Jehovah’s Witnesses Mobilize Global Response to Threat of Ban in Russia

[The Librarian]

You have a way with words @TrueTomHarley ;-)

[Anna]

On 3/31/2017 at 8:32 AM, bruceq said:

ONE OF MY BIBLE STUDIES YESTERDAY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ARE THE TRUE RELIGION BECAUSE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN RUSSIA. HE NOTICED THAT ONLY THE WITNESSES AND NO OTHER RELIGION IS TARGETED TO BE BANNED ON APRIL 5. HE SAID "THERE ARE OVER 2,000 RELIGIONS IN RUSSIA AND THEY ARE PICKING ON A SMALL PEACEFUL RELIGION THAT CANNOT FIGHT BACK AS MOST WOULD DO. WHY ONLY THE WITNESSES?" HE SAID IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT THEY HAVE THE TRUTH. MANY RELIGIONS ARE BEING RESTRICTED IN RUSSIA BUT ONLY ONE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE SUPREME COURT TO BE ABOLISHED !!!

Sometimes we have to be careful that we don't single ourselves out as being the only religion that is persecuted, because that simply is not true (I know you are not saying that). Even the Orthodox Church in Russia has as its fair share of persecution during the Bolsheviks. However, your Bible study is quite right, at present it seems that the only ones that are due to be banned are Jehovah's Witnesses. Interesting indeed

Here is an interesting article (I apologize if someone has already posted this). I like this comment: " “No one else is in a comparable position to that of the Jehovah’s Witness community,” Alexander Verkhovsky of the SOVA Center for Information and Analysis told Forum 18 last month".

http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2017/march/russia-liquidate-jehovahs-witnesses-evangelicals.html

 

[Bible Speaks]

@TrueTomHarley @The Librarian I remember this article, remember all Babylon the Great will go down because of some interesting things that will happen, 

How will the great tribulation begin? The book of Revelation answers by describing thedestruction of “Babylon the Great.” (Rev. 17:5-7)

How appropriate that all false religion is likened to a prostitute! The clergy have prostituted themselves with the leaders of this wicked world. Instead of loyally supporting Jesus and his Kingdom, they have given their support to human rulers and have compromised godly principles just to gain political influence. They stand in stark contrast with the clean, virginlike anointed ones of God. (2 Cor. 11:2;Jas. 1:27; Rev. 14:4)

But who will destroy theharlotlike organization?

Jehovah God will put “his thought” into the hearts of “the ten horns” of the “scarlet-colored wild beast.”

These horns represent all the present political powers that give support to the United Nations, an organization pictured by the “scarlet-colored wild beast.”—Read Revelation 17:3, 16-18.

Why do we conclude that the destruction of Babylon the Great does not mean the death of all religious people?

Should we conclude, though, that thedestruction of the religions of Babylon theGreat results in the death of all the former members of those religions? Apparently not. The prophet Zechariah was inspired to write about that time. Speaking of someone who was previously part of false religion, the account states: “He will say, ‘I am no prophet. I am a man cultivating the soil, because a man bought me when I was young.’ And if someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds between your shoulders?’ he will answer, ‘Wounds I received in the house of my friends.’” (Zech. 13:4-6)

So, apparently, even some of the clergy will abandon their religious course and deny that they were ever part of those false religions.

How will God’s people fare at that time?

Jesus explains: “In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.” (Matt. 24:22) As we considered, in 66 C.E. the tribulation was “cut short.” This allowed “the chosen ones,” anointed Christians, to flee the city and its environs.

Likewise, the initial part of the future great tribulation will be “cut short” because of “the chosen ones.” The political “ten horns” will not be allowed to annihilate God’s people. Rather, there will be a brief respite.

[Bible Speaks]

[Anna]

40 minutes ago, Bible Speaks said:

 Ummmm......if you don't mind me asking, why do you always like your own comments?

[Bible Speaks]

5 minutes ago, Anna said:

 Ummmm......if you don't mind me asking, why do you always like your own comments?

@Anna If you agree with a statement it proves so be it! If I didn't like be worried? ???

[Anna]

8 minutes ago, Bible Speaks said:

@Anna If you agree with a statement it proves so be it! If I didn't like be worried? ???

I thought by posting it you are already agreeing with it. Why would you post something you don't agree with?

