En un golpe a la libertad religiosa, la Corte Suprema de Rusia ha prohibido la actividad de los testigos de Jehová en cualquier parte del país. El alto tribunal aceptó una solicitud del ministerio de justicia que identificaba a la organización religiosa como un “grupo extremista”.
El tribunal ordenó el cierre de la sede rusa del grupo y sus 395 sucursales locales, así como la incautación de sus bienes.
La abogada del Ministerio de Justicia, Svetlana Borisova, dijo en la corte que los Testigos de Jehová representaban una amenaza para los rusos. «Ellos constituyen una amenaza para los derechos de los ciudadanos, el orden público y la seguridad pública», dijo a la corte. Borisova también dijo que la oposición de los Testigos de Jehová hacia las transfusiones de sangre viola las leyes rusas de la salud.
Yaroslav Sivulsky, portavoz de los Testigos de Jehová en Rusia, dijo en un comunicado que está «muy decepcionado por esta decisión y profundamente preocupado sobre cómo esto afectará su actividad religiosa». Los Testigos de Jehová dijeron que van a apelar la decisión.
Los Testigos de Jehová reclaman más de 170.000 partidarios en Rusia. Durante el año pasado, el grupo estuvo bajo creciente presión, incluyendo una prohibición para la distribución de la literatura por considerar que violaba las leyes contra el extremismo de Rusia.
La organización Human Rights Watch criticó la decisión como un impedimento a la libertad religiosa en Rusia. «La decisión de la Corte Suprema de clausurar a los Testigos de Jehová en Rusia es un duro golpe contra la libertad de religión y asociación en Rusia», dijo Rachel Denber, directora adjunta para Europa y Asia Central de Human Rights Watch.
El grupo de derechos también expresó su preocupación por los Testigos de Jehová que podrían ser procesados y castigados con multas y prisión al hacerse efectiva la orden.
La libertad religiosa está siendo atacada desde muchos frentes alrededor del mundo. Este es sólo el más reciente de una serie de problemas que ha venido sufriendo la libertad religiosa en Rusia, país que apoya a la Iglesia Ortodoxa Rusa como la iglesia estatal.
¿Llegará algún día su iglesia a enfrentar los mismos desafíos en todos los países del mundo? La Biblia predice que aquellos que no vayan junto con el movimiento ecuménico y las leyes de adoración, que pronto vendrán serán considerados como extremistas, experimentarán discriminación religiosa y sufrirán persecución. Véase Salmo 94: 20-22 y Apocalipsis 13: 15-17.
«Cuando alcancemos el estándar que el Señor quiere que tengamos, los mundanos considerarán a los adventistas del séptimo día como raros, singulares, estrechos y extremistas». Fundamentals of Education, pág. 289.
Comments
Tan
25 de abril de 2017 at 09:43 09Tue, 25 Apr 2017 09:43:53 +000053.Personally I agree that peaceful Christians should be given freedom of worship; however, as an worldwide religious organization, JW should have done something about sexual abuse cases in their organisation, double standard dealing and having negative attitude towards worldly education. Remember the case of Achan in the Book of Josuah. It is a very serious sin to be hypocritical. If the leading group in JW do not treat those problem in a positive way, Achan effect surely will take a heavy toll, damaging the fame of JW and bringing Jehovah shame.
Marie
26 de abril de 2017 at 19:01 07Wed, 26 Apr 2017 19:01:19 +000019.I think in my opinion. Its probably best they are ban. They taking a wrong message to poor souls, who needs to know the present truth.
admin
26 de abril de 2017 at 19:24 07Wed, 26 Apr 2017 19:24:11 +000011.But what happens when they think your message is wrong?
Marie
27 de abril de 2017 at 21:43 09Thu, 27 Apr 2017 21:43:47 +000047.This is it! Dont we all see this coming first hand. First of all, its a communist government! And by seeing what they have exercised against the JWs is no suprise. Everyone is well within their rights of what they practice according to. their beliefs, faith, and religion. It’s either sharing it, door knocking and any other form of evangelist. There is no restriction whatsoever. I’m afraid it is not so ! time of freedom of religion is coming to an end very soon. And places like Russia and other communist country in particular will follow suit. It’s the devils way of pushing the button to start from somewhere. Oh don’t we see the devil cunning ways. He is very smart with caniving ideas.
My message is no less or any difference as it is all under Christianity banner. Protestanism as we called ourselves.
Secondly we are dealing with an ethiest country if I can call it or uncircumcised gentiles who have no understanding of the truth or Bible knowledge . These Russians are the ones that have the power to control their country by enforcing their laws of the land to Christian minority. They have seized their freedom of worship. If they can enforced this to JWs where do we stand as SDA with our message. It’s coming and very soon Sunday laws enforcement will take place. Don’t you think this is reveling to us what is to take place. I think we all do aware of it. In one way I looked at it. I have nothing against JWs the faith in door knocking is something we as SDA should all do. Except their message is not Bible based. E.g. Sabbath. Exodus 20. What took place in Russia to me is saying Adventist WAKE UP! This is our time to spread the message to all, every tongue, nation and kindred. Before it’s TOO LATE!!
We all can’t save people but to take the message and let it be planted as a seed of a mustard we all can do that. The choice is individually. God will take care of the rest. We do our part and spread the truth. God will do His. ☺
Tim
26 de mayo de 2017 at 12:54 12Fri, 26 May 2017 12:54:24 +000024.What don’t you understand? We’ve been told what is going to happen. This action is simply a check-mark in a box for evil in the last days «In India, China, Russia, and the cities of America, thousands of men and women are dying of starvation. The monied men, because they have the power, control the market. They purchase at low rates all they can obtain, and then sell at greatly increased prices. This means starvation to the poorer classes, and will result in a civil war. There will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book…. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.”—Manuscript 114, 1899. (General manuscript, untitled, typed August 13, 1899.)