Torture of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Surgut

[The Librarian]

At least seven of Jehovah’s Witnesses were subjected to torture—electric shocks, suffocation, and cruel beatings—on the first floor of the Russian Investigative Committee’s building at ul. Ostrovskogo, d. 47, in Surgut. While being tortured, officers interrogated the Witnesses, demanding to know: “Where are meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses held? Who attends the meetings? What are the elders’ last names? What is your mobile phone password?”

On February 15, 2019, mass searches in Surgut started in the early morning hours. Worshippers were taken to the Investigative Committee offices. Investigators began interrogating the Witnesses, who refused to disclose details about their fellow worshippers. After the only legal representative in the room left, victims report that the following occurred: agents put a bag over the victims’ heads, sealed it with tape, tied their hands behind their backs, and beat them. Then, after stripping the Witnesses naked and dousing them with water, the agents shocked them with stun guns. This sadistic torture lasted for about two hours.

At least three Witnesses are still behind bars.

Additionally, after the mass searches were completed, the Russian authorities initiated criminal cases against a total of 19 Witnesses for so-called “organizing an extremist organization.”

Those who have been released have had their injuries documented by medical professionals and have filed complaints with supervisory agencies.

The Witnesses will pursue all available legal remedies for this crime, since such an egregious abuse of authority is punishable under the Russian Criminal Code. Additionally, The Russian Federation is subject to several international bodies that protect individuals from torture.

https://www.jw-russia.org/en/news/19021923-622.html

[JW Insider]

Disgusting.

[Srecko Sostar]

Sad because of two reasons.

First, torturing people is evil thing.

Second, JW people thought they have to be "faithful" and not to say names and addresses.

 

Yesterday i watched documentary (Shooting of Philando Castile https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/21/us/video-police-shooting-philando-castile-trial.html ) about how US police officers are trained, some of them, to shoot people first, and than to see what is going on. Law give them free hand to use gun when ever they think it is necessary to shoot people who have or not have gun. 1 of 4 US citizen have gun, they say. Maybe more than 1. 

So, all kind of governments and officers in it are able to do bad things.   

[Evacuated]

33 minutes ago, Srecko Sostar said:

Second, JW people thought they have to be "faithful" and not to say names and addresses.

What should they have done?

[Srecko Sostar]

JW in Russia in purpose to prove how they era not "extremists" must, have to obey restrictions.

So, if bro or sis want to stay in contact with other bro or sis, let them give advice to go for tea or coffee in public place - no secret meetings, no WT literature, books and other documents. Just and Only Your Faith in God! (with possibility to change own perception How such Faith have to Look).  

Mutual encouraging in "hope" for better future not needs any Formal Organization, Formal Meetings, Formal way of Worshiping. Just calm state of mind, faith, hope and WAITING for God (to solve your problem in life time, or to die in peaceful condition in old age).

By openly talking about what you know about JW as religion, and not doing "theocratic warfare" or hiding and lying to agents, police, they can lightening pressure. But because Government decide what have decide this first wave of ban will be ugly for a while.  

[Evacuated]

3 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

By openly talking about what you know about JW as religion, and not doing "theocratic warfare" or hiding and lying to agents, police, they can lightening pressure.

"At this Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying: “Be kind to yourself, Lord; you will not have this happen to you at all.”  But turning his back, he said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you think, not God’s thoughts, but those of men.” Matt.16:22-23.

[TrueTomHarley]

7 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

So, all kind of governments and officers in it are able to do bad things.   

Some do worse things than others.

 

5 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

By openly talking about what you know about JW as religion, and not doing "theocratic warfare" or hiding and lying to agents, police, they can lightening pressure. But because Government decide what have decide this first wave of ban will be ugly for a while.  

Really, Srecko’s goal is no less ugly than that of persecutors in harsh lands. It is really the same goal.

The mutual goal is that Jehovah’s Witnesses should no longer be Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is that talk about the hope of God’s kingdom should stop, and the grapes already on the vine should wither.

To be sure, their methods differ. It is as though one faction says to another, ‘You’re going about it all wrong!” 

But the goal is the same.

