Common Sense Has Nothing to Do With It - Dennis Christensen

[TrueTomHarley]

At the Russian government press conference, journalists asked about the case of Dennis Christensen, who one day prior had been sentenced to over 6 years in prison for practicing his faith. Journalists asked whether Jehovah’s Witnesses can really be considered an extremist organization from a common sense point of view.  The president's press secretary said: "We cannot rely on concepts of common sense for governmental purposes." Of course!

 

The knee-jerk response of any jaded person in nearly any country on earth is to chuckle and say “Yeah, it is just like that here.” But there is much more to be seen here. 

 

The Russian government is plainly befuddled. The press secretary goes on to explain that the greater issue is not whether Jehovah’s Witnesses are extremist. The greater issue is that Dennis Christensen was found guilty of violating the law that says they are. Surely this is kicking the can down the road. Two months ago, at another meeting, President Putin stated that he really didn’t understand why Jehovah’s Witnesses are persecuted, indicating that the law itself makes no sense to him as applied to Witnesses.

 

To slightly misapply the words of Jesus, “something greater than Capernaum is here.” What? Two scenarios can be advanced—one for all persons, and one for persons of biblical bent.

 

The purely human one is that a powerful and cunning anti-cult movement takes the Russian government unawares. It takes them unawares because it is a Western import, not Russian at all, finding roots in a humanist French NGO dedicated to freeing people from ideas considered socially destructive, and nothing is more destructive to them than religion that includes the concept of authority among its members. The anti-cult movement finds its counterpart in all developed lands, though its methods will differ.

 

There are even divisions among them. The anti-cultists in the West consider the anti-cultists in Russia to be doing it all wrong. One of them says (sigh – it is my nemesis, but there are many others): “Jehovah’s Witnesses need persecution for their beliefs to make sense. With their thuggish behavior that violates human rights, Russia is blowing a huge gust of wind into Watchtower’s sails, fueling another generation’s worth of propaganda.”

 

Of course! They have a “persecution complex” over there—often the charge is made by Witness opposers. Why would their fellow anti-cultists—brothers in spirit if not in technique—be so stupid as to validate it by persecuting them? It is as though he says: “Look—we want what you want, the destruction of the Witness organization. But that is not the best way to do it.”

 

***~~~***

The second scenario, for those of biblical bent, and it may not be of interest to those not, so they have "permission" to skip this and two succeeding paragraphs, involves the fact that the Witness organization has identified Russia as the biblical “king of the north,” an entity found in the prophesy of Daniel (chapter 11). It is a complex prophesy which many students of the Bible have tackled, involving specific powers (kings) that pass their respective mantles to succeeding powers in often shifting geographical areas, commencing from Daniel’s time down to the present. Does it complicate matters with the Russian government for someone to tell them that the Witness organization says that they are the northern king? Emily Baran, who wrote the book Dissent on the Margins, about the persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses during Soviet times, said that it did. It genuinely confused the irreligious Soviets and enabled them in characterizing the Witnesses as a political movement masquerading as a religion. 

 

The Witness organization goes where it goes in furtherance of its mission to live by and advertise Bible principles, largely oblivious to ones who may think that their toes are stepped on—barely aware of it at all, because they ‘don’t do politics’ at Witness HQ. There is a king of the south, too, these days associated with the United States, and neither king is overly friendly to the interests of Jehovah’s Witnesses. However, because the concept of human rights finds soil more fertile in the West than in the East, Witnesses face few legal impediments to their work in such lands. In fact, the most frequent participant in U.S. Supreme Court proceedings has been the Witness organization itself—sometimes as plaintiff and sometimes as defendant. Of them, Justice Harlan Fiske Stone once said: “I think the Jehovah’s Witnesses ought to have an endowment in view of the aid which they give in solving the legal problems of civil liberties.”

 

The entire prophesy as seen though Jehovah’s Witnesses eyes is most recently discussed in their 1999 publication Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophesy, which is a discussion of the entire Bible book, not just the chapters involving the two opposing kings. Regardless of who interprets the prophesy, and of what time interval is covered, the kings of the north and south are continually at loggerheads. What is remarkable about the present—and this is only this writer’s perception—is that even when the “kings” declare that they would like to get along, outside forces intervene to keep them "on script." 

 

“Wouldn’t it be nice if we actually got along with Russia?” the current American president said during his campaign. President Putin has spoken similarly. At which point, the American press intervenes to virtually ensure that they will not—it is widely recognized that east-west relations are subsequently more strained that in even Soviet times. This dovetails so well with certain biblical passages (Ezekiel 38:4, Revelation 17:17) to the effect that world powers will do things not of their own devising that the similarity is impossible to let pass without mention. One must wonder if former Witnesses, upon seeing unexpected world developments that violate even “common sense,” yet are exactly in accord with long Witness expectations, do not think sometimes that they may have deboarded the train too soon—for in the aftermath of the final contest between the kings of the north and south, a contest whose biblical role has been developing for 2500 years, the “people of the covenant” at last find deliverance. 

