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Jehovah’s Witnesses: The World’s Most Persecuted Religion


TrueTomHarley

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20 hours ago, Pudgy said:

You know ... if watching James Bond flix are immoral. perhaps reading about a man would slaughter people all day long, in hand-to hand combat, year after year, in great quantities, then cut off the ends of their penises, and present them to his wife in a big box, is equally something that reading about is immoral. A man also guilty of premeditated 1st degree murder, and adultery.

... and of course, I am taking about King David

Yes, maybe the GB / W/t Leaders spent too much time reading about it and it perverted their minds. 

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Don’t persecute them! a certain foe with no use for Witnesses urged Russia. You’ll just feed into their “persecution complex.” Well—sure. The best way to feed a “persecution complex” is to persec

Not exactly. They are obedient when it does not conflict with God's 'rules'. But many governments give orders that people must join the military for a few years, and JWs disobey (rightly of course) an

First of all, the people taken from the nations for God's name, are His chosen anointed since Christ.  They, are to bear the name of God and Jesus Christ - not the name of an organization.(Isa 45:10-1

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14 minutes ago, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

You have twisted my words because you don't like the truth

What I have done is reported your words. I added nothing. I took away nothing. They confirm just what Holly Folk said. 

17 hours ago, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

I am only interested in the CSA within the W/t, CCJW, JW Org, and their other orgs / titles.  The reason being that the GB et al keep spouting that 'God and Christ trust them' and that JWs have the ONLY true religion / way of serving God. 

There is no concern here whatsoever for children. Otherwise you would be interested in it outside the JWs (because that’s where almost all of it is). The reason you care only obout CSA within JWs is that they claim to be the only true religion.

Quite clearly, it is religious hate that motivates you, and you are using child abuse victims, victimizing them all over again, to pursue that hate.

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13 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

What I have done is reported your words. I added nothing. I took away nothing. They confirm just what Holly Folk said. 

There is no concern here whatsoever for children. Otherwise you would be interested in it outside the JWs (because that’s where almost all of it is). The reason you care only obout CSA within JWs is that they claim to be the only true religion.

Quite clearly, it is religious hate that motivates you, and you are using child abuse victims, victimizing them all over again, to pursue that hate.

You are showing yourself up here Tom. Showing your desperation. I've explained it all very clearly so that anyone that really wants to understand will do so.

I hate what God and Christ hates, and that is to hate hypocrisy, lies, deceit and to hate the words of dishonest greedy men, which your GB are. 

And you know that the CSA is only one problem within the W/t and JW Orgs (plural). But God through Christ will have a True Anointed and true 'earthly' Christians before Armageddon.  

Luke 8 : 17.          Luke 17 : 1 & 2. 

 

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Jehovah’s Witnesses are The World’s Most Persecuted Religion

 

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses: The World’s Most Persecuted Religion

MASSIMO INTROVIGNE | 

A report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom describes persecution of the Witnesses as a global phenomenon.

by Massimo Introvigne

 

USCIRF report

In Eritrea, if you are a member of a certain religion you will be stripped of citizenship, lose all your civil rights, and probably end up in jail. If you try to practice the same religion in Tajikistan or Singapore, you may be arrested. In Russia, your religion is banned and, if taken to jail, you may even be tortured. Even in some democratic countries, as a member of that religion there is a risk you will be harassed in several different ways.

This is the situation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, according to a report released last month by USCIRF, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. USCIRF is a bipartisan commission of the U.S. federal government, whose members are designated by the congressional leaders of both political parties, Democrat and Republican, and appointed by the President.

Perhaps also because of the USCIRF report, on December 4 Eritrea released 28 Jehovah’s Witnesses, who had spent between 5 and 26 years each in prison. But another 24 Witnesses remain in jail there.

In the murky field of violations of religious liberty, sometimes the trees may hide the forest. While the situation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia is dramatic enough, and often noticed by international media, what makes the USCIRF report a unique and valuable document is its global scope. While the persecution of other religious groups may be bloodier, victims are concentrated in one, or a limited number of countries. Jehovah’s Witnesses are persecuted in different continents, and discriminated or harassed in dozens of countries. The USCIRF reports has sections on Eritrea, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Singapore, and South Korea, but makes it clear that those are just “examples.” The Witnesses suffer problems in several other parts of the world. USCIRF acknowledges that its examples “do not include the many other countries where the faith is banned or faces official harassment. The situation is ultimately even bleaker than our survey might indicate.”

