Religious leaders commented on the Ministry of Justice's intention to ban Jehovah's Witnesses

On April 3, 2017 Regions.ru published a selection comments of religious figures on the expected ban on centralized organizations of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. A number of Orthodox clergy confident in the expediency of the ban. Muslims approve of the ban.  

editor-in-chief of the Pravoslavnaya Moskva newspaper, Archpriest Mikhail Dudko, is sure that the state in general has no right to ban any religious organizations. Task states to protect citizens. "It's not about religion - any organization that attempts on people's lives, of course, should be punished or banned. To what extent is the modern dogma and, most importantly, the practice of Jehovah's Witnesses fits into the category that I have designated, it’s hard for me to say - I need understand in detail , ”the priest argues.

He noted that he did not agree with creed of Jehovah's Witnesses: “But my disagreement does not mean that I have the right and even the intention to ban them on this basis .

Jehovah's Witnesses are an organization harmful and similar to a tumor, but this is not a tumor of a church organism , ”says Head of the Department of General Scientific Disciplines of the Ryazan Orthodox Spiritual Seminary, Associate Professor of the Department of Theology, Ryazan State University. S. A. Yesenin Archpriest Alexander Dobroselsky . He doubts that the absence of this organization, its "adepts" would come to the Russian Orthodox church, because they do not believe in Christ, but "in its original god . "

"Being alien and hostile to any state in its dogmatics, it is a tumor of the body of the state. to the state and decide the issue of its removal , ”the priest believes, but expresses doubts about the advisability of such radical measures: “I personally It seems that this tumor is currently not malignant, that is, not threatening the state, and, removing those, it is necessary to be commensurate with the inflicted while harming the body .

Head of departments philosophy, basic theology and apologetics of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University Victor Lega openly stated that he "does not welcome" decision of the Ministry of Justice. Although he considers Jehovah's Witnesses a "misguided religion," he doubts "whether it is really extremism . "

Consequences of the ban Jehovah's Witnesses, in his opinion, are easily miscalculated: “Reproaches will begin for persecution for religion, accusations of merging the state and the Orthodox Churches, reproaches of the Church that she uses dishonest methods of dealing with others currents, involving the state " .

Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Moral Theology Orthodox Institute of St. John the Evangelist, priest Stefan Domuschi believes that state intervention in worldview issues “rarely led to something good. In the realm of faith no violence can act, because it is about faith . He I am sure that “society can protect itself from the influence of some new non-traditional religious movements" .

However, in the case of Jehovah's Witnesses, the priest believes, "it is not only about ideas and worldview. These people, for example, forbid blood transfusions. <…> That in fact, these people impose on their adherents a rejection of the traditional medical intervention that can save a life. In addition, Witnesses Jehovah" do not have any respect for state, public holidays, they are not allowed to be marked. For them, the words “defending their homeland” are an empty phrase.

An organization that leads himself on the territory of another state aggressively and uses methods totalitarian network, becomes dangerous not only for the government, but for the whole society" - said about. Stephen.

Moscow church cleric Cosmas and Damian in Shubin, Archpriest Alexander Kuzin is sure that the state persecutes Jehovah's Witnesses "not for heresy, but for anti-state activities that these people are doing. By a strange coincidence they also heretics at the same time .

The current anti-extremist legislation Fr. Alexander considers imperfect, but necessary - "at least in order to punish people who, with the help of a pseudo-religious cult engage in anti-state activities. “Although the church is separated from the state, but for the security of society with the state need to cooperate. And that's a healthy position. a society that does not want anarchy and disorder ,” the priest believes.

The rector of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in Orsk agrees with him Archpriest Alexander Kutsov . He is convinced that Jehovah's Witnesses are "recognised extremist organization, and it's no secret that this sect is financed by West (USA). It is thanks to the sects that the opposing country with all its might trying to infiltrate our society, demoralize it, bring confusion and division.” That's why he considers it lawful to ban Jehovah's Witnesses as an organization that "harms the state system of Russia" : "I think it (the state - Ed.) quite rightly sees in the activities destructive sects with anti-state notes, and persecutes heretics not for their heretical thoughts, but for the fact that they, under the guise of religion, are trying to bring discord into the state system of Russia and pose a danger to the state .

This view is shared by the pastor. Church of the Martyr Lucia of Syracuse in Blagoveshchensk Priest Svyatoslav Shevchenko . He believes that “the state should in any case regulate preaching activity, when it goes beyond the direct activity of this or that religious organization " , since "only it will be able to cope with the destructive action of totalitarian sects, which behave aggressively and are usually partially or fully funded from abroad" . A Jehovah's Witnesses, in his opinion, are just such an organization, where they "brainwash people, and as a result they die . "

Radical measures were supported and Muslim figures. Mufti of Moscow and the Central Region of Russia Albir Krganov , noting that “freedom of conscience and religion is our great democratic value ,” nevertheless expressed confidence that “if the Ministry of Justice decided to ban Witnesses Jehovah” , there are good reasons for this . “We don’t know all the reasons for the ban now, but perhaps soon they will become known to everyone , ”the mufti suggested.

Chairman of the Northern Muslim Coordinating Center Caucasus Ismail-hadji Berdiev even stated that "he was always a supporter of prohibition of all sects, and more than once said that they should not be given permission to work in our country . " "If they are Christians, they must to be in the same Church with Christians, as Catholics and Orthodox ,” he believes.

Since Jehovah's Witnesses are not "in the same Churches with Christians" , then, according to the clergyman, one should "consult with representatives of the main religion. That is, you should ask the opinion of Patriarch Kirill: if he approves the activities of Jehovah's Witnesses, let confess. And if not, then the Ministry of Justice should unambiguously ban their work in our country. The opinion of representatives of traditional religions in this matter should be paramount . "

The chairman is just as radical public organization "Jewish National-Cultural Autonomy of the Tula region” Lev Raikhlin. He believes that Jehovah's Witnesses preach from door to door, “Because people don’t want to go to them just like that. It means that there is something in this religious organization that scares people away . And in general, “this is not a faith, but an ordinary sect. There are rules and they are aimed at the destruction of the human personality - this is even at the best .

“And if they are also engaged in extremist activity, the state is simply obliged to protect itself and its citizens - for that it and the state ,” L. Raikhlin believes.

Sources

• "Jehovah's Witnesses" - a tumor, but not malignant: Priests on the organization's ban // Regions.ru. 2017. April 3.