according to the latest forum 18 article, this is what happened in russia on march 15:.
http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2265.
with immediate effect, a 15 march suspension order forbids the administrative centre and all its local religious organisations from "using state and municipal news media, organising and conducting assemblies, rallies, demonstrations, processions, picketing, and other mass actions or public events, and using bank deposits, with the exception of use for making payments connected with their economic activity, compensating for losses (damages) caused by their actions, and paying taxes, fees, or fines, and making payments based on labour contracts" .
dsp: sorry you haven't been able to find it - here is the direct link to the page - it is featured on the Italian front page
No need to apologize. I wasn't looking for it.
I was only posting what someone over on jwtalk had said.
Thank you for your diligence. Because I wasn't going to go and wander around jworg sites to find out whether the Italian website had been updated since that comment had been made.
Again. Thank you. Updated and accurate information is important.
no wonder the gb aren't too concerned about getting involved in foreign politics.
they have rutherford's clone on their side.. https://www.rt.com/usa/376119-trump-political-speech-churches/.
at the national prayer breakfast, president donald trump repeated a campaign promise, vowing to end the federal law that restricts political speech and activity by churches and other tax-exempt organizations.
Simon: Trump is a fool, he can only view things though the lens of how something affects him and his support. He seems incapable of contemplating the effect that many of his changes would actually have.
Yeah...he sounds a little like this guy:
i just found a thread on jwforum.eu about the massive letter writing campaign that was launched by the russian jws back in 2015. apparently, emails were okay in that assault - that is likely why the org doesn't want emails this time and why their instructions are so specific.
email correspondence has likely been severely curtailed for the jws after that campaign.. this is a link to the forum - it will come up in russian but translate works fairly well.
the russian letters have been translated below the first letters:.
Thank you, darkspliver for posting the Russian version of the letter.
Much appreciated.
i just found a thread on jwforum.eu about the massive letter writing campaign that was launched by the russian jws back in 2015. apparently, emails were okay in that assault - that is likely why the org doesn't want emails this time and why their instructions are so specific.
email correspondence has likely been severely curtailed for the jws after that campaign.. this is a link to the forum - it will come up in russian but translate works fairly well.
the russian letters have been translated below the first letters:.
dsp: TBH I suspect the email/electronic methods are only for Russian citizens to use, sending from within Russia - wouldn't be surprised if there some kind of firewall in place to stop internet attacks etc from outside Russia.
Hence the need for old fashioned 'hard copies' viapen, paper, envelopes.
Yes, that is probably correct. A flood of foreign emails directed to the Kremlin would, correctly, be interpreted as spam and, if I am reading the bad Russian translation correctly on the forum I linked to, it is likely also illegal.
From what I have read on that forum, the JWs in Russian were told that the Kremlin would not respond to emails, only to letters sent in the mail.
Which is understandable considering the Russian government was buried with emails from Russian JWs back in 2015.
Thank you for flagging up this letter from two years ago
Well...I didn't really "flag it up". I just discussed it in connection with the post I made. I guess if that is flagging it up, tho...I flagged it up. I haven't seen it posted on this forum before and thank you for posting the "official" links.
I could missed this "old" and "outdated" information (from two years ago!!) concerning the Russian JWs launching a letter writing campaign, if it had, indeed, been posted on this forum before. But, if it has been posted before (two years ago!), I apologize if it offended your sensibilities that I brought it up again.
It seemed a bit relevant at this time. Even more so than it was two years ago. Context and all that, you know. Passage of time and how things have developed.
i just found a thread on jwforum.eu about the massive letter writing campaign that was launched by the russian jws back in 2015. apparently, emails were okay in that assault - that is likely why the org doesn't want emails this time and why their instructions are so specific.
email correspondence has likely been severely curtailed for the jws after that campaign.. this is a link to the forum - it will come up in russian but translate works fairly well.
the russian letters have been translated below the first letters:.
And more evidence that the WTS knew that they were likely going to have their bank accounts frozen before the raid on March 16.
In February 2017, the Administrative Center in Russia sent a letter out to the Russian congregations to stop sending their donations into the Administrative Center.
i just found a thread on jwforum.eu about the massive letter writing campaign that was launched by the russian jws back in 2015. apparently, emails were okay in that assault - that is likely why the org doesn't want emails this time and why their instructions are so specific.
email correspondence has likely been severely curtailed for the jws after that campaign.. this is a link to the forum - it will come up in russian but translate works fairly well.
the russian letters have been translated below the first letters:.
This is from the first thread I linked to in the above post - just a bit of background...:
I remember, when making the Federal Law of 26.09.1997 N 125-FZ "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations" in the original text of the document referred to the impossibility of registering religious organizations that prohibit their members transfusion.
