In Crimea, churches say Russia is placing new restrictions

[rocket]

In Crimea, churches say Russia is placing new restrictions on them

 

Russian officials who seized control of Crimea from Ukraine are placing new restrictions on churches and Islamic institutions there, a Scandinavian news service in freedom of religion and belief reports.

 

Since March, when Russian annexed Crimea places of worship and individuals of some faiths (including followers of Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Orthodox Christian Kiev Patriarchate) have ,faced violent attacks Forum 18 reports.

 

 

Source

 

 

[luvsquilts]

Pray hard for our dear brothers. Russia has been very fierce in their persecutions. It makes my heart sick but I know Jehovah will protect his organization there and the brothers won't give up preaching. Can you imagine how Jesus and Jehovah must feel seeing this take place. "Just a little while longer....."

[timpin]

Tuesday, July 01 2014

   old source   ???

 

Four months ago.

Edited November 5, 2014 by timpin

[Greg Dent]

Its still a valid article. Shows they are going after all religions. 1940's all over again.

[rocket]

A more recent article:
29 October 2014 

http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=2010
 

Five Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Halls where they meet for worship have also been raided. Although many Jehovah's Witness publications have been added to the Federal List, their communities in Crimea had not earlier complained of raids and literature seizures from homes or places of worship since Russia forcibly annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in March.

However, in June Jehovah's Witnesses in Crimea noted – like Muslims and followers of the Kiev Patriarchate Ukrainian Orthodox Church - "a significant increase in violence" against them since March (see F18News 26 June 2014 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=1972).

Islamic and Jehovah's Witness literature continues to be ruled "extremist" by courts in Russia, opening the way for yet more prosecutions for their possession or distribution under Article 20.29 of Russia's Code of Administrative Offences (see F18News 8 September 2014 http://www.forum18.org/archive.php?article_id=1994).

[campanula]

Just a side note:

Crimean people here never use the word "annexation" and don't think that it was made "forcibly".

Everyone calls this Reunion and Returning home.

I think it would be better to be careful with mass-media stamps.

[rocket]

Just a side note:

Crimean people here never use the word "annexation" and don't think that it was made "forcibly".

Everyone calls this Reunion and Returning home.

I think it would be better to be careful with mass-media stamps.

 

What is it like for the friends in Crimea. Is it better or worse for freedom to worship?

[Mykyl]

Of course we must remember a question mentioned at the recent Convention and repeated in one of the morning worship videos on tv.jw.org. Mark Sanderson repeated the question at the 4 minute 20 seconds section.

 

http://tv.jw.org/#video/VODProgramsEvents/pub-jwbmw_E_201411_2_VIDEO

 

The question is -

 

If someone criticizes or denigrates your country of your birth or residence, do you feel agitated emotionally? We perhaps should let it be, rather than feel we must reply to stick up for "our" country.

 

Worth keeping in mind regardless of where we are personally from. Me I am from Scotland and most folks know how they are. lol I have been caught out myself so please don't take it as an attack on you.

Edited November 5, 2014 by Mykyl

[campanula]

What is it like for the friends in Crimea. Is it better or worse for freedom to worship?

Worse. 

This month we can serve with booklets and old tracts only.

Our magazines will not be titled as Watchtower and Awake but brochures and according to the law must be delivered from Russia,  that is not so easy as it was in Ukraine. 

Some of our publications came under the "List of literature, forbidden for spreading" and as far as I know some KH went through the search.      

Elders meetings for all region go regularly every weekend, but I know very little about that matter .

We were also warned to be careful with our phone calls and our surnames will not be mentioned at the meetings when we comment.  

This is not all, just what I can recall for now. 

This all is a bit new and unusual to me...

[campanula]

If someone criticizes or denigrates your country of your birth or residence, do you feel agitated emotionally? 

Thats an interesting question!

I must admit that if the person who criticizes my country (city in my case) is originally from my city I mostly agree with that person.

But if this person is a stranger I really feel agitated.    

Weird patriotism or what? lol 

[rocket]

Worse. 

This month we can serve with booklets and old tracts only.

Our magazines will not be titled as Watchtower and Awake but brochures and according to the law must be delivered from Russia,  that is not so easy as it was in Ukraine. 

Some of our publications came under the "List of literature, forbidden for spreading" and as far as I know some KH went through the search.      

Elders meetings for all region go regularly every weekend, but I know very little about that matter  .

We were also warned to be careful with our phone calls and our surnames will not be mentioned at the meetings when we comment.  

This is not all, just what I can recall for now.  

This all is a bit new and unusual to me...

 

 

Our prayers are with you Svetlana, may Jehovah give all the friends the strength to endure.

 

All this brings to mind a dear sister I visited with at a memorial service this past Monday. She was born in Russia but moved to the U.S. as a child. Now she is elderly with this bubbly, outgoing personality. I have known her for over 50 years now and I call her the Mad Russian. She related that now with the new APP she is finally going to get to learn her mother tongue. I tease her that we are going to deport her back to Russia as a missionary. With her bright red hair it would be no problem for a satellite to keep track of her.   She says nooooo I want to go to the Russian Congregation here.  

Edited November 6, 2014 by lynn

[campanula]

LOL Thank you Tilford!

 

Say greetings to that sister from me. 

She ls absolutely right -  At any time of our history it was  better to be Russian somewhere far from Russia. 

Yes, we are Those Crazy Russians lol (even if some of us are Ukrainians )

[Jako]

My dear sister Svetlana.

 

Please assure the others that you all are in our prayers daily. Faith, prayers and you brs & sis is what will carry us through.

 

May it go well with you. Forever.

[Trina]

Yes, send love from us and know that we are supporting you in our thoughts and prayers and remember Jehovah will not let this continue long Zachariah 2: 8 For this is what Jehovah of armies says, who after being glorified has sent me to the nations that were plundering you: ‘Whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye.

[AH173]

Sister Svetlana, thank you for your insightful information.

I hope that's it's OK even to communicate safely on this forum with us. Take care. Be cautious as serpents.

I'll also be continuing to pray that you all can endure in that part of the world. Satan still has great anger. Keep on holding fast to what you were persuaded to believe..... All Kingdom truths.

Huggs to all of you. ☺