The ban of «Jehovah’s Witnesses» in Russia will reduce the number of their adherents

[Guest Nicole]

The government’s decision on the ban in Russia of the centre’s activities of the organization «Jehovah’s Witnesses», recognized as extremist, will lead to a sharp decrease in the number of its followers and protect their civil rights. This opinion was expressed on Wednesday at a meeting in the state Duma the famous Russian antisectarian expert, the President of the Russian Association of centers for the study of religions and sects (RACERS) Alexander Dvorkin.

Russia’s Supreme court on 20 April as extremist activity «administrative center of Jehovah’s witnesses in Russia» — the main organization of «Jehovah’s Witnesses» in Russia. Sun has banned the work of the centre and confiscated his property. Now the followers of «Jehovah’s Witnesses» are threatened by criminal responsibility for the continuation of its activities. The representatives of «Jehovah’s Witnesses» have declared intention to appeal this decision to the European court of human rights.

«We are now seeing is very tough and aggressive attack on Russia, which was, in all respects, and it is connected with the process of «Jehovah’s Witnesses». We try to imagine this kind of struggle with faith. But this is not a struggle with faith, because the state cannot regulate who to believe, and in this case the government does not adjust: none of the members of the «Jehovah’s Witnesses» is not forbidden to practice their faith,» said Dvorkin at the meeting of interfractional Deputy group in protection of Christian values.

According to him, the question in this case is «about rights organization», which is now closed, and the «enormous cash flows to arrive, suppressed.»

«And then, if you want — come together on the flats, discuss their faith, no you will not interfere. But I am absolutely convinced that it will take several years, and the number of members dramatically, twice, three times — will fall. Because when you cut off the financial basis, the ability to freely, easily recruiting other people to rent large halls and so forth, that, in fact, people will lose interest and very quickly begin to diverge. In this sense, this decision is correct and far-sighted», — said the expert.

Assessment Dvorkin, the Russian justice Ministry, taking the lead on the elimination of the parent organization «Jehovah’s Witnesses» primarily aimed «to protect the civil rights of members of this organization.»

As noted antisectarian expert, «Jehovah’s Witnesses» do not recognize the fundamentals of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation, forbidding his followers to serve in the army and participate in elections. Members of the organization are involved in it «through deceit» and then «are deprived of basic human rights.» The organization has a de facto ban on a number of professions, as well as, according to Dworkin, on higher education: «they call it a «strongly not recommended to graduate»».

«In «Jehovah’s Witnesses» carry out strict control over every step of the activities of the members of the organization are governed even the most intimate moments of married life, spouses are required to report on each other. Everything, every member of the organization must constantly monitor each other, to spy, to write denunciations,» said antisectarian expert. According to him, there are special dossier on each of its members, which, «incidentally, as far as I know, all sent to the headquarters of the organization in the United States.»

«I have faced many times and tried to speak different the so-called human rights organizations, which, again, often sponsored from abroad, that there are specific cases of people who suffered from sects, but they do not do. That is, in fact, the struggle for human rights is replaced by the struggle for the rights of organizations that violate these human rights. This, then, is not advocacy, but just the opposite,» said Dvorkin.

http://chelorg.com/2017/05/18/the-ban-of-jehovahs-witnesses-in-russia-will-reduce-the-number-of-their-adherents/