One of the reasons Jehovah’s Witnesses are persecuted is their uncompromising position on conscientious objection, based on arguments derived from the Bible. This, the report argues, is misinterpreted, either because of a lack of understanding or maliciously, as anti-patriotism or “rejection of official values.” In fact, Jehovah’s Witnesses are law-abiding citizens, ready to “serve society in a peaceful way,” if they are offered civil service alternatives that are clearly outside of the military system.

The United Nations and other international bodies, the USCIRF notes, have stated time and again that conscientious objection is a human right. Yet, in several countries Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to go to jail because they refuse to serve in the military. These include countries engaged in endemic conflicts, such as Azerbaijan (with Armenia) and South Korea (with North Korea), although in the latter country Supreme Court decisions of 2018 and 2020 stated that conscientious objection for religious reasons is not a crime, alternative service should be offered, and imprisoned Jehovah’s Witnesses should be released. Only four of them remains in jail in South Korea, because the “sincerity” of their conscientious objection has been disputed, after more than 19,000 were imprisoned since 1953. South Korea also starts offering a civil alternative, but asks those opting for it to serve for one more year with respect to the normal duration of military service, which is yet another form of discrimination.

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were imprisoned in Eritrea since 1994.Jehovah’s Witnesses Paulos Eyasu, Isaac Mogos, and Negede Teklemariam were imprisoned in Eritrea since 1994.

In Eritrea, the report mentioned that 52 Jehovah’s Witnesses were in jail (as mentioned earlier, 28 were released on December 4). “Some of those Witnesses have been imprisoned for more than 20 years. According to reports, four Jehovah’s Witnesses have died in prison, and three elderly men died shortly after their release, due to poor prison conditions and mistreatment by prison authorities.” As in other countries, the report insists that conscientious objection is rarely the only reason why Witnesses are persecuted. Some of those in jail in Eritrea are only accused of having gathered or organized religious meetings illegally. In the African country, being a Jehovah’s Witnesses even leads to be deprived of citizenship and civil rights. And, while the situation has somewhat improved in recent years, in Singapore the Jehovah’s Witnesses were “de-registered” in 1972, and religious gatherings by non-registered groups may always be interrupted by the police, which may arrest the participants.

In Russia and the post-Soviet republics of Caucasus and Central Asia, the report explains, the roots of the persecution are in a Soviet propaganda that “spent decades demonizing Jehovah’s Witnesses as a danger to society.” While in more recent years, “it was easy to transition from viewing the historically vilified community as ‘anti-Soviet’ to branding them as ‘extremist,’” post-Soviet Russia added other reasons to crack down on the Witnesses, including official anti-American and anti-Western rhetoric and the influence of the most conservative faction of the Russian Orthodox Church. Russian influence was crucial in several post-Soviet republics, leading to a total ban in Tajikistan, accelerating crackdown in Turkmenistan, and discrimination in other countries.

 

Shamil Hakimov, sentenced in 2019 to seven and a half years in prison in Tajikistan for sharing his beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness.Shamil Hakimov, sentenced in 2019 to seven and a half years in prison in Tajikistan for sharing his beliefs as a Jehovah’s Witness.

Why are the Jehovah’s Witnesses persecuted? The report mentions the dangerous proliferation in the world of laws targeting “extremist” religious groups. Justified with the need to crack down on violent and terrorist organizations, these laws are then used against the Witnesses, although “the group is doctrinally apolitical and pacifist, and the prosecution of its members as dangerous ‘extremists’ demonstrates the capacity for abuse inherent in vague and sweeping anti-extremism legislation.”

Ultimately, the reasons why Witnesses are discriminated and persecuted are a matter for scholarly study. A seminar organized in September 2020 in Vilnius, and held online because of the COVID-19 pandemic, was entirely devoted to this issue. The video of the seminar is available, and the proceedings are being published in The Journal of CESNUR.

What the Jehovah’s Witnesses defend is the right to live differently, in this world, yet part of a kingdom “not of this world,” as Jesus says in John 18:36. Are our societies prepared to tolerate those who live in a way different from the majority’s, as long as they are peaceful, honest, and law-abiding citizens? That the answer is “no” in an increasing number of countries proves that our world is becoming a dangerous environment for religious liberty.

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14 hours ago, BroRando said:

What the Jehovah’s Witnesses defend is the right to live differently, in this world, yet part of a kingdom “not of this world,” as Jesus says in John 18:36. Are our societies prepared to tolerate those who live in a way different from the majority’s, as long as they are peaceful, honest, and law-abiding citizens? That the answer is “no” in an increasing number of countries proves that our world is becoming a dangerous environment for religious liberty.

