RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Media attack on Jehovah's Witnesses

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES UPSET BY CONTENTS OF ANTI-SECT ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN OBSHCHAIA GAZETA

SOVA Center for News and Analysis, 1 November 2017

 

 On 31 October 2017 it was learned that Jehovah's Witnesses are indignant about the publication of an article by Pavel Yuriev, "From heaven to earth" (Obshchaia Gazeta 23 October 2017).

 

They note that the article "used negative or derogatory wording with regard to Jehovah's Witnesses: 'racketeering sects,' 'wrangling shady business through Jehovah,' 'addling brains,' 'putting the screws on Witnesses,' 'wasting in the outhouse.' It spreads information that does not conform to reality to the effect that Jehovah's Witnesses supposedly have 'a strict prohibition on voluntary withdrawal' from the congregation; that they 'do not submit either to the president or government, but rather to their own patriarchs;' that believers supposedly 'give millions for the needs of the church' or 'donate their last kopeck;' that believers supposedly are 'urged, why do you need property--your lot is service for God and eternal life;' and that 'big bureaucrats' supposedly 'get bribes from Witnesses.'"

 

In the believers' opinion, this "material can arouse enmity on the basis of attitude toward religion and lead to a flood of violations of the rights of people who are guilty of nothing." (tr. by PDS, posted 1 November 2017)

 


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