Putin's spokesman: "Russia cannot use common sense"

[Bek]

The BBC's Russian service has done a press review for today. One of the topics covered in it was on JWs in Russia. A prominent Russian business daily, Vedomosti, has published an editorial on the  persecution of JWs. When it asked Putin's spokesman, Peskov, on why Russia was persecuting JWs, he said: "Russia cannot use common sense for state purposes". This has consequently become a quote of the day on the BBC Russian website.

 

This explains the inner workings of the Russian government. It simply has no common sense. No wonder it is in such a mess. 

 

 

 

Here is the part of the press review on brothers in Russia: 

Quote

"In the editorial column of its latest issue, the Vedomosti newspaper comments on the reaction of the authorities to the persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses, whose activities in Russia are recognized as extremist and prohibited. The reason for the material was the first real prison term for a member of the sect.

 

This week, a court in Oryol sentenced a Danish Jehovah's Witnesses Dennis Christensen to six years in prison. Commenting on the verdict, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We cannot use common sense concepts for state purposes. First of all, we operate on concepts of legality and illegality."

 

This, according to Vedomosti, is a predictable reaction. "Peskov, perhaps unwittingly, confirmed that domestic laws and common sense are not very compatible," the newspaper notes.

 

Moreover, according to the newspaper, the security forces did not hear a clear “stop” signal from President Putin, when in December 2018 he described designating certain religious organizations as terrorist as “complete nonsense". Security officials, the newspaper notes, continue working as they see fit.

 

Government agencies and security services have focused on the witnesses, although this is not the only organization that interprets Christian doctrines in its own way, the newspaper said.

 

“Their preaching of refusal to cooperate with the authorities may probably irritate them, but  considering them extremists on this basis would be self-revealing. Security forces are probably trying to put the dispute into a political plane using the anti-American phobias of the Russian leadership in order to prove that the “Witnesses” are agents of foreign influence and potential agents of the enemy," political analyst Alexei Makarkin notes.

 

Vedomosti draws parallels between these detentions and the persecution in the USSR and Nazi Germany. Witnesses, Vedomosti writes, were also persecuted in Nazi Germany and Franco Spain. “But such unfavorable associations seem to confuse very few people,” the newspaper notes."

 

Quote of the day: https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-47145483

 

Press review:  https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-47167668

 

 

Edited February 8, 2019 by Bek

[campanula]

If it only could help somehow.....

[hatcheckgirl]

Luke 21:12, 13 “But before all these things happen, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name. It will result in your giving a witness."

 

"The record in the Acts of the Apostles shows that such persecution did come upon those early Christians. Why? Because they were busy doing God’s will, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom message to all.... 

 

Instead of withdrawing into inactivity so as not to become the targets of the enemy, they have gone forward boldly with their work in all lands, yes, even in Hitler’s Germany and now in Godless Russia, even though forced to operate underground. They have withstood confiscations, threats, arrests, sadistic beatings and tortures, and braved the danger of death, ‘rejoicing because they have been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of Christ’s name.’ (Acts 5:41) They draw great comfort from Jesus’ assurance: “It will turn out to you for a witness.” (Luke 21:13) Is not that the main purpose of their lives, to bear witness to the name of God and the kingdom of his Christ? Persecutions, court appearances and imprisonments only widen the opportunities to bear testimony to the truth. Court officials, jail keepers, judges and rulers all have heard the Kingdom message under circumstances that have served to impress it upon their minds, whether they accept it or not."

 

This was from 1964 WT w64 12/1 pp. 709-711.  So, nothing's really changed.  Still no common sense.

[Saffron]

Russia can not use common sense.. couldn't have said it better. 😄 

 

I mean, seriously, we are on the extremist list with ISIS. While everyone else is free to worship, including people who worship at satanic temples. 

[Hartley]

While a lot has be enough made of this statement, I believe he was trying to say we should not expect to understand the reasoning, only that it was a legal decision.

 

[jwhess]

2 minutes ago, Hartley said:

While a lot has be enough made of this statement, I believe he was trying to say we should not expect to understand the reasoning, only that it was a legal decision.

 

Could be a translator's error.  Remember when Khrushchev was supposed to have said "we will bury you" when the translation should have been "we will leave you in the dust"?

[Bek]

No, it is not a translation mistake, because his remark drew a lot of attention, causing bewilderment even in the Russian media. 

 

The opposition jumped at it rediculing the Kremlin, saying something along the lines of "no wonder there are so many stupid laws in our country". 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by Bek