[John Lindsay Barltrop]

True Tom, your mention of Kim Jong Un reminded me of this cartoon:

 

........and of course we have rasPutin, "he mad monk" and Donald "Duck" in the US

oops..........the mad monk........sorry, forgot the "t"

[TrueTomHarley]

3 hours ago, Anna said:

Sometimes we have to be careful that we don't single ourselves out as being the only religion that is persecuted, because that simply is not true

It's not necessary to bash other religions here, it's not a subject I'm trying to focus attention on or wish to continue.

BUT

As is usual, especially with the evangelicals, they are letting Jehovah's Witnesses do their heavy lifting for them, because they fear perhaps they will be the next group to be accosted. Read around and you will see that this is (once again) true.

They hold back. Whatever support they offer is very tepid, because Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult that does not believe in the Trinity. If we win, they will latch on for the ride. Will they be grateful? Not for a second. We will continue to be maligned as a cult that fully deserves whatever bad comes upon it.

[TrueTomHarley]

When Putin opens my letter, he will be disheartened. He will see several paragraphs. He will want with all his heart to read it, but he has several million other letters to get through. He will toss the letter.

He will then open the next letter and discover, as he suspected from the envelope, that it is from a child. It includes drawings, one of a sad little girl because Putin is being mean to her nice friends, and one from a happy little girl, because he has had a change of heart. Putin will smile faintly, for everyone loves children. He will put this letter aside. Possibly he will show it to his grandchildren someday.

He will open the next letter. It will also be from me – not the same letter, but worded and reasoned upon completely anew. He will roll his eyes. “Another letter from that windbag Harley,” he will mutter, and toss it in the trash.

How many letters will Putin get? Eight million, at a minimum, as every Witness in the world will write him. They only had to be invited once, and they instantly responded. Putin has never seen anything like it and he will not forget it. It will not necessarily melt his heart. It may make him mad. He has a country to run. He has a world infested with verbal assassins he must stay abreast of. He even has would-be physical assassins, and one of them succeeded in taking out his favorite limosine driver, a no-doubt decent man. So he may not like it that Jehovah’s Witnesses try to flood his Kremlin and paralyze him, like the Dr. Suess king mired in oobleck.

I apologize to him. I really do. Unfortunately, the well-being of my brothers is at stake, and we feel we must get his attention somehow. He is being given bad advice by religionists. If he takes it, he will look like an utter fool on the world stage because nobody can read JW materials, online or in print, and think them extremist. Perhaps he should get mad at those who would maneuver him into such a ridiculous position.

Most likely, the eight million is just for starters. Six addresses are listed. Many Witnesses will send their same letter to all six, bringing the total to – say, 30 million. Yuri will not be jealous that Dmitry received the same letter as he. Some comfortable in writing will compose several letters and send each to all six. Make that 50 million. Then there will be non-Witness, human rights people. These will write in numbers of far less percentage, but there are far more of them. There will be some who don’t like Jehovah’s Witnesses and support the ban. Not to mention outright opposers who will be cheerleaders for him to take harsher measures. Will that bring the total to 60 million? More? Your guess is as good as mine.

Will letters from opposers fool him? I doubt it. He will say: “Look, I can see why Harley would write me, and all his 8 million chums. But what about this loser? Is he pretending he is somehow my friend who would warn me of a great danger? Is he not part of the general world who was last week (in the U.S.) called me a thug and a murderer?”

Putin may have them all sunk at sea and never read one. But he cannot fail to know of their existence and will perhaps wonder: ‘what would the world be like if everyone behaved as do these JWs, transcending national, racial, and social divisions to show loving concern for their spiritual brothers?

[Melinda Mills]

Letters from millions of people from all over the world and in different languages? Who will open them, sort them, translate them? Hardly Putin. He will probably sample a few. I worked for top executives  for many years and never knew one to open letters.  At best it might be delegated to some officer who will manage the whole affair and do some kind of précis of them, that is, if the whole lot are not discarded.

 

That doesn't mean that I did not write mine but not to Putin.  The very fact that we did something shows that we are giving Jehovah something to bless. But Putin opening thousands of letters? Hardly.  Wishful thinking.

[Dennis Gilman]

I also expected the same of Putin.  I sent letters to all six of the persons listed.