Torture of JWs in Russia

[tuntun]

 

The title of this topic should be changed. "Torture" I think is rather excessive. there is no holocaust there. but indeed Jehovah's witness is being banned there.

[EccentricM]

3 minutes ago, tuntun said:

 

The title of this topic should be changed. "Torture" I think is rather excessive. there is no holocaust there. but indeed Jehovah's witness is being banned there.

But the brothers really are being physically tortured in Russia, that's what the topic is about, not just the banning.

Edited May 20, 2019 by EccentricM

[rocket]

3 hours ago, tuntun said:

 

The title of this topic should be changed. "Torture" I think is rather excessive. there is no holocaust there. but indeed Jehovah's witness is being banned there.

No "Torture" is exactly what is taking place.  No one said there was a holocaust but torture is torture.

[shali]

On 5/18/2019 at 8:09 PM, Cheeks said:

In the recent video on JW Broadcasting it said Brother Christensen was arrested immediately during the raid that happened during a meeting but I didn’t catch why they zeroed in on him exclusively- does anyone know?

I thought it was because he was preparing the kingdom hall for a meeting (shoveling the sidewalk, unlocking the kingdom hall doors and greeting the friends)  No doubt, the authorities would of looked at his actions as someone who was "taking the lead" in 'extremist' activities. (so absurd!)

[JennyM]

Im still wondering why Russia is being persecuted again.. They have been persecuted for 50 years before.. 

Im wondering how long will this be.. Will this gonna be like our German brothers in Nazi concentration camps? 

 

I know that this is related to the prophecy being fulfiiled that the king of the north is Russia and its allies. 

[shali]

The prophecy shows that the KON will take the lead in persecuting God's people, so i highly doubt there will be any real relief for them from now till Armageddon. 

[JennyM]

20 minutes ago, shali said:

The prophecy shows that the KON will take the lead in persecuting God's people, so i highly doubt there will be any real relief for them from now till Armageddon. 

It will just escalate then.. Bros in the Russia are being trained now.. They more ready to face Armageddon. Or it depends on every nation.. Because Jehovah doesn't allow us trials that we can't bear.. Yes persecution all over the world but variety of degree. 

 

thanks for the thoughts. 

[shali]

I think the "when" will it happen to us will have to do with what kind of freedoms you are already afforded, depending on what country you live in.  Of course, there will come a time when all of that will go out the window in every country (when control is handed over to the UN) and then we will all be in the "same boat" as it were, worldwide. 

[Myew]

10 hours ago, JennyM said:

Im still wondering why Russia is being persecuted again..
Im wondering how long will this be..

(Revelation 6:10, 11) They shouted with a loud voice, saying: “Until when, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they had been.
(Isaiah 26:3) You will safeguard those who fully lean on you; You will give them continuous peace, Because it is in you that they trust.
(Isaiah 30:15) For this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, says: “By returning to me and resting, you will be saved; Your strength will be in keeping calm and showing trust.” But you were unwilling.

Please remember dear Sister that Jehovah has asked us to 'rest' and to show trust in him. That means that he does not want us to hurt ourselves with anxious worrying about things that he has promised to take upon himself to fulfill through the sanctification of his name, but he pleads with us to focus on the task that he has given us to fulfill.
 

5 hours ago, JennyM said:

Bros in the Russia are being trained now.. They more ready to face Armageddon.

(James 1:2-4) Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials, 3 knowing as you do that this tested quality of your faith produces endurance. 4 But let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything.
(1 Peter 1:6, 7) Because of this you are greatly rejoicing, though for a short time, if it must be, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 in order that the tested quality of your faith, of much greater value than gold that perishes despite its being tested by fire, may be found a cause for praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 4:13) until we all attain to the oneness of the faith and of the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to being a full-grown man, attaining the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ.