[Witness]

2 hours ago, Outta Here said:

"At this Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying: “Be kind to yourself, Lord; you will not have this happen to you at all.”  But turning his back, he said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you think, not God’s thoughts, but those of men.” Matt.16:22-23.

Did a foreign nation want Jesus killed, or was he persecuted by his own people? 

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind (Deut 6:8); and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’(Lev 19:28)”

²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 

That isn’t an empty promise, is it?  However, is it possible to love God in this way, when a towering organization requires servitude, devotion and love as well?  Why would Christ’s teachings need any adjustment by men?  Why would we need further decrees developed by anyone other than those of Christ and the apostles.  We have the Bible, which is all we need.

 Deut 6:8 - Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

¹⁷ Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. ¹⁸ Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, ¹⁹ thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.  Deut 6:17-19

Lev 19

“‘Do not steal.

“‘Do not lie.

“‘Do not deceive one another.

¹² “‘Do not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

¹³ “‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor.

“‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.

¹⁴ “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.

¹⁵ “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

¹⁶ “‘Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.

¹⁷ “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.

¹⁸ “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

¹⁹ “‘Keep my decrees.

“‘Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the Lord.’”  Lev 19:11-19,37

 

Has the Watchtower followed all of the above?  What about disfellowshipping those who refuse to serve an organization?  What about perverting justice to victims of abuse?  What about teachings and prophesies that have deceived its members?  And the list goes on.

 

Israel grew fat and kicked;
    filled with food, they became heavy and sleek.
They abandoned the God who made them
    and rejected the Rock their Savior.
¹⁶ They made Him jealous with their foreign gods
    and angered Him with their detestable idols.
¹⁷ They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God—
    gods they had not known,
    gods that recently appeared,
    gods your ancestors did not fear.
¹⁸ You deserted the Rock, who fathered you;
    you forgot the God who gave you birth.

¹⁹ The Lord saw this and rejected them
    because he was angered by his sons and daughters.
²⁰ “I will hide my face from them,” he said,
    “and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,
    children who are unfaithful.  Deut 32:15-20

 

WT 85/3/15 p. 10 -   “GOD’S ORGANIZATION.” That expression was used by a member of the Watch Tower Society’s editorial staff during the daily Bible discussion at the Bethel dining tables over 60 years ago. How it thrilled the headquarters family in Brooklyn, New York! That UNIQUE PHRASE, “God’s organization,” served to GUIDE THE FUTURE THINKING, SPEECH AND WRITING of those Bible Students. It broadened their spiritual VISION with regard to all creation and greatly influenced their attitude toward the marvelous Organizer of the universe, Jehovah God. 

w89 12/15 p. 24 -  To render acceptable sacrifices, we must cooperate fully with God’s organization. 

Who says?  God?  Jesus? Or men? 

w11 1/15 pp. 3-7 -  Still, as a people, “the chosen ones” and their loyal companions will physically survive the end of apostate Christendom by taking refuge in Jehovah and his mountainlike organization.

Isn’t God our Rock?  Is there another?

 Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only and take your oaths in His name. ¹⁴ Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you;¹⁵ for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. ¹⁶ Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah.¹⁷ Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. ¹⁸ Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, ¹⁹ thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.  Deut 6:13-19

God never abandoned the nation of Israel when His decrees were followed.  The organization has proven it cannot rescue anyone in times of adversity.  It is heart-wrenching to see this persecution exist, because people are trusting in a “unique” vision instead of trusting fully on God.  During this time period, those that give their testimony to Christ in front of their own people must expect persecution. 

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 

Who does he mean by the “world”?

²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.

 He spoke truth to his people and they rejected him, they killed him.  When anointed and companions speak against a false god, its leaders and its lies; turning completely to their Rock and their Savior, they are persecuted and rejected by their people. They are considered spiritually “dead”. They are following in the path of Christ.  John 16:2; Rev 13:14-17

WT 17/10 - “In these last days, Jehovah’s people have been able to do a great work. This has been possible because of Jehovah’s blessing and Christ’s leadership. We are happy to be part of a STABLE, SECURE, AND EVERLASTING ORGANIZATION, and we know that Jehovah’s purpose for pure worship will come true.”

“Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial (“spiritual”) foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. 

