Russia Drafts Law to Ban Religious Cults – Mormons, Moonies, Jehovah Witnesses and Others Fear Persecution
A recent draft law in Russia's State Duma would ban cults from operating within the Russian Federation. The law is intended to protect people from predatory missionaries and religious cults. Mormons, Moonies, Jehovah's Witnesses and Scientologists claim that the law will lead to religious persecution. The draft is a long way to becoming law, but proponents are prepared to fight all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.
The proposed ban is raising questions about freedom of religion. Russia Today spoke with cult expert Steve Hassan about what makes a cult, what crosses the line between a religion and a cult, and where freedom of religion comes in.
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7 Responses to “Russia Drafts Law to Ban Religious Cults – Mormons, Moonies, Jehovah Witnesses and Others Fear Persecution”
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Appears the Early Christian congregations and Apostles would be called a cult likewise and banned according to this.
Not unlike the Pharasee's of Jesus day trying to put down anyone looking for truth from the Bible.
In actuality Ted, the Governing Body are a mirror image of what the Pharisees were: they demanded unquestioning obedience, they taught that they and they alone had "the truth", they bound 'heavy loads' upon the rank and file Jew with all their man-made rules and anyone who dared to question them or point out their hypocrisy was dealt with swiftly. And look at how pissed off they were when Jesus had a meal with people who they thought should be shunned.
Sound familiar at all?
Mr Hassan is not entirely truthful.
JW's Bible is the same just modern English and is considered One of the most accurate buy several non JW scholars.
And they DO belive in medical treatment just not one thing, BLood "solidly based on the Bible" and there are MANY non Blood hospitals all around the country.
So TELL THE TRUTH.
Half truths are more dangerous that an out and out lie.
See what they belive for yourself
http://watchtower.org/e/hb/index.htm
Jehovah's Witnesses ARE a cult. I know—because I was one for most of my life. The leaders instill a morbid fear into the rank and file by telling them that "Independent Thinking" originates with Satan and that you should never ever question anything the Governing Body says, no matter how insane it might be. They teach that if you dare question the Governing Body, it's the same as questioning Jehovah himself and you'll be labelled as an "apostate" and you'll be cut off from your family and life-long friends by their shunning policy. The Witnesses' ban on blood transfusions has no basis in scripture. It has been twisted to say something that was never intended and thousands of Witnesses have died needlessly over the last 60 years because of it.
For a more in-depth discussion which highlights what the scriptures were actually talking about when it came to not eating blood, please see:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/136144/1/Question-Why-was-it-ok-to-sell-unbled-meat-to-a-foriegner-for-them-to-eat
I disagree that the NWT Bible of the JW's is just a "modern english translation".
It has made major change sin the NT and has even changed key parts of NT wrtings such as in Romans and the Gospel of John.
And while FEW scholars do like PARTS of the NWT, typically from the OT, they have far more issues against it than for it.
As for the blood issue, it amazes me how passage based on dietary restrictions and sacrifical rites can be viewed as a restriction for a life saving medical procedure.
In actuality Ted, the Governing Body are a mirror image of what the Pharisees were: they demanded unquestioning obedience, they taught that they and they alone had \"the truth\", they bound \'heavy loads\' upon the rank and file Jew with all their man-made rules and anyone who dared to question them or point out their hypocrisy was dealt with swiftly. And look at how pissed off they were when Jesus had a meal with people who they thought should be shunned.
Sound familiar at all?
The ban on blood takes an original prohibition against EATING the blood of ANIMALS and converts it to TRANSFUSING BLOOD OF HUMANS.
Even the scriptures in the NT which state to abstain from blood were talking about the blood of animals and the dietary restrictions. Synthetic blood is made from bovine. So, in all actuality, JWs should abstain from synthetic blood, not human blood.
The JWs can easily combat their being categorized into a cult by giving providing a list to all their potential converts of what offenses are disfellowshipping offenses and what the exact consequences of disfellowshipping are. They should also provide information to their potential converts that if they change their minds they will be shunned. And if they have raised children and change their minds, even their children will be required to shun them.
Open disclosure and there will not be a problem.