I believe that there's more to it than simply being tested or trained. Yes, it does train them to face the Great Tribulation. However, no matter what it is that we individually suffer physically or emotionally, when any one of us endures with integrity, it brings praise to Jehovah and shame on Satan when we show love for Jah despite suffering, and it strengthens everyone else' faith and love to keep serving Jehovah because they see how he shows his love for us. The sanctification of Jehovah's name is the single most important matter there is. This reminded me of Brother Herd's talk from the annual meeting a couple of years ago. The Great Tribulation is not necessarily the greatest test that we will face, as many have already endured 'to the limit', but it will be the final one, when Jehovah shows that there is enough proof for all eternity that Satan is a liar and that humans cannot rule themselves. After that, Armageddon will bring the greatest relief imaginable.

(Luke 21:27, 28) And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near.”
(2 Thessalonians 1:3-7) We are obligated always to give thanks to God for you, brothers. This is fitting, because your faith is growing exceedingly and the love of each and every one of you is increasing toward one another. 4 As a result we ourselves take pride in you among the congregations of God because of your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the hardships that you are suffering. 5 This is a proof of the righteous judgment of God, leading to your being counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you are indeed suffering. 6 This takes into account that it is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you. 7 But you who suffer tribulation will be given relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels

Oddly enough, I am still not surprised or overwhelmingly saddened by these events in Russia, but rather I am very encouraged and strengthened by the smiles and testimony of such brothers. I struggle far more with my own anxiety, cognition and depression in the ministry and believe that I would be ecstatic to be beaten and go to jail in contrast.
 

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by Myew

[JennyM]

3 hours ago, Myew said:

(Revelation 6:10, 11) They shouted with a loud voice, saying: “Until when, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they had been.
(Isaiah 26:3) You will safeguard those who fully lean on you; You will give them continuous peace, Because it is in you that they trust.
(Isaiah 30:15) For this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, says: “By returning to me and resting, you will be saved; Your strength will be in keeping calm and showing trust.” But you were unwilling
 

 

thank you for these scriptures

[shali]

I'll tell you one thing - you can be sure that very few of the brothers in Russia relinguish their integrity under these circumstances (if at all) whereas, here in the United States, because of the freedoms, materialism, push for higher education and better jobs, myriads of entertainment choices - Satan is still taking down quite a few with immorality, a gradual drawing away because of more interest in what the world has to offer now etc . . . Outright persecution only serves to make us more resolved and resilient and as that professor in the Christensen video said "it has been proven in the past that persecution of any religion only serves to strengthen their numbers, they end up with more than they began with" (or something to that effect).  

[JennyM]

36 minutes ago, shali said:

I'll tell you one thing - you can be sure that very few of the brothers in Russia relinguish their integrity under these circumstances (if at all) whereas, here in the United States, because of the freedoms, materialism, push for higher education and better jobs, myriads of entertainment choices - Satan is still taking down quite a few with immorality, a gradual drawing away because of more interest in what the world has to offer now etc . . . Outright persecution only serves to make us more resolved and resilient and as that professor in the Christensen video said "it has been proven in the past that persecution of any religion only serves to strengthen their numbers, they end up with more than they began with" (or something to that effect).  

There's an illustration to that.. During a strong storm, the monkey hold on the tree very tightly.. But with no storm, the monkey is so overconfident that he doesnt hold on to the tree and when the light wind came, it fell  from the tree. 

 

True.. More fell into immorality than these frontal persecution....  Sweet vs bitter persecution... Many fell for sweet. 

[campanula]

20 hours ago, JennyM said:

 

True.. More fell into immorality than these frontal persecution....  Sweet vs bitter persecution... Many fell for sweet. 

 

Does that serve as an excuse for tortures? How can you compare tortures to freedom? 

[My little flower]

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/russia-jehovahs-witness-appeal-against-six-year-jail-sentence-rejected

[JennyM]

12 hours ago, campanula said:

Does that serve as an excuse for tortures? How can you compare tortures to freedom? 

No.. sometimes, Subtle attack is more dangerous than attacks that are obvious. 

[Benjamine]

Sadly that is true brother @EccentricM