 

It is to be noted that enemies of Jehovah’s Witnesses present themselves, not as enemies of individual Witnesses, but of the organization that they have chosen, which they somehow portray as having “enslaved” them through various psychological techniques of “control.” In Russia, Jehovah’s Witnesses as people are not banned. Only their organization is. However, most persons are not sophisticated enough to tell the difference, because essentially there is no difference. The Witness enemy is befuddled by it and beats members up with impunity. The police stand by and do nothing because they, too, are befuddled by it. The government is befuddled by it, as noted above. The Witness him or herself is befuddled by it. Everyone is befuddled by it because it makes no sense. It is like this writer saying that I love the Russian people—it is only the Kremlin that I seek to destroy. It is like my saying that the Russian people are free to drive the roads—it is only the roads that are banned. It takes a while to get one’s head around such a notion. Guileless ones are particularly disadvantaged because the presentation itself is steeped in guile.

 

It doesn’t even matter the reason for opposition to the Witnesses. The anti-cultists of the West latch on to different reasons to destroy the Witness organization than do the anti-cultists of the East. A common trigger for denunciation in the West is that Jehovah’s Witnesses are unsupportive of gay rights, and within their community, do not allow for gay sex. This makes them absolute heroes in Russia, which also persecutes gays. Just after the Russian ban was instituted, Angela Merkel even mentioned the two populations in the same breath to Putin—questioning him of his harassment of gays and Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Many Western sources, such as the BBC, edited out Jehovah’s Witnesses so as to focus on gays.) So Russia must scramble to find different reasons. Some Russian sources commenting on recent Witness events mention as a specific objection only that Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse blood transfusions. Even the most staunch advocate of blood transfusion will concede that the group refusing them are not to be equated with ISIS terrorists. No, on so many levels, Witness persecution defies common sense. Whenever things do that, people can be forgiven for wondering if something supernatural isn’t at work as well.

[TrueTomHarley]

In the last paragraph I chose my words wrong and wrote ‘also persecutes’ when I meant to say ‘avidly persecutes.’ The window for editing has closed. Can a mod make the change for me, because it makes a significant difference. We do not accommodate gays, but neither do we persecute them.

[Doug]

Heads of State, as individuals, cannot know everything going on within their administrations. Thus, they have little choice but to rely on 'advisors '. We often read that 'So-and-So is close to the President, a trusted advisor '.

 

What's happening in Russia reminds me of the account in Esther. The scheming Haman the Agagite advised King Ahasuerus to issue a royal, irrevocable, decree for the purpose of annihilating the Jews.

 

Imagine someone in Russia explaining to Putin what was happening to JW's on his watch. Would Putin say "Huh? What?" . 

 

When evil Haman's scheme was revealed, King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther "You may now write in the King's name whatever you see fit in behalf of the Jews". The king granted permission to the Jews to defend their lives. The text of the document was to be ISSUED AS LAW.

 

It's a thrilling account of Jehovah's wisdom and authority over human rulers and powerful advisors. Jehovah has allowed this persecution in Russia to proceed, but he knows how the story will end.

[Meditate!]

25 minutes ago, Doug said:

It's a thrilling account of Jehovah's wisdom and authority over human rulers and powerful advisors. Jehovah has allowed this persecution in Russia to proceed, but he knows how the story will end.

That is a very important statement and well worth keeping in mind.. This is not a KtN victory.. no different from Pilate and Jesus's statements here:

 

(John 19:10, 11) . . .So Pilate said to him: “Are you refusing to speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and I have authority to execute you?” 11 Jesus answered him: “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been granted to you from above. This is why the man who handed me over to you has greater sin.”

 

They are not in control AT ALL ...

 

Ps 2:4 The One enthroned in the heavens will laugh;

Edited February 9, 2019 by Alan
spelling grammar

[retroHelen]

it was very interesting how the reporter in the Aljazeera news footage of Brother D Christensen's 'trial' commented that he wondered if the persecution of our people in Russia was the tip of an iceberg - as a test case, to see if religious suppression would work without too much opposition, so they can expand it to persecute other denominations.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/dane-jailed-jehovahs-witness-link-russia-190206185713694.html

 

We also thought this was the case with the corrupt government officials in France when they tried to demand tax off the brothers a few years ago. They eventually failed, but apparently among the opposition who called for our paying tax, and spreading other nasty false propaganda, was a group led by a Russian called Dvorkin who was living in France, having supposedly 'escaped' first to the USA and claimed asylum there in the past, as if he were persecuted by the Communists, yet now acting totally opposite to that claim!

