Russian supreme court bans Jehovah's Witnesses

[Mr Tracy]

Tom Logan said:

Are they a Christian sect as the OP states? I always thought that their beliefs pre-dated Christianity and were more akin to OT stuff.

Nah, just some bloke from Phily making st up, similar to the Mormons

'The Jehovah's Witnesses were founded by Charles Taze Russell, a former haberdasher from Philadelphia, in early 1872'

[Goaty Bill 2]

Tom Logan said:

Many many years ago I had some friends in the Whitby area who were JWs, lovely people who would do anything to help people and certainly not doorknockers or preachers to the unconverted. Very entrenched and unwavering in their views though.

Are they a Christian sect as the OP states? I always thought that their beliefs pre-dated Christianity and were more akin to OT stuff.

1870s according to Wiki
They are and they aren't 'Christians' in the traditional sense.

The distinction based upon their text here, is along the lines of rejecting the Holy Trinity.
The early Christian church had considerable discussion about this as well, so their belief is not without precedence.

[glazbagun]

Yeah they used to be called the International Bible Students and were almost open-source Christianity in the beginning before their beliefs crystalized- bible meetings where they'd think of a question and scurry off to find an answer in the bible.

Most Christian churches reject them as they disagree with the trinity. They, OTOH, view all the major Christain churches as monolithic institutions who sold out back in the day.

They also believe that Gods Kingdom (that you pray for in the Lords Prayer) is a literal government in heaven and they await the day it comes to earth and wipes out our current political system.

So easy to see why their beliefs might offend others of an authoritarian bent!

RE:144,000, they feel that this limited number will get into heaven and rule alongside Jesus in the aforementioned kingdom. The rest of them, and a whole load of now-dead people will live on earth happily ever after like Adam and Eve would have, once Jesus sorts his timetable out and returns.

[brrapp]

glazbagun said:

RE:144,000, they feel that this limited number will get into heaven

That's grossly unfair.

[Mr Tracy]

brrapp said:

glazbagun said:

RE:144,000, they feel that this limited number will get into heaven

That's grossly unfair.

I think the JW's got their marketing strategy all wrong here, unlimited access to believers, eternal youth and 72 virgins was a master stroke. No wonder there's so many of them.

[scherzkeks]

gadgetmac said:

JW's are a special case. They would quite willingly refuse their children blood transfusions and allow them to die in line with their perverted beliefs.

fk 'em.

They are listed as a cult here in Germany.

[Roofless Toothless]

Frank Zappa once said that the difference between a cult and a religion is largely a matter of the amount of real estate involved.

[scherzkeks]

Roofless Toothless said:

Frank Zappa once said that the difference between a cult and a religion is largely a matter of the amount of real estate involved.

Not disagreeing with that, just stating a fact.

[Nimby]

glazbagun said:

...they believe that their religion is right and all the other ones are wrong..

Surely that applies to all religions?

[BlackLabel]

"Russian authorities have put several of the group’s publications on a list of banned extremist literature and prosecutors have long cast it as an organisation that destroys families, fosters hatred and threatens lives."


Wonder how their extremist literature compares with the nasty stuff in the Bible/Torah/Koran and other religious texts? You'd be opening a Pandora's box if you went though them all to see which ones to ban.

[ollie05]

BlackLabel said:

You'd be opening a Pandora's box if you went though them all to see which ones to ban.

Ban them all load of absolute drivel/bullst

[Goaty Bill 2]

ollie05 said:

BlackLabel said:

You'd be opening a Pandora's box if you went though them all to see which ones to ban.

Ban them all load of absolute drivel/bullst

While there are only five officially communist states in the world today, I think North Korea is the only one currently up to your standards.
It may yet be possible for you to apply...

If they aren't forthcoming with a response, I suggest simply travelling there and taking a few photos. You'll be a full time resident in no time at all

[ollie05]

Goaty Bill 2 said:

While there are only five officially communist states in the world today, I think North Korea is the only one currently up to your standards.
It may yet be possible for you to apply...

If they aren't forthcoming with a response, I suggest simply travelling there and taking a few photos. You'll be a full time resident in no time at all

Lol what an odd response. I don't want a communist world, my point is if all religions were globally scrapped, there would be far less conflict/hassle.

As you can tell, I'm an atheist

[Goaty Bill 2]

ollie05 said:

Goaty Bill 2 said:

While there are only five officially communist states in the world today, I think North Korea is the only one currently up to your standards.
It may yet be possible for you to apply...

If they aren't forthcoming with a response, I suggest simply travelling there and taking a few photos. You'll be a full time resident in no time at all

Lol what an odd response. I don't want a communist world, my point is if all religions were globally scrapped, there would be far less conflict/hassle.

As you can tell, I'm an atheist

Indeed, it usually quite easy to spot one

Goaty Bill 2 said:

Bill said:

Pastor Niemoller had something to say about this.

and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Jehovah's Witness...

[hidetheelephants]

No need to be authoritarian and ban them, just relieve them of their tax breaks and get rid of the ludicrous concept of religious offence; any religion that needs legal protection from ridicule is not robust enough to exist.

[Boosted LS1]

I've known a few JW's and to be fair they're really decent people. Not once have they tried to impose religion upon me but they'll happily weld up a car and do a conversion :-) The blokes hate working on a thursday so leave the girls to go door knocking, lol.

[Goaty Bill 2]

hidetheelephants said:

No need to be authoritarian and ban them, just relieve them of their tax breaks and get rid of the ludicrous concept of religious offence; any religion that needs legal protection from ridicule is not robust enough to exist.

I'm not aware of religions in Russia being protected by blasphemy laws, but if you know better, please do tell...

The logic behind tax exempt status is that it theoretically removes the right of the church to lobby voters to vote for a particular party.
Which would you prefer, a tiny amount of tax revenue, or freedom from their political lobbying?
I know which I prefer, even if it hasn't worked all that well in the not so distant past.

Original reply had an unintentionally grumpy tone.

Edited by Goaty Bill 2 on Sunday 23 April 10:01

[br d]

Russell confidently predicted the end of world and everything in it with only he and his chosen people going to heaven, his followers duly waited for the fateful day only to be dissapointed.
Not one to be put off he predicted it again on 5 further occasions, it failed to materialise every time in case you're wondering.

We all make mistakes certainly but it strikes me this is about the biggest thing you could possibly be wrong about, and he managed to be wrong about it 6 times.
Only in religion could someone with so little credibility still be revered.

[Pesty]

Camoradi said:

RicharDC5 said:

Putin has probably got pissed off with them knocking on his door all the time.

knock knock

Can I help you?

"Is Len in?"

Knock knock

Who's there

Crimea ..

[Goaty Bill 2]

br d said:

Only in religion could someone with so little credibility still be revered.

10 years of Tony Bliar would seem to indicate otherwise.

ETA
Yes, some people are still listening to him too.

Edited by Goaty Bill 2 on Sunday 23 April 10:33