¹¹ The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. ¹² And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate (of Jerusalem) to make the people holy through his own blood. ¹³ Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. ¹⁴ For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.  Heb 13:9,10,11-14

Srecko is speaking of worshiping in the Spirit and in Truth:

John 4:23,24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

And you are faulting him for it, for following Jesus’ words?  I would guess he has already suffered greatly for his stance against his own people, where spiritual “Israel” reside.  We do not have an enduring physical organization established in the world of Satan, that will lead us into the Kingdom.  We have Christ.  John 10:7-10

Hear the word of the Lord,
You who tremble at HIS word:
“Your brethren who hated you,
Who cast you out for My name’s sake, said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
That we may see your joy.’
But they shall be ashamed.”  Isa 66:5

 

 

 

 

[Srecko Sostar]

4 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

Some do worse things than others.

 

Really, Srecko’s goal is no less ugly than that of persecutors in harsh lands. It is really the same goal.

The mutual goal is that Jehovah’s Witnesses should no longer be Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is that talk about the hope of God’s kingdom should stop, and the grapes already on the vine should wither.

To be sure, their methods differ. It is as though one faction says to another, ‘You’re going about it all wrong!” 

But the goal is the same.

Russian JW bro and sis love each other, i guess, and want to show it in a way to not say names of fellow believers. It is understandable. I guess they are "ready" to give their freedom, health and life for other JW.

But in dry administrative words, we all can agree in idea, how this JW Russian people EXPECTED all this "persecution" and talking to each other about it and talking to people in Field Service how time will come when satan with his people will imprison, kill and beat JW, not only in Russia but in a whole World. Even Convention Programs Alarmed all JW people around the World how such time is very close. And that day has come, for Russian JW (come again in Russia, after USSR era ban and isolation).

In countries where there is no such problems, JW people "eagerly" waiting Armageddon, but when this sort of Armageddon comes on JW people, than all  come to be unhappy and blame satan, evil Government, Police, President etc. Going to UN, OSCE, Strasbourg for help and religious freedom. WT pressing charges and similar. Why, if "prophecies" must be fulfilled? Why if Bible say, "happy are those who are persecuted" ? 

But for what reason? For Justice, Righteousness. Of Christ. "Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires". Not for WT, human religious corporation and organization, requires.    

Again, it is not about to have "JW religion", organization. It is about to have Spirit and Truth, as Witness very well emphasized in her comment.

    

[Evacuated]

6 hours ago, Witness said:

Did a foreign nation want Jesus killed, or was he persecuted by his own people? 

Both

[Evacuated]

3 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

W people "eagerly" waiting Armageddon, but when this sort of Armageddon comes on JW people, than all  come to be unhappy and blame satan, evil Government, Police, President etc. Going to UN, OSCE, Strasbourg for help and religious freedom. WT pressing charges and similar. Why, if "prophecies" must be fulfilled? Why if Bible say, "happy are those who are persecuted" ? 

does this describe how you were?

[Witness]

2 hours ago, Outta Here said:

Both

I’m glad you brought it up.  Who should be blamed for condemning Jesus to death? 

"While going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the twelve disciples aside privately and said to them on the way, ¹⁸ “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death. ¹⁹ They will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked, flogged, and crucified, and on the third day he will be raised.” Matt 20:17-19

Paul equates this to the Jews killing Christ.

"For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, since you have also suffered the same things from people of your own country, just as they did from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us. They displease God and are hostile to everyone”  1 Thess 2:14,25

As Jesus predicted – "Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they treated them the same way. 37 But afterward he sent to them his son, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him, and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. "  Matt 21:36-29

And Peter said, “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know, him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed”  Acts 2:21,22

Although the chief priests of Israel had “no right to kill anyone”, they were responsible for his death.  John 18:31  It is amazing to me how similar it is in the organization when an anointed priest speaks out against the organized religion of their people, the  “chief priests”/ Pharisees, (GB) hand them over to “uncircumcised” spiritual “Gentiles” – “lawless men”, to be “killed” - disfellowshipped.  It is the elder body/Man of Lawlessness, who treads down and rules over God’s Temple/priests.  1 Cor 3:16,17; 2 Cor 6:16; 2 Thess 2:3,4; Rev 11:1,2

This is extremism.