Torture of JWs in Russia

[Brandon]

Has anyone tried to read this BBC Russian article [auto translated through google]:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-46598425

 

It's very confusing because it seems Putin is admitting, finally, that the declaration of JW's as "extremist" is wrong; if this is the case, then he is either lying to the press about what he really thinks, or, possibly, he has less control/micro-management over the branches of government than I had previously been led to believe. 🤔

Edited February 22, 2019 by Brandon

[Gimestr]

Putin is an ex-KGB that is skilled in manipulation and confusion.  His number 1 weapon is misinformation with which he has manipulated 2 countries elections.  There is a reason that the bible compares politicians to a wild beast.

[EccentricM]

29 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Has anyone tried to read this BBC Russian article [auto translated through google]:
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&u=https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-46598425

 

It's very confusing because it seems Putin is admitting, finally, that the declaration of JW's as "extremist" is wrong; if this is the case, then he is either lying to the press about what he really thinks, or, possibly, he has less control/micro-management over the branches of government than I had previously been led to believe. 🤔

Mentioned this in another thread, but I just think he's playing innocent to not upset other countries and world powers for now, until he can find a way to openly oppose us without fear of foreign interference.

[Gimestr]

1 minute ago, EccentricM said:

Mentioned this in another thread, but I just think he's playing innocent to not upset other countries and world powers for now, until he can find a way to openly oppose us without fear of foreign interference.

absolutely.

 

Putin successfully annexed Crimea while telling the whole world he wasn't doing it.

[Shannie]

Check JW.ORG NOW 

ITS THERE.

[hatcheckgirl]

Link: https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/russia/Jehovahs-Witnesses-Tortured-in-Surgut-Russia/

[JennyM]

5 hours ago, cricket246 said:

This website really goes into detail...not for the fainthearted, it does get a bit more graphic in detail about the interrogations...  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-jehovahs-witness-crackdown-surgut-religion-discrimination-a8790761.html

 

And it worries me that China sounds like they may be right behind Russia, only they seem to be targeting pretty much any religion opposing the one of their choosing... 

https://bitterwinter.org/jehovahs-witnesses-hunted-down-and-deported/

And the talk from bro Sanderson is right. He said that the King of the north and its allies are already in the land of Decoration so no wonder if the persecution will spread.. 

 

I just spoke to a Korean brother recently and he said that all of the volunteers from SKorea are coming home from China. 

[ChocoBro]

They are all very blessed, these wicked minions of Satan. They will carry out a large amount of suffering, but when Jehovah himself says it is time for their comeuppance, their suffering will be rather brief, to the point and humane. However, the fear in their hearts during those final moments will be inconceivable. The finite amount of suffering they carried out will successively disperse as time indefinite filled with endless blessings goes by.

 

As we read in this week's Bible reading

 

Quote

18 For I consider that the sufferings of the present time do not amount to anything in comparison with the glory that is going to be revealed in us. 19 For the creation is waiting with eager expectation for the revealing of the sons of God.
- Romans 8

 

Not just we are suffering, those minions are suffering, the plants, the animals, the trees, everybody and everything is suffering.

 

Now, this may come across as naive, but when I imagine myself (not my wife, or other loved ones, myself) being tortured, I like to imagine how I let the ridiculers know that I feel honoured and am enjoying being tortured for the sake of the Christ and Jehovah. Laugh and yell "yes, yes, give me MORE" and then at the end with the last breath ask Jehovah to forgive them, for they know not what they do. It sounds corny but it helps relieve the angst.

 

Quote

Well, at hearing these things, they were infuriated in their hearts and began to grind their teeth at him. 55 But he, being full of holy spirit, gazed into heaven and caught sight of God’s glory and of Jesus standing at God’s right hand, 56 and he said: “Look! I see the heavens opened up and the Son of man standing at God’s right hand.” 57 At this they cried out at the top of their voices and put their hands over their ears and rushed at him all together. 58 After throwing him outside the city, they began stoning him. The witnesses laid down their outer garments at the feet of a young man called Saul. 59 As they were stoning Stephen, he made this appeal: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then, kneeling down, he cried out with a strong voice: “Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them.” And after saying this, he fell asleep in death.

- Acts 7

 

Edited February 22, 2019 by ChocoBro

[PhilipTheEvangelizer]

Hi Bros & Sis, very sorry to read this news on jw.org today: 

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/russia/Jehovahs-Witnesses-Tortured-in-Surgut-Russia/

[Ahuvah]

I've been trying hard to make sense of all this ... yes I know ... who is behind it and why. But how unfair that these Brothers (and Sisters who have been detained, arrested or arrained) are at the mercy of a "Justice" system that is inflicting injustice.

 

I've spent this evening re-watching Jonah and Hezekiah .. both men were at some point scared ... they both heard reports of atrocities happening to either their brothers or others. And those atrocities too, were very detailed, and would have broken their hearts in two.

 

Out of the depths of despair, of even seemingly going in the opposite direction in Jonah's case, or being surrounded by wickedness and viciciousness in Hezekiah's case ... the following plea was uttered:

 

"Oh Jehovah, the God of Israel sitting enthroned above the Cherubs, you alone are the True God of all the Kingdoms of the earth, 

Hear all the words that Sennacarib has sent to taunt the living God, The kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands,

But now, O Jehovah our God saves us out of his hand so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are God O Jehovah, 

 

Jehovah rescues the loyal one."

 

There are many prayers entering into the spiritual realms right now, sweet smelling incense, on behalf of our brothers and for our God.

 

Please Jehovah let our brothers and sisters know how much they mean to us and how much we want this to end for them.

 

I think this song, is underestimated, written by a brother who cares so deeply for our family in Russia .. the rawness of his voice I hope carries the crux of our pain and our love.

