Russia Raids 110 Homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Largest in One Day

[Isabella]

Russian authorities armed with assault rifles raided 110 homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Voronezh Region on July 13, 2020, according to an official press release by the Voronezh Region Investigative Committee. This is the largest series of raids conducted in one day on Jehovah’s Witnesses in modern Russia. Preliminary reports from my colleagues indicates that at least two Witnesses were beaten.

Some Witnesses reported that when the officers stormed into their houses to conduct the searches, they would force people to the ground and press their faces to the floor. Additionally, the law enforcement officers did not wear masks or take any precautions against the spread of COVID-19.

Jarrod Lopes, spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, states: “This month, the total number of Witnesses’ homes raided has surged to over 1,000 since 2017. For reasons passing understanding, heavily armed officers—as if being deployed for combat—are storming into the homes of peaceful Christians, many of whom are elderly. Human rights advocates and international judicial bodies continue to publicly condemn Russia for targetting Jehovah’s Witnesses. We hope Russian leaders will halt the persecution and uphold the freedom of religion and belief that is enshrined in its Constitution.”

#jwrussia

 

Read more: https://thezimbabwedaily.com/world/497627-russia-raids-110-homes-of-jehovahs-witnesses-largest-in-one-day.html

[Isabella]

Russian authorities said they’ve carried out more than 100 raids in the homes of dozens of Jehovah’s Witnesses in a region that borders Ukraine.

The joint searches by investigators, police and National Guard troops led to two criminal cases being opened against 10 worshippers aged between 24-56, investigators in the Voronezh region south of Moscow said in a statement Monday.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/07/14/raids-target-dozens-of-jehovahs-families-in-single-russian-region-a70873

[TrueTomHarley]

2 hours ago, Isabella said:

Russian authorities armed with assault rifles raided 110 homes of Jehovah’s Witnesses ...when the officers stormed into their houses to conduct the searches, they would force people to the ground and press their faces to the floor.

When the song “Give us Courage” was released at the 2018 Be Courageous Regional Conventions, an accompanying video displayed soldiers in full military gear closing in on entirely ordinary and manifestly harmless Jehovah’s Witnesses, who were doing no more than minding their own business. “How cult-like!” said the ridiculers. “What is it with these people and their “persecution complex.”

If fact, the video prefigures events that have come to pass, as absurdly unlikely as they might seem. After all, arresting entirely harmless people is crazy in itself. But what multiplies the craziness 100-fold is to arrest them in full military gear. There is no possibility of them offering resistance and everybody knows it. They are almost the only group whose entire history demonstrates that under no circumstances do they resort to violence. Yet they are arrested as you would terrorists.

Assuming that arrests are called for (a ridiculous assumption that we will let pass so as to pursue a greater point), why would arrests be made in such a violent manner? Two reasons present themselves,

1) Outright hate.

2) Saving face.

If you declare people “extremists” and then arrest them as you would a jaywalker, you are only making yourself look silly. You are only proving that they are not extremists at all, and that you well know it—and so what does that say about you? It is why Abraham Lincoln said that he was not smart enough to lie—he knew he would have to adjust every subsequent statement and action to accord with that first lie simply if he would retain an ounce of credibility. Having lied to assert Witnesses are extremists, you have to act as though they are.

The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses foresaw this. It is the most unlikely scenario in the world, and yet they foresaw it. Does this “prove” that Jehovah is with the Witness Governing Body—to transfer Brother Glock’s remarks to more readily adaptable content?

 

[Arauna]

I sometimes I hope they put us in prison with all other people who refuse to give up Christ - so we can teach them before the end.  We may be together like Rahab.  So Jehovah can protect us.  I know it is wishful thinking... but I do hope this happens.

FEMA has built camps for renegades - where they can put you in prison without a lawyer or court case...… When they changed the law to accommodate this - I said … this is for JWs in future!

[TrueTomHarley]

7 hours ago, Arauna said:

I sometimes I hope they put us in prison with all other people who refuse to give up Christ - so we can teach them before the end.  We may be together like Rahab.  So Jehovah can protect us.  I know it is wishful thinking... but I do hope this happens.

FEMA has built camps for renegades - where they can put you in prison without a lawyer or court case...… When they changed the law to accommodate this - I said … this is for JWs in future!

I do not look forward to the experience. But so often in life we cannot change our “assignment.” The trick is to be like Paul, who knew how to live regardless of his circumstances. All reports are that the Russian brothers are facing their persecutors with enormous resolve, courage, and integrity. I pray that should it become my turn, I will just as readily follow their example.

[Arauna]

16 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

do not look forward to the experience.

Living on top of others is not easy - so no - it will not be nice.... but as you say : live the best you can for Jehovah...