PS The federal law from 26.09.1997 N 125-FZ "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations" is already in the version of 13.07.2015. It should be at leisure to see what has changed
Then all of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia collected signatures under the appeal to Yeltsin with a request to control the situation. It is not known whether affected once the signatures on the text of the law, but the point of blood transfusion was excluded.
Apparently, now too they are hoping to influence the president. Perhaps it helps.
i just found a thread on jwforum.eu about the massive letter writing campaign that was launched by the russian jws back in 2015. apparently, emails were okay in that assault - that is likely why the org doesn't want emails this time and why their instructions are so specific.
email correspondence has likely been severely curtailed for the jws after that campaign.. this is a link to the forum - it will come up in russian but translate works fairly well.
the russian letters have been translated below the first letters:.
I just found a thread on jwforum.eu about the massive letter writing campaign that was launched by the Russian JWs back in 2015. Apparently, emails were okay in that assault - that is likely why the org doesn't want emails this time and why their instructions are so specific. Email correspondence has likely been severely curtailed for the JWs after that campaign.
This is a link to the forum - it will come up in Russian but translate works fairly well. The Russian letters have been translated below the first letters:
http://www.jwforum.eu/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=17410
September 7, 2015
to all the congregation IN RUSSIA
Subject: Writing letters to the head of state Dear brothers!
As you know, December 2, 2014 the Supreme Court declared extremist official website of Jehovah's Witnesses. Later, the site was included in the federal list of extremist materials and is now officially available on the Internet. In addition, since March 2015 Russian customs refused to let Russia in our spiritual publications in print, including the Bible. Since our worship, as well as the worship of the early Christians, directly related to the liturgical books, the actions of government agencies hinder confession of faith more than 175,000 Jehovah's Witnesses.
Many brothers and sisters are asked about whether they can do something, such as to send a letter to the head of state or other senior officer to explain that Jehovah's Witnesses do not present a danger to the state and society.
In this letter, we want to encourage all of Jehovah's Witnesses, who wish to express their thoughts and feelings, to address a letter to the head of state. If you are a citizen of Russia and feel powerless without delay to write a letter, please refer to the elders, to get more information.
We thank you for your willingness to stand up for freedom of worship, as did the Apostle Paul, who appealed to Caesar (Acts 25:11). With Christian love and best wishes,
your brothers,
======================================== =======
Appendix.
A copy of the circuit overseer.
Note to the council of elders. Please, after receiving this letter, read it to the congregation at the next meeting. It should not be placed on the bulletin board. Select one capable elder to be responsible for writing letters in your collection. It will send a copy of the attached "Additional Information". Handing her baptized Witnesses and an unbaptized publisher, he would ask them not to communicate this information to others and not make copies. After writing letters to all copies of the "More Information" should be returned to his brother in charge of writing letters, and then destroyed. Not be sent to the branch office copies of the letters of publishers, but we ask you to send scanned copies of the replies received from the presidential administration and other authorities.
================================================
To address letter? President of the Russian Federation Putinu Vladimiru Vladimirovichu.
To what address are sent to deprive the President ? On his official website, the address for paper letters: Str. Ilyinka. 23 103132, Moscow. Russia.
Is it possible to send a letter through the Internet? Yes. through the official website of the President of
krcmlin.ni. There is also a useful information about that. which should include a letter
to the President. In addition, the site can find information about the powers of the President as the
guarantor of citizens' constitutional rights.
Is there a pattern to the letter? No. In no case did not compose letters on the pattern.
Please respect are set out in a letter to his own thoughts in your peculiar
manner. There is no need to stick to the official style, but try to have post-
humanly understood. It is possible to express value judgments about events and. where appropriate,
with the emotional color. It is imperative to address to the President, with due respect,
as befits Christians (1 Peter 2:17). Try to make writing clear, logical,
structured, without unnecessary repetition.
What to write? How do you feel in relation to current events
(the inaccessibility of printed literature and website of your religion). Why is it difficult for you to
exercise of the right to freedom of religion? Why the site is so important to your
religion? For someone else. In your opinion is important site? What do you think about that. that
border delays, even the Bible? How does your faith or affected, including
Bible teaching to you personally, to your family and friends? While your religion is, like
many others, is an international, whether it is your bad Russian citizen or does
your religion, on the contrary, makes you a good citizen of your country? Why, post-
you think your religion does not threaten Russia, but on the contrary, help? What is its use? What would
you say to the person who thinks your life someone leads from abroad?
What do you know about the history of their religion in Russia? But how do you think there are valid
accusations that your fellow allegedly verbally or through books excite hostility to
other religions ( "extremism")? Can you clearly explain why you think so?
Whether it is true, as you see, some of the publications included in your religion
"extremist" list? What do you think about the role of negative and does not correspond to
reality, information about your faith disseminated in the media? (Note.