 

 

 

[New World Explorer]

On 2/20/2019 at 9:41 PM, Thesauron said:

I suspect it has only just begun...

You know what happened to Pharaoh when confrontation happened with Moses?

It developed quickly to a very slippery ground for Egyptian.

Will it be any different in our times..? No.  

The last minutes of this system are tense, but deliverance is near.

[dubois]

Dustparticle may be right. I too have purchased stationary items and hope a 2nd campaign will really help our sisters and brothers. I know the last campaign was encouraging to many and informative to others. Yet I had hoped it would stop the persecution.  I wonder if we do another campaign, would the addressees include other nations as well so they are aware of this terrible injustice.  But if not, Campanula put it very succinctly...is it not enough yet?

[shali]

If there is another letter writing campaign, it shouldn't be to government officials in Russia (Putin acts totally unaware that JW's have been declared extremist and yet he received millions of letters regarding this fact when it was happening) but rather the letters need to go out to human rights organizations and the UN, all over the world to get them outraged over the treatment.  If more countries enforced sanctions against Russia for their barbaric behavior, then they might let up.  But - as has been said before - Jehovah's thinking about things is so much loftier than ours.  Perhaps he has something planned to expose the REAL culprits behind this persecution of JW's in Russia.

[cricket246]

The last seconds of this system are starting to take shape and the world scene isn't the only thing rapidly changing, Jehovah's chariot is on the move! It reminds me of that hailstone message about the fall of the governments, they will definitely have to take notice when Jehovah has our message to be directed at them! Then it won't be a pleading for their assistance, it will be a message from Jehovah about their coming demise. ❤️ 

[georider]

It is so very heart breaking to hear about the torture of our dear brothers. We have been begging the Father for holy spirit for our brothers that they may have strength to maintain their faith! 

 

We are at war and Satan's weapon of choice is persecution. A brother at The Be Bold Assembly stated: "When we are persecuted by Satan, it's like kicking a dandelion, just spreads everywhere." That is so very true. How many people are responding to the publicity of this horror? Apparently, Russia forgot what happened when they persecuted Jehovah's Witnesses and deported them to Siberia. Seldom worked territory! Through persecutors, the Word of Jehovah is spread, schemes backfire and resulted in blessings from Jehovah!

 

Let's continue to make supplication to Jehovah for our dear brothers!

[Tortuga]

2 hours ago, georider said:

it's like kicking a dandelion, just spreads everywhere."

That must be in the outline because our CO said the same thing at our CA.

[stuagu]

Feeling so sorry for our brothers being tortured. Sickening . 

It certainly puts things into perspective when you think youre having a bad week! 

Prayers, Jehovah please help them, give them strength. 

[Shannie]

I'm sorry but what is the land of decoration? 

[Victoria]

7 hours ago, Shannie said:

I'm sorry but what is the land of decoration? 

Spiritual estate of Jehovah's people. Mark Sanderson explained it during the annual meeting, part 3.

[Gimestr]

47 minutes ago, Shannie said:

I'm sorry but what is the land of decoration? 

https://tv.jw.org/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/pub-jwb_201901_4_VIDEO

 

[Bek]

Radio Liberty has published a new report on the torture of JWs in Russia. 

 

'Time Becomes A Blur When You're Experiencing Terrible Pain': Russian Jehovah's Witness Alleges Police Torture

 

https://www.rferl.org/a/time-becomes-a-blur-when-youre-experiencing-terrible-pain--russian-jehovah-s-witness-alleges-police-torture/29785721.html

 

 

It says that a brother confessed under torture to something he was not and revealed the identities of other JWs. 

 

What are your thoughts on this? 

 

 

 

 

[ChocoBro]

3 hours ago, Bek said:

It says that a brother confessed under torture to something he was not and revealed the identities of other JWs. 

 

What are your thoughts on this?

 

 

Could you specify your question?

[dubois]

Being inadvertently shocked is very painful. But I just cant get my head around the shear level of pain this brother endured whilst being strangled and simultaneously electricuted - let alone in the manner these monsters inflicted such torture.  So its probably true. All we can do is  pray for him that Jehovah gives him peace of mind and heart as Peter received. Most importantly we have to continue praying that Jehovah will  intervene soon. 

[Bek]

31 minutes ago, ChocoBro said:

 

Could you specify your question?

I have read stories of brothers being tortured in Soviet and Nazi camps. Most of them preferred to die rather than betray fellow believers.

 

Do you think the brother in question was too weak spiritually to break under torture? It is just this kind of thing can happen to any of us and we too need to think if we would hold up under torture.

 

Is it cowardice? As you know, cowardice is a serious sin. 

 

If the person or persons we betrayed ended up in jail and fell away from the truth unable to endure the hardships or even got killed, we would be held responsible for it before God, don't you think?

 

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by Bek

[retroHelen]

You always think you will or won't do things under duress, but none of us can know - look at faithful Peter! Brother can hopefully take comfort that Jesus knew Peter's heart and forgave him. Likely the Inquisition/Investigators' spy networks already know who/where the brothers are anyway and are just trying to break people's faith by being nasty scary bullies.

 

I can only think that once the bans are announced, that I can think of people's names and contact details that are not important any more - they've moved or died,  so though true , no longer relevant. Certainly worried about when the brother at the AGM said to hide your books - I'm such a hoarder that I have my library back to when I was a kid and my assembly notes! Some hidey hole that will be! - Must try to let go and rationally convince myself that they aren't really part of me or I don't have to regard them as 'heritage I have to keep' (some were my late Mam's) since some brothers threw out our old Kingdom Hall's library now that we haven't a Hall and are sharing one at the moment !