.