Try not to use the wording of this paragraph in his letter. Optionally,
affect all of the threads.)
What shall I ask? As guarantor of the Constitution, the President is to protect the rights
of citizens, including the right to freedom of religion, freedom of thought and speech, and to
free access to information (Constitution, Article 28 and 29). The President has a lot of
ways to ensure the constitutional rights of citizens. The main thing that he drew attention
to the problem, and supervised its elimination.
Apparently letter writing in the past hasn't gone down well:
Letter to Stalin
In June 1949, the responsible brothers in Estonia sent a letter to Moscow, which required from them considerable courage. One was sent Iosifu Stalinu, and another - Nikolai Shvernik, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
In the letters, the brothers demanded that Jehovah's Witnesses were arrested immediately released and that they ceased to pursue. The letter expressed severe warning and comparisons with the ancient Egyptian pharaoh who refused to allow Israelis freely serve Jehovah (Ex 5: 1-4.). The brothers boldly stated: "Do everything for the organization of the Lord [Jehovah] God ... could [ed] to freely proclaim to all peoples of Russia the good news of the kingdom of the Lord [Jehovah], [], or otherwise, the Lord [Jehovah] will destroy all the government and the communist party of the Soviet Union. "
"We knew that this was a very bold message - recalls Adolf Koze.- We did not dare to send letters from Tallinn to not come to us, so we went to Leningrad and sent them out."
It is not known whether Stalin read the letter, but it did not go unnoticed. When some of the brothers were interrogated, they were shown a copy of the letter was written on it: "This organization must be destroyed!" Was soon arrested by the brothers even more, and the persecution intensified. Letter sent Shvernik, found in the state archives. It was a government stamp.
The 2015 letter assault doesn't appear to have worked so I guess the WTS is launching a full scale attack now. Talk about throwing fat on the fire!!
*edit to add - I think I was right about why the emails are being curtailed. This is from another thread that is discussing the 2017 campaign that is happening right now (just starting to read it now...)
http://www.jwforum.eu/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=19277
In 2015th they had buried under a layer of email Putin's office...
why does watchtower say that the 'world-wide preaching work' occurs in x amount of lands, not countries?
well, i have a theory.
hear me out.
Ruby: Lands is more neutral sounding
Well...sort of. Generally a "land" refers to an area that has been, or is about to, be conquered. It doesn't have political standing until it is colonized by a political entity from outside its area. A "land" is not a political entity yet.
By using "lands", the WT implies they have taken possession of that land. They have planted their flag and they now rule. "God's Kingdom Rules!" and all that. You know, "citizens" of God's/WTS' Kingdom.
no wonder the gb aren't too concerned about getting involved in foreign politics.
they have rutherford's clone on their side.. https://www.rt.com/usa/376119-trump-political-speech-churches/.
at the national prayer breakfast, president donald trump repeated a campaign promise, vowing to end the federal law that restricts political speech and activity by churches and other tax-exempt organizations.
No wonder the GB aren't too concerned about getting involved in foreign politics. They have Rutherford's clone on their side.
https://www.rt.com/usa/376119-trump-political-speech-churches/
At the National Prayer Breakfast, President Donald Trump repeated a campaign promise, vowing to end the federal law that restricts political speech and activity by churches and other tax-exempt organizations.
"I will get rid of and totally destroy the Johnson Amendment and allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution," Trump said Thursday, according to the New York Times, adding that "freedom of religion is a sacred right, but it is under serious threat."
The Johnson Amendment is a 1954 law that bars tax-exempt organizations such as religious groups, including churches, as well as those that are "educational, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amateur sports competition, and preventing cruelty to children or animals," from engaging in open endorsement of or campaigning for political candidates, among other political activities.
These organizations "may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates." according to the Internal Revenue Service, which enforces the law.
Hmph. Trump is in support of religions being political. Would a letter writing campaign to the Kremlin count as influencing legislation?
interesting to read the reports from around the world.
i doubt many jws have read any of them.. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russian-government-jehovahs-witnesses-extremist-group-lawsuit-supreme-court-a7634671.html.
russian authorities threatened to close jehovah’s witnesses administrative centre last march, when they issued a formal warning to the congregation that the “religious association will be subject to liquidation” if it failed to eliminate within two months the violations identified by the government as “extremist”.
blondie: Do religions have tax exemptions in Russia?
Yes, church property is exempt from Russian tax. But, I don't think that the WTS has ever had "church" status in Russia. Don't they operate as a "sect" in Russia?
The WTS was in the Russian Supreme Court back in 2000/1, and I don't think they got their religious status after that. They were dragged over hot coals back then concerning their shunning practices, the inflammatory language in their literature, and the blood transfusion ban.
