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First and Foremost, Lemme say this. There are a GREAT MANY issues in which most Americans and the Russian government don't see eye to eye. Many, many MANY. And it will more than likely continue to be that way.
Additionally, I'll add that there's a major reason I disagree on this point. Which I'll explain.
The J-Dubs are facing a ban in Russia for what they consider to be 'extremist' views. Which is one of the worst things you could do to a group like this. Know why? In their minds, it gives them a measure of validation. 'Oh no,' think they to themselves. 'This means ALLLLL the Bible prophecies are coming true! And when they were written, J-God only meant them about US!'
Please don't think I'm kidding 'bout this. In the 1970s, this teeny tiny slip of an African nation (Malawi) committed all sorts of atrocities against 'Dubs over their refusal to carry cards proclaiming their allegiance to Banda's government. To the 'Dubs, this meant the whole world was going to turn against them soon--and then Jesus was going to come from on high and slay all the rest of y'all! Kids would play games like 'persecution' and 'concentration camp' and practice not renouncing their faith in the J-God. It was alllll gonna happen soooo SOON...
Meanwhile, in the real world? Their numbers continue to stagnate or shrink 'mongst nations granting broad religious freedoms. During the last 'service year' on record for the 'Dubs, they spent 1.9 BILLION hours knocking on doors. The number of baptisms resulting? People switching teams (or coerced children) 'dedicating' their lives to the J-God? Roughly 264,000 or so. Ten thousand less than two years prior. That's about 300 SOLID DAYS of preaching--day and night, 24 hours at a time--per each individual. 312 using the actual numbers. In short, their door-to-door ministry is a failure. Has been for a while. They're the only ones who can't be told otherwise.
Their two silly little magazines used to be 32 pages long. Both were published twice a month. They've been cut to half that length 16 pages) and now only a SINGLE magazine--one or the other, not both--gets published per month. From 128 pages of 'truth' a month to 16? Is that what a exponentially growing, successful religion does?
They've also cut the number of full-time, fully compensated (in room, board and a small stipend anyway) 'ministers' by a whopping 27% in the past year alone. There's still a court case raging in Good Ole Free 'MEERKA in San Diego over a child-molesting elder that could put them in additional financial trouble. Again.
Candidly, the FREE religious world is doing a much better job of kicking the J-Dubs asses than Russia. We let them preach. We let them own property and meet together. We let them continue to fail at proselytizing. And we only punish them over truly heinous crimes. Seems to be working.
But I told you that to tell you this......
The extremist view that Russia's coming after them about? Their belief in their own supremacy over other religions. That they--to quote Tass--'promote the idea of their exceptionalism and supremacy over other religions.' Welp, I'ma tell you what. If you teach that Jesus and his heavenly army is gonna come down and personally kill everyone who ISN'T a 'Dub (read near the top of the page on that link) welllllll...they kinda gotcha there.
Russia's ALSO hauled up a lot of former 'Dubs who discuss how they were told not to start families, get higher education or were banished from their families over 'Dub beliefs. As someone who was told all those things, taught OTHERS all those things and whose daughters won't speak to him today...? I feel neither pity for the 'Dubs nor sympathy for their belief system. I can only shrug and agree.
Additionally, I'll add that there's a major reason I disagree on this point. Which I'll explain.
The J-Dubs are facing a ban in Russia for what they consider to be 'extremist' views. Which is one of the worst things you could do to a group like this. Know why? In their minds, it gives them a measure of validation. 'Oh no,' think they to themselves. 'This means ALLLLL the Bible prophecies are coming true! And when they were written, J-God only meant them about US!'
Please don't think I'm kidding 'bout this. In the 1970s, this teeny tiny slip of an African nation (Malawi) committed all sorts of atrocities against 'Dubs over their refusal to carry cards proclaiming their allegiance to Banda's government. To the 'Dubs, this meant the whole world was going to turn against them soon--and then Jesus was going to come from on high and slay all the rest of y'all! Kids would play games like 'persecution' and 'concentration camp' and practice not renouncing their faith in the J-God. It was alllll gonna happen soooo SOON...
Meanwhile, in the real world? Their numbers continue to stagnate or shrink 'mongst nations granting broad religious freedoms. During the last 'service year' on record for the 'Dubs, they spent 1.9 BILLION hours knocking on doors. The number of baptisms resulting? People switching teams (or coerced children) 'dedicating' their lives to the J-God? Roughly 264,000 or so. Ten thousand less than two years prior. That's about 300 SOLID DAYS of preaching--day and night, 24 hours at a time--per each individual. 312 using the actual numbers. In short, their door-to-door ministry is a failure. Has been for a while. They're the only ones who can't be told otherwise.
Their two silly little magazines used to be 32 pages long. Both were published twice a month. They've been cut to half that length 16 pages) and now only a SINGLE magazine--one or the other, not both--gets published per month. From 128 pages of 'truth' a month to 16? Is that what a exponentially growing, successful religion does?
They've also cut the number of full-time, fully compensated (in room, board and a small stipend anyway) 'ministers' by a whopping 27% in the past year alone. There's still a court case raging in Good Ole Free 'MEERKA in San Diego over a child-molesting elder that could put them in additional financial trouble. Again.
Candidly, the FREE religious world is doing a much better job of kicking the J-Dubs asses than Russia. We let them preach. We let them own property and meet together. We let them continue to fail at proselytizing. And we only punish them over truly heinous crimes. Seems to be working.
But I told you that to tell you this......
The extremist view that Russia's coming after them about? Their belief in their own supremacy over other religions. That they--to quote Tass--'promote the idea of their exceptionalism and supremacy over other religions.' Welp, I'ma tell you what. If you teach that Jesus and his heavenly army is gonna come down and personally kill everyone who ISN'T a 'Dub (read near the top of the page on that link) welllllll...they kinda gotcha there.
Russia's ALSO hauled up a lot of former 'Dubs who discuss how they were told not to start families, get higher education or were banished from their families over 'Dub beliefs. As someone who was told all those things, taught OTHERS all those things and whose daughters won't speak to him today...? I feel neither pity for the 'Dubs nor sympathy for their belief system. I can only shrug and agree.
