David Normand

I agree with several of you that ours is not the only religion that is being persecuted. I did read an article about a Baptist minister that has been there for six years or so who was arrested under the same charge and is now leaving his missionary field and returning to USA. However, most other religions are being persecuted as individual churches or groups. Ours is the only one (at least at this time) that is persecuted in-mass. Congregations do not even have to have violated their extremist laws personally to risk being shutdown and having assets confiscated and members jailed for worship of the only true God. 

Jehovah will take care of all things in his own due time. Keep the faith, keep praying, and our deliverance will be shortly.

Today it's Jehovah's Witnesses. Tomorrow it may be the Protestants or Catholics who are getting skewered by the state officials. It may even be the Russian Orthodox Church. 

King of the North? Don't know, but he certainly is going after Jehovah's people with a vengeance. 

I suppose that is something else that we take for granted here in the West, reliable postal service. Did not have to stand in line for a carrier service (DHL). Postage from where I live to Russia was $1.20. As much as a large cup of coffee at QT, or 1/4 of a cup of coffee at Starbucks. And there was no line. Cheers

Nice to see the local media taking notice. 

Don't know for sure is this is related to the Russian attempt to disband Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia, but it is at the very least an interesting coincidence that will make some people give consideration to the two events being linked.

Thank you for those fine points. I have been pondering for several days about the efficacy of bringing up ISIS or other things and your points are steering me in the correct direction. Uplifting and forward thinking. Show love and concern for the entire association of brothers and at the same time show concern for the Russian people and their leaders. Again, thank you. 

Not a lost cause, but from a Russian politicians point of view, where is the upside for coming to the aid of an oppressed religious minority? There really isn't one. Unless somebody in power wants to take the highroad and actually uphold their own constitution then it is unlikely that anybody there will intervene.

This will probably have as much success as the letter writing campaign to Hitler, but it will at least let them know (if they don't already) that we are a world wide organization and we are unitedly serving the great God Jehovah and the leader of the Christian congregation Jesus.

My fear is that other governments, rather than being outraged by how Jehovah's Witnesses are being treated in Russia, will look at what was done as a how-to manual on how to get rid of or at least silence them. 

Oh well, this entire world lies in the hand of the wicked one. We can expect no less from him and his supporters.

Good reminder and nice illustration about keeping the most important (spiritual) things first. Not always easy and takes effort, but the dividends it pays in everlasting live. 

Big Eyes is one of the few movies that portrays Jehovah's Witnesses in a positive light. Shows them a normal people for a change. 

You know, you may be correct in your statement that Russians are very very family oriented. However, The Russian government decriminalizing of physical spouse abuse would seem to be at odd with your statement and also lend credence that the Russian legal attack against Jehovah's Witnesses is based upon something else entirely. Could it be that the Russian authorities are using family problems as a pretext rather than really getting to the heart of the matter which is that Jehovah's Witnesses don't support the military and also siphon members away from the Russian orthodox church? 

Actually, Jehovah's Witnesses are the only group that actively encourages all members to take preaching the kingdom message seriously. Not all members do, which is why we periodically get friendly reminders as to why we form congregations and go to meetings (especially the midweek meeting) in the first place. 

Are you advocating blocking doors so people cannot close them? I have relatives who remember Jehovah's Witnesses putting their foot in doors to keep people from closing them in an attempt to force them to listen. These relatives still will not talk to them. And, as a consequence will not talk to me about religion either. By-the-way, you misspelled Jehovah. 

They were engaged, presumably, which makes them a couple.

On 2/20/2017 at 0:44 PM, Melinda Mills said:

A couple of Jehovah's Witnesses were in the vicinity last week and I used the opportunity to get the latest magazine, as I hadn't seen you for a little while.

I am studying with a Jehovah's Witness couple.

Check the difference in these two sentences.

 

 

First instance indicates two people in the vicinity. Might be related might not. Couple in this instance simply indicates two in number. 

In the second instance it also indicates two in number, but couple also has the sense of the two being related. 

A couple of Jehovah's Witnesses got married indicates that two of Jehovah's Witnesses got married. 

A Jehovah's Witnesses couple got married also indicates that two of Jehovah's Witnesses got married, but indicates that they were attached in some way. 

Again, both senses are correct. Does not really matter though. Much ado about nothing. 

A couple of Jehovah's Witnesses and a Jehovah's Witnesses couple are both correct. Low-cut is in the eye of the beholder. Unless the brother officiating at the wedding objects then there should not be any problem.  

We cannot expect no less from the religious organizations that have been loosing more and more members as the light of spiritual truth has shed light on their false religious practices. Jehovah's Witnesses are one of the fastest growing religious groups in the country and their members have to come from somewhere. As our group increases other groups decrease. 

Why would you post a letter addressed to the body of elders in this or any other forum?

It is great that some courts actually uphold the rule of law in spite of pressure from those who oppose religious freedom. We do not know how long we will have religious freedom and as such should not take it for granted, but avail ourselves of every opportunity to spread the kingdom message while the climate (political or otherwise) is favorable. 

Many years we called upon a home. The lady of the house answered and was obviously in mental distress. She explained that she normally would not even talk to us, but her life had changed. She lived in a well-to-do neighborhood with large houses and manicured lawns. As she looked around her neighborhood from the front stoop she said she thought she was in paradise. Then she found out that her husband has been unfaithful and was divorcing her and her oldest son was diagnosed with cancer. As she stated, in times past she would not have listened to us as she thought she had everything, but today she realized how fleeting everything is and was in search of something better. Something that can give her hope for a future.

It was my service companions call and we moved away some time later so i do not know how the story ended. However, the point is peoples circumstances changes. You never know when someone will finally wake up to the fact that this life is all a mirage and the real life in in the future and that only Jehovah can provide it with the loving kingship of his Son Jesus the Christ.

Great. Another attempt by man to end warfare. Nice try. Will not work as mankind does not possess the tools necessary to root out all the causes of armed conflict between nations. Sometimes the causes are superficial such as the perceived need for territory or free trade. Mankind can address such things. But when the causes go much deeper such as hatred between nations then the only way to end war is to change the minds and hearts of the individuals and only God's Kingdom with Christ as the king can do this.