Russia seeks to ban JW.org

[Áine]

I have just heard via someone I trust that as of today or tomorrow Russia will be blocking the jw.org website....anyone else here this?

It came to me via email from someone in the SA Bethel....

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[Áine]

It was announced at the Bethel during lunch today

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[ReadYourBible]

Somehow I don't think this will matter to Jehovah, I mean its unfortunate BUT they can ban us all they like, but Jehovah's will is being done.

 

I found this website today while witnessing to a mormon fellow, I was looking for a way to show him how Jehovah's spirit is active in our organization and how it is helping us to make inroads in places where even their own church cannot.   'Ironically' enough I found a LDS site, which said just that.  

 

Just a warning, because I don't want anyone to be shocked if they go there.  DISCLAIMER: Please note this is a LDS website, comparing their activities to OURS.  

 

 

http://www.cumorah.com/index.php?target=view_other_articles&story_id=539&cat_id=30

 

http://www.cumorah.com/index.php?target=about_us 

 

Here is the point that I thought interesting.

 

Future Prospects

 

The outlook for future growth of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia appears significantly different between the two denominations.  Witnesses appear likely to experience steady outreach expansion, active membership growth, and congregational growth whereas the LDS Church appears likely to experience stagnant or declining congregational growth and only slight increases, if any, in national outreach expansion and the number of active members.  The LDS Church appears likely to organize additional stakes from several districts within the near future and may initiate a new period of outreach expansion as mission resources are redistributed from preparing members and leaders for the responsibilities of operating stakes to opening currently unreached cities to proselytism.  This pattern of mission resource redistribution has been exhibited by the LDS Church in other countries in the region following the organization of stakes such as Ukraine and Hungary.  Witnesses appear poised to make additional inroads with ethnic minority groups throughout Russia due to the impressive size of active membership and the devoted, growing number of church leaders who possess significant member-missionary resources and outreach expansion vision.

Edited January 21, 2014 by cerebral ecstasy

[Áine]

No, it won't bother Jehovah but it will make it difficult for our brothers and sisters.

[ReadYourBible]

No, it won't bother Jehovah but it will make it difficult for our brothers and sisters.

I agree, but I don't know about you but sometimes when difficulties arise, it's almost like we are assured that we have Jehovah's backing.  Does this make sense?  It's a point of faith confirmation for me, always has been.  When I first started studying with the witnesses I had never received any persecution on account of my faith, it was only when I joined with our organization did it occur.

 

This just gave my faith a complete boost, and now I look at it as the apostles did.  “Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you for my sake.”—MATTHEW 5:11."

 

It would be good though for us to pray about their circumstances, and ask Jehovah to bolster their spirit and bring to mind all the things that he has said about persecution.  So thanks for that reminder!  

Edited January 21, 2014 by cerebral ecstasy

[LeslieDean]

I agree, but I don't know about you but sometimes when difficulties arise, it's almost like we are assured that we have Jehovah's backing.  Does this make sense?  It's a point of faith confirmation for me, always has been.  When I first started studying with the witnesses I had never received any persecution on account of my faith, it was only when I joined with our organization did it occur.

 

This just gave my faith a complete boost, and now I look at it as the apostles did.  “Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you for my sake.”—MATTHEW 5:11."

 

It would be good though for us to pray about their circumstances, and ask Jehovah to bolster their spirit and bring to mind all the things that he has said about persecution.  So thanks for that reminder!  

 

Sharon, so true!  My teacher told me when I first started to study to please not share that information with anyone until we were a little further into the book and she had more time to devote to me as to why she was telling me this.  She said she wanted to prepare me for what to expect so I would see it when it was presented.  And did I ever.  One thing I really remember was the point that "all other religions say: it does not matter what religion you are--(except for being a Jehovah's witness)--you will go to heaven.  Yet Jehovah's witnesses say it does matter what religion you are."  I keep rereading that and don't know if I made it clear--all religions say any religion is good Except for Jehovah's witnesses.  Funny how that works heh?

[seagull]

This will be interesting to see.  I am off back to Moscow for a couple of days tomorrow so I will be able to check.  The last time I was there just before the end of last year I could see the main jw.org site but there were no links to WOL.  That was not blocked - the links were simply not in the page which suggests that the society was filtering out WOL from even being served.

[Musky]

I just received this from a friend in NY

 

It is much the same as Annie posted:

 

A letter was read this morning at morning worship and apparently the Russian Government is opening a case on banning our 

JW.org

 website in Russia. Wha

t makes this situation even worse is that the brothers in Russia did not find out that this case existed till yesterday and their court date is tomorrow

(

01/22/14

) If this law is permitted it will mean that anyone visiting this website in the country will not only be given a charged penalty but also

 

be put in prison for illegal internet browsing. The Governing Body and Branch 

Committee have begged us to pray to our utmost for this case. Never has the Governing Body asked like this before. Please feel free to pass on this message for it is urgent that our prayers strengthen the cause and that Jehovah can have the high stand for tomorrows case.

 

 

Edited January 21, 2014 by Musky

[ReadYourBible]

Seems the brothers there found out just in the nick of time, I know Russia is notorious for corrupt government and lax laws unless they're in the governments favor to name a few lawless things.