But JWs are not law abiding in every way. The GB use their Lawyers to tell lies in court rooms and to defend Pedophiles in the W/t, CCJW, JWOrg.  The GB hide a 25 year Pedophile database that is protecting Pedophiles in the USA.  The GB / JW Org was refusing to pay compensation to Victims of CSA in Australia until the W/t was threatened with losing it's Tax relief.  The W/t / GB gets voluteers to build Kingdom Halls at no labour costs, then the W/t /GB sells off those Kingdom Halls for gross profit. The GB / W/t moves cash 'offshore' to hide it. The GB / W/t has now taken over the 'ownership' of ALL Kingdom Halls worldwide so that congregations have no collateral when being sued for CSA.

The GB / W/t are greedy and dishonest, and have no real love for God or Christ or people. 

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5 hours ago, BroRando said:

Jehovah’s Witnesses: The World’s Most Persecuted Religion

MASSIMO INTROVIGNE

Massimo  Introvigne, a lobbyist and a lawyer, called a “cult apologist” by some.   How do JWs feel that their leadership must hire a lobbyist who defends Scientology as well?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massimo_Introvigne

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37 minutes ago, Witness said:

How do JWs feel that their leadership must hire a lobbyist who defends Scientology as well?

How do you feel that you must purchase electricity from the company that also sells it to the neighbor you don’t like?

How do you feel about practicing the slimiest trick in the book—guilt by association?

He’s a scholar of religion. He is not a Scientologist himself, nor a Jehovah’s Witness. He is a Roman Catholic. His “lobbyism” is simply that bigotry does not run the minor religions off the road. If there is any running off the road to be done, it will be for God to do. In the meantime, they have the right to exist.

All these other groups he speaks for—Witnesses don’t agree with any other them, nor they with us. But we will do battle with them in the arena of ideas, not by attempting to legislate them out of existence. “Mischief by decree,” I think it is called.

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30 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

He’s a scholar of religion. He is not a Scientologist himself, nor a Jehovah’s Witness. He is a Roman Catholic. His “lobbyism” is simply that bigotry does not run the minor religions off the road.

The point is, he was hired to lobby for the Wt.  Hired; given money to announce how JWs are persecuted.  Does God need the help of the world at any time to fight His battles?   If the persecution of JWs in Russia was really for the sake of Jesus Christ, must it be advertised and fought against?  Or, should JWs accept the path of Christ, and walk humbly on that path?   (Matt 16:24-26)

But, JWs are not suffering for the sake of Christ.  They are suffering for the sake of an organization, an idol.  This is why the leadership must fight to save it.  It is built with money, not with the Spirit of God.  It uses money to fight its battles.  (Exod 20:4,5; 32:8,4; Isa 57:13; Matt 22:36,37; Rom 1:21,22,25)

At least JWs are not the victims of mass sterilization.  https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/china-conducting-mass-sterilization-muslim-minorities-amount-genocide/story?id=71519132

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22 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

How do you feel that you must purchase electricity from the company that also sells it to the neighbor you don’t like?

How do you feel about practicing the slimiest trick in the book—guilt by association?

He’s a scholar of religion. He is not a Scientologist himself, nor a Jehovah’s Witness. He is a Roman Catholic. His “lobbyism” is simply that bigotry does not run the minor religions off the road. If there is any running off the road to be done, it will be for God to do. In the meantime, they have the right to exist.

All these other groups he speaks for—Witnesses don’t agree with any other them, nor they with us. But we will do battle with them in the arena of ideas, not by attempting to legislate them out of existence. “Mischief by decree,” I think it is called.

https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/e/b/83530.pdf

Statement of Dr Massimo Introvigne, Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination, also Focusing on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians and Members of Other Religions HDIM, Warsaw, October 4, 2011

I came to this mandate with a background not as a politician or a diplomat, but with some thirty years of experience as a sociologist of religion and religious liberty activist. Those who came in touch with me this year would probably agree that this background may involve both advantages and disadvantages. The mandate is broad, and the time is short. I will limit myself to four remarks about four main areas of the mandate.

1. Racism. Social theory teaches us that economic crises generate stereotyping and scapegoating of minorities, easily degenerating into racism. Recent experience shows that this stereotyping is unfortunately not limited to marginal racist organizations, but occasionally contaminates mainline political speech. Intolerance should not be tolerated, be it intolerance against immigrants, refugees, women or any other minority. Working with NGOs and civil society is particularly important in this field, and several NGOs gave us a real treasure of information, particularly during our country visits.

