RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Metropolitan makes a confused response to ban of Jehovah's Witnesses

ORTHODOX LEADER ASKS THAT IT BE BELIEVED THAT RPTsMP DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN BAN OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN RUSSIA

Portal-Credo.Ru, 1 May 2017

 

The chairman of the Department for External Church Relations (OVTsS) of the Moscow patriarchate, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Ilarion, gave assurances that the decision of the Supreme Court of the RF to find the religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses to be "extremist," was "carried out independently" and without consulting with the Russian Orthodox Church (RPTS) of the Moscow patriarchate, TASS reported on 29 April. The metropolitan did not explain what sources he used in passing judgment of the degree of the independence of the current Russian Supreme Court.

 

"I would like to emphasize that the church did not take any kind of part here and they did not turn to us for consultations. The church does not urge that heretics, sectarians, or dissidents be subjected to criminal prosecution," Ilarion said.

 

Nevertheless, the decision to ban the Jehovah's Witnesses is a "positive step in the business of combating the spread of sectarian ideas that have nothing in common with Christianity," the chairman of the OVTsSMP thinks, causing some confusion in his position on this case.

 

"The fact that sectarians will remain and will continue their activity is hard to doubt. But the fact that, at least, they will cease to equate themselves to Christian confessions openly is for the better," the hierarch declared.

 

He also noted that the "activity of Jehovah's Witnesses violates civil legislation," without explaining just how it does. (tr. by PDS, posted 1 May 2017)


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