 

I will be praying that the brothers can use this opportunity to give a witness to all those involved, it's like those in the first century going up against the Sandhedrin.  Corrupt snakes. 

 

This also mirrors 2004.  Wikipedia states In 2004, the Moscow City Court banned the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Moscow, their legal entity was liquidated. 

 

Liquidation

The collection of assets belonging to a debtor to be applied to the discharge of his or her outstanding debts.

A type of proceeding pursuant to federal Bankruptcy law by which certain property of a debtor is taken into custody by a trustee to be sold, the proceeds to be distributed to the debtor's creditors in satisfaction of their claims.

The settlement of the financial affairs of a business or individual through the sale of all assets and the distribution of the proceeds to creditors, heirs, or other parties with a legal claim.  Why do I get the feeling that the corrupt government was one of these with a supposedly legal claim?

 

Hopefully the brothers will receive a judge who feels as this one did.  http://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/russia/overturned-court-decision/

 

I know what to pray for now.  I'm going to pray for the judge to have the same mindset as this one in the brothers case above, and that Jehovah will take this obvious attempt at stymieing his work as an opportunity to shed even more light on his glorious name.

 

Brother Jez, please send my love and prayers to the brothers and sisters in Russia, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.   I know it's kind of hard to say 'some sister on the internet said this'.. but if you like, I will privately message you my congregation name and my last name so you can send proper greetings.  Totally up to you.  (I'd clap, that's how we usually send greetings) 

 

Thanks again Annie for posting this, I wouldn't have been aware of it, had you not mentioned something.  

[rocket]

JANUARY 21, 2014 | RUSSIA - jw.org

 

Russian Officials Seek Court Ruling to Ban Popular Bible-Education Website

 

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia—On August 7, 2013, the Tsentralniy District Court of the city of Tver, located 100 mi (approx. 160 km) north of Moscow, ruled that the Bible-education website jw.org should be banned throughout the Russian Federation.

 

Although jw.org is consulted by hundreds of thousands around the world and is highly regarded by researchers, the court sided with officials seeking to ban the popular website. The court rendered its decision without notifying or taking any testimony from the publishers of the site, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York. Jehovah’s Witnesses are appealing the decision to the Tver Regional Court. The appeal is scheduled to be heard on January 22, 2014.

If the appeal is denied, the website will no longer be available to the over 160,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia, who regularly use the website for religious services and in personal and family Bible study........................

 

Source _  Rest of News item

[Margaret]

Can you believe this ! I don't know how to do the link but it is on our web site

[Shawnster]

I merged this topic with the one Margaret started, since they were about the same subject.

[Áine]

http://www.jw.org/en/news/by-region/europe/russia/attempt-to-ban-website/

[cricket246]

They can ban our literature, brochures and witnessing - but they cannot stop our prayers to Jehovah or our relationship with Him!

 

Jehovah will make a way for His people!

[Áine]

This is so important, this message actually came from Inge who has given her permission for it to be passed on.

 

If this law is permitted it will mean that anyone visiting this website in the country will not only be given a charged penalty but also be put in prison for illegal internet browsing.

 

The Governing Body and Branch Committee have begged us to pray to our utmost for this case.

 

Never has the Governing Body asked like this before.

 

 It is urgent that our prayers strengthen the cause and that Jehovah can have the high stand for tomorrows case.

[Buddy]

It's posted on JW.org now

[Áine]

Our prayers are the most important thing that we can do now....

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[William]

Get on your knees and pray. The GB want this to be everyone's priority right now.

[jayrtom]

So this was true afterall

I wonder where that letter came from...

[Tia]

Oh oh!  post in wrong area!  AGAIN!!!

Edited January 22, 2014 by CyreJay

[Áine]

I have just heard that our prayers around the world were succesfull...but as of yet there is no update on jw.org....so happy

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[Bluebell]

I have just heard that our prayers around the world were succesfull...but as of yet there is no update on jw.org....so happy

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seems to be true...

 

The Court found no grounds to prohibit the international site of Jehovah's witnesses

 

http://itar-tass.com/obschestvo/906007

 

Google translator:

 

The Tver regional court found no grounds to ban the Jehovah's witnesses international site and reversed the decision of the Court of first instance which found him an extremist. The offset account. ITAR-TASS reported.

Previously the Tver City Court found extremist website, based on the fact that the information contained on it, humiliates the rights of believers, who are not members of this international organization and inciting hatred among people on religious grounds.

"The decision of the Tver City Court Management Center of Jehovah's witnesses in Russia has appealed to the regional court. The Court found no reason to ban the site and reversed the decision of the Court of first instance, "he told the interviewer. ITAR-TASS, a representative of the Court.....................

 

 

 

Thank you Jehovah

[cricket246]

   Yay!!!!!!

[Margaret]

Tver, January 22 / ITAR-TASS. Tver Regional Court found no reason to ban the international site of Jehovah's Witnesses and overturned the lower court decision, which declared it as extremist.

Edited January 22, 2014 by I_want_to

[rocket]

Praise Jah!