2. Roma and Sinti issues. The growth of intolerance against Roma and Sinti communities is also in part a consequence of the international economic crisis. Two main aims of the mandate have been to involve directly Roma organizations in any international and domestic discussion about their community, and to facilitate conversations between the same Roma organizations, ODIHR specialized personnel, and some participating States. At least with respect to certain States, some real progress has been made, although visits to settlements and communities in several countries confirmed that much remains to be done.

3. Members of other religions. I fully understood my mandate not to be only about Christians, and recently had a significant meeting with leaders of the Sikh community in what is now the largest European Sikh temple, in Northern Italy. They report that problems still exist, but their situation has significantly improved in several participating States. I also interacted with so called traditional or "tribal" religions, particularly - in conversation with the World Intellectual Property Organization and other relevant actors in this field - in connection with one of their concerns, the protection of their "traditional knowledge" through the use, and the prevention of possible misuse, of intellectual property. But I also tried not to forget the non-traditional religions and experiences, by meeting representatives of both new religious movements and of secular humanist organizations, which are struggling for appropriate forms of legal recognitions in some countries.

4. Christians. The September 12, 2011 conference on hate crimes against Christians in Rome, with its quite high attendance, confirmed that these crimes are a matter of great international concern. The spiral of intolerance against Christians can be described through a three-step model. First comes intolerance, a cultural phenomenon. Second, discrimination, a legal process. Third, hate crimes. The social actors involved in the three steps are obviously different. But there is a slippery slope from the first step to the second and from the second to the third. I am very much aware that my role as Representative is not to be a spokesperson for any Christian church or community. But it involves hearing their claims and complaints, checking the facts, and discussing these claims with the relevant participating states. It should be recognized that not all claims should be accepted at face value. Christian churches and communities may have been responsible of hurting local sensitivities in different ways. But it is also a fact that intolerance against Christians is growing in many countries and regions.

My mandate is about building bridges. Bridges between countries. Bridges between religions. Bridges between religions and governments. Bridges between believers and unbelievers. Bridges between those who cherish the religious heritages of their countries and those who cherish traditions of separation between church and state.

Bridges are also about friendship. Let me conclude by mentioning that in this year I saw professional acquaintances grow into real friendships with personnel of OSCE , ODIHR and the Lithuanian chairmanship, women and men of great professional capabilities and moral integrity. For this, I am particularly grateful.

GB and JW representatives refuse any dialogue with representatives of other religions (except perhaps when they communicate through real estate agents while selling KH to another “fake” religion).

In this aspect, Massimo argues that he builds bridges between religions.
Is “building bridges between religions” something JWs want? From what we know the answer is, No. But WTJWorg GB doesn't mind, for now, that Massimo Introvigne wants to achieve exctly that with his work.

WTJWorg complains that others (whole world) are intolerant of them and discriminate and hate them. Well, can’t the same be found in a JW assembly whose members refuse to greet a former member when they meet on the street? Not greeting someone you know is not only rude and unkind, it is intolerant, discriminatory and hateful. It is the demolition, the burning of bridges.

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If the guy agreed with Jehovah’s Witnesses in every aspect, he would be one. He isn’t, so manifestly he doesn’t. No one ever said he did.

A recognized expert writing a brief for the court is the most unremarkable thing in the legal world. You need not act as though it is something shocking.

As to Witness’s false-piety-on-steroids, and her ‘What need have Witnesses for a legal tool of the world?’ the same could be said for automobiles. Why should any Christian have one? Let God’s spirit take them wherever they want to go. Why use a machine manufactured by the world.?

His article that JWs are the most persecuted religion in the world is a reflection upon the U.S. government agency’s report, not his own. It is also separate for any brief he has written for any court case. He hasn’t opined similarly about the many other groups he has spoken in behalf of, he the author of some 70 books.

 

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2 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

How do you feel about practicing the slimiest trick in the book—guilt by association?

You mean, the reason why Ray Franz was disfellowshipped?  Well that was certainly the slimiest trick in the book.  Or, the subsequent disfellowshipping of a person, who is seen associating with a disfellowshipped one.  Yes, no doubt, slimy. 

The Wt. used Mr. Introvigne's expertise only for their targeted benefit. Money can buy the message they want announced.  It appears they are also paying for advertising lately on news channels, with Robert Hendriks III as their media representative.

Since I’ve been disfellowshipped, an old JW friend would only text me when in need of a "how-to" answer about something other than the spiritual, which she knew either I or my husband could give her.  That was it.  Other than that, I was shunned….until, they are now finding out just how slimy the organization really is.

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