Russia's Ban on Evangelism Is Now in Effect

[guillaumeb]

From the article:

The “Yarovaya package” requires missionaries to have permits, makes house churches illegal, and limits religious activity to registered church buildings, among other restrictions. Individuals who disobey could be fined up to $780, while organizations could be fined more than $15,000...............

Requiring a permit to evangelize is “not only absurd and offensive, but also creates the basis for mass persecution of believers for violating these provisions,” read another open letter signed by Protestant Churches of Russia leader Sergei Ryakhovsky among other signatories. The law is “the most draconian anti-religion bill to be proposed in Russia since Nikita Khrushchev promised to eliminate Christianity in the Soviet Union.”

http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2016/july/russia-ban-evangelism-effect.html

Intolerance in action?

[atreides1]

1. It doesn't matter!

Putin is still going to be the man, to many American conservative evangelicals!!!

[guillaumeb]

3. And to Trump also.

A very strange alliance indeed.

[blm]

2. There's only one church aligned with Putin - Russian Orthodox. It was used by Putin to foment white

nationalism and relied heavily on ant-gay sentiment. Putin is returning the favor by outlawing other religions. No surprise Putin's circle has also recently aligned with the NRA - white nationalism is the core belief of all these entities.

[guillaumeb]

4. Interesting how white nationalism can serve to rally people against the other.

No matter the country, no matter the religion, or official lack of religion, nationalism is a useful tool.

[Igel]

10. Lose the "white" and you're a lot closer.

Not everything's local to the US.

Much of the ruckus with Ukraine is "white nationalism," in the sense of white against white. I guess. But the Orthodox Church that's dominant in Ukraine is a breakaway that doesn't quite acknowledge the authority of the Muscovite Patriarch. So there's that.

It's also "white nationalism" against what used to be called the Uniate. The followers of which were, of course, white, and thus the victim of race discrimination by whites.

Non-whites in Russia are often non-Orthodox. However, if you're Orthodox then that particular discrimination doesn't affect you. Then you're down to racial and ethnic discrimination. But notice how Putin defines the *ethnicity* "Russian": Not as blood lines associated with a given territory, but as culture, including religion and language.

[DonCoquixote]

5. On the one hand

I see this as awful, especially as it makes the ultra conservative Russian Orthodox Church yet another partner of the state, to make it's faith necessary to be a citizen. On the other hand, can we blame them for fearing the damage evangelicals can do?

[guillaumeb]

6. I see far more damage being done by militant nationalism. eom

[trotsky]

7. Intolerance?

It's just the continuing relationship between Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church. They support him, he supports laws that help them. You can try to pretend that religion has no role in this but I doubt you'll convince many people.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. But American evangelicals love Putin and voted for 45.

[guillaumeb]

9. A miracle indeed!!!

And miracles cannot be explained by logic.

[Doreen]

11. "Oh my" what is Trump to do?

Trump loves Putin so much and wants to be just like him. The problem however, is that Evangelists were one of his biggest group of supporters. So, any bets on if he keeps them or kicks them to the curb in the name of Putin?

[guillaumeb]

13. Who can be the bigger source of profit for Trump?

That seems to be his only real philosophy.

[Act_of_Reparation]

12. Sectarianism.

It's no secret Putin and the Russian Orthodoxy have an incestuous interest in building a strong Russian national identity in part around Orthodox faith. It started with the systemic persecution of LGBTQ Russians, which many Evangelicals were happy to support. Now that Putin doesn't need them anymore, the Evangelicals are thrown into the meat grinder to strengthen the position of the Russian Orthodoxy.

Guess they didn't read The Prince.

[guillaumeb]

14. Putin will use anything to increase his power and wealth.

That explains, in my view, the TrumPutin marriage of convenience.

[Act_of_Reparation]

15. Wrong.

Putin has grander ambitions than his own enrichment. He wants to recapture spheres of influence lost to Russia in the decade following the collapse of the Iron Curtain, having the three-fold effect of: 1) Supplying cheap resources to Russia; 2) opening new markets for Russian-produced goods; and 3) re-establishing Russia as a global superpower.

He already has wealth and power. He wants to go down in history as the guy who brought Russia back from the brink.

[guillaumeb]

16. Does Putin seek to put Russia on a more equal footing when dealing with the US? eom

[Act_of_Reparation]

17. No. Russia doesn't want to "deal" with the US. Period.

Apart from a similar problem with Islamic terrorism, there are very few interests the US and Russia have in common. There is very little incentive for them to work with us at all.

[guillaumeb]

18. The incentive is mutual security.

And trade.