He is highly suspected of being now consulted by KGB/FSB or other organisations in Russia and part of a Europe-wide religious suppression movement called FECRIS that we have been watching. He seems to have moved from France to Russia again, after he & his group failed to suppress us in France and was supplying similar exaggerated fake news as opposition propaganda about us to the media in Russia and on a small scale in Austria and other places. He also has a branch in the UK as well - we await developments!! See attached document.FECRIS Dvorkin.pdf

Edited February 17, 2019 by retroHelen

[Doug]

6 hours ago, retroHelen said:

6 hours ago, retroHelen said:

it was very interesting how the reporter in the Aljazeera news footage of Brother D Christensen's 'trial' commented that he wondered if the persecution of our people in Russia was the tip of an iceberg - as a test case, to see if religious suppression would work without too much opposition, so they can expand it to persecute other denominations.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/dane-jailed-jehovahs-witness-link-russia-190206185713694.html

 

We also thought this was the case with the corrupt government officials in France when they tried to demand tax off the brothers a few years ago. 

 

 

Undoubtedly, if certain elements of Satan's world want to experiment, to see how far they can go and how much they can get away with, Jehovah's Witnesses must look like a nice soft target to them.

[Meditate!]

9 hours ago, retroHelen said:

it was very interesting how the reporter in the Aljazeera news footage of Brother D Christensen's 'trial' commented that he wondered if the persecution of our people in Russia was the tip of an iceberg - as a test case, to see if religious suppression would work without too much opposition, so they can expand it to persecute other denominations.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/dane-jailed-jehovahs-witness-link-russia-190206185713694.html

 

We also thought this was the case with the corrupt government officials in France when they tried to demand tax off the brothers a few years ago. They eventually failed, but apparently among the opposition who called for our paying tax, and spreading other nasty false propaganda, was a group led by a Russian called Dvorkin who was living in France, having supposedly 'escaped' first to the USA and claimed asylum there in the past, as if he were persecuted by the Communists, yet now acting totally opposite to that claim!

He is highly suspected of being now consulted by KGB/FSB or other organisations in Russia and part of a Europe-wide religious suppression movement called FECRIS that we have been watching. He seems to have moved from France to Russia again, after he & his group failed to suppress us in France and was supplying similar exaggerated fake news as opposition propaganda about us to the media in Russia and on a small scale in Austria and other places. He also has a branch in the UK as well - we await developments!! See attached document.FECRIS Dvorkin.pdf

it sounds like the Pharisee Paul ..running around the country persecuting christians.. misguided

 

[shali]

Yet Jehovah took Paul's (then named Saul)zeal and pointed it in the right direction - you never know how Jehovah will work things out but one thing we do know for sure - it is always unexpected!

[Meditate!]

6 minutes ago, shali said:

Yet Jehovah took Paul's (then named Saul)zeal and pointed it in the right direction - you never know how Jehovah will work things out but one thing we do know for sure - it is always unexpected!

Agree wholeheartedly. 

 

In fact it is the unexpected that makes me put more trust in Jehovah. It is only ourselves that  put Jehovah in a vice of inactivity.. It's a wrong perception of course. 

[shali]

I wasn't so much talking about Jehovah not doing something versus "doing something" but that whatever he does, he does it in such a way that we would of never thought of that solution!  For instance my brother recently came back to the truth.  He was sitting in prison and praying to Jehovah that somehow he could get some literature (magazines) to read.  To make a long story short, a guard had a seisure and everyone had to go into lockdown because of it and as my brother was climbing the stairs to his cell, other prisoners where throwing stuff out of their cells - including Watchtowers and Awakes they had received at Bible study meetings conducted by JW's in the prison - my brother simply picked them up on the way to his cell and now he had at least a half dozen new magazines to read!  Jehovah got them out of the hands of those who didn't appreciate them (if you really wanted to read them and appreciated them, you wouldn't throw them out of your cell) and put them into the hands of someone who would!  I NEVER, in a million years would of thought of that in answer to someones prayer for more literature!

[Meditate!]

10 minutes ago, shali said:

I wasn't so much talking about Jehovah not doing something

Sorry, I was not very clear.. I doubt many would think of Jehovah 'not' doing anything.. but rather putting Jehovah in a vice.. where he 'can only do' things that we imagine he can or 'should do' to fix the issues.

 

10 minutes ago, shali said:

versus "doing something" but that whatever he does, he does it in such a way that we would of never thought of that solution!  For instance my brother recently came back to the truth.  He was sitting in prison and praying to Jehovah that somehow he could get some literature (magazines) to read.  To make a long story short, a guard had a seisure and everyone had to go into lockdown because of it and as my brother was climbing the stairs to his cell, other prisoners where throwing stuff out of their cells - including Watchtowers and Awakes they had received at Bible study meetings conducted by JW's in the prison - my brother simply picked them up on the way to his cell and now he had at least a half dozen new magazines to read!  Jehovah got them out of the hands of those who didn't appreciate them (if you really wanted to read them and appreciated them, you wouldn't throw them out of your cell) and put them into the hands of someone who would! 

 

10 minutes ago, shali said:

I NEVER, in a million years would of thought of that in answer to someones prayer for more literature!

Yes.. the thing thing is there are many occasions in scripture and in our own experiences where we have seen this 'seemingly odd' but fabulous response from Jehovah and then never making the connection to the next issue that comes up