Click to join the conversation with over 500,000 Pentecostal believers and scholars
Click to get our FREE MOBILE APP and stay connected
| PentecostalTheology.com
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an anti-terrorism law, but for the country’s many churches, the signature sparked a demand for prayer and fasting.
The bill toughens punishment for acts deemed to be terrorism and for the organization of “mass unrest,” according to the Los Angeles Times. It would also introduce prison sentences of up to a year for those who fail to report such crimes.
Furthermore, Great Commission Ministries Chairman Hanny Haukka tells Charisma News the law entails:
- Foreign guests are not permitted to speak in churches unless they have a “work permit” from Russian authorities
- If a friend or relative from outside Russia wishes to share his/her faith in your home the guest will be fined and expelled from Russia.
- Any discussion of God with non-believers is considered missionary activity and will be punishable.
- Missionary activity will be permitted by special government permission. Example: If one traveling on a train shares his faith without written permission the offender will be taken into police custody for the duration of the journey and will be fined 50,000 rubles ($1,000).
- Offenders from the age of 14-years-old will be subject to prosecution
- Religious activity is no longer permitted in private homes. Most churches in Russia meet in homes.
- Every citizen is obligated to report religious activity of neighbors to the authorities. Failure to be an informant is punishable by law.
- One may pray and read the Bible at home but not in the presence of a non-believing person. You will be breaking the law and be punished.
- If the church has purchased property it cannot be converted into a place of worship.
- In church buildings, it is not permitted to invite people to turn to God. Worship services are permitted but making a non-believer a follower of Christ is against the law.
In response, thousands of churches across the country have come together to cry out to God.
Russia is closing down in an awful way. The new law is in total conflict with the purpose and the task given to the church by the Lord. The law will send the church back into Soviet era Communist persecution
Varnel Watson
going this way long time Henry Volk Ilya Okhotnikov
Ilya Okhotnikov
Troy Day, FYI: the law was signed in by VVP of Russia 2 or 3 years ago.
Varnel Watson
YES this one seems to be a more recent update
George Hartwell
Proposed legislation and NOT the way Russia has been going. Wait for confirmation or become a purveyor of fake news.
Link Hudson
They should get this information to Greek Orthodox bishops describing it from the angle of how it might effect Greeks and Greek-speaking priests in Russia.
Varnel Watson
Greek Orthodox church is a STATE church – they will probably remain untouched by such religious measures From what I’ve read on Forum18, it is the Orthodox church that is doing it Greek speaking priests in Russia? Link Hudson Ilya Okhotnikov
Link Hudson
Doing it Greek speaking priests?
The Greek and Russian Orthodox are supposed to be in communion with each other. If the Russian Orthodox are pushing for the law, and the Greeks object to the wording of the legistlation, it might lose traction. Just a thought.
Varnel Watson
Link Hudson you really need to brush up on your history like I reminded you of the 4th crusade and the Catholic invasion of Eastern Europe – there is NO Greek speaking priests in Russia. The Russian Orthodox church is authocephalian just like the Ukrainian one became here recently – I am sure from your studies in Greek you’d know what this means. Ever since their official liturgy is done in church slavonic not in Greek and the Greeks has no part in it
Link Hudson
Troy Day I am not sure how that is relevant. I did not say that the Greeks were over the Russians in the hierarchy or that the Russians used Greek liturgy. I am thinking of Greek visitors or expats in Russia. I would assume there is a small number of them. If the Russian Orthodox heard a perspective on the law that it could be used to persecute other Eastern Orthodox, not just Evangelicals, they might not support it.
Varnel Watson
I am not aware of a single church in russia that does liturgy in Greek. I am not a Russian so I could be mistaken of course Ilya Okhotnikov last time I was in the area instead of Greeks going to Russia many Russians were buying whole Greek islands and moving there – it is more probable a slavic church to exist in Greece than a Greek one in Russia – anyhow Link Hudson comment is irrelevant here – this new update of the 2016-2017 bill on religion is most disturbing as it closes Russia for good. I recently read that all seminaries are closing down as well in 2019
Varnel Watson
YES they ARE William DeArteaga Ray E Horton
Ray E Horton
Troy Day If this is in fact true, we need to join them in prayer. Russia appears to be going backwards.
Ray E Horton
May this persecution lead to a great revival there.
Varnel Watson
This is in fact true We do NOT post fake news on this platform William DeArteaga made sure we fact check long time again Even when Hillsong NY had gay worship leaders and then a naked cowboy and tried to covered it up we here posted the news before anyone else Many said it was fake And finally they admitted it Truth always comes on the top
William DeArteaga
Troy Day I believe you.
Kyle Williams
I feel we here in Kansas are bordering on this, and I hate it. I was ok with complying with the ” governor’s ” initial order. But she has gone too far this time. She is singling out churches and para church organizations. I will no longer tolerate this. Me and a few other local church leaders have made our complaints to the governor’s office. Leave it to a liberal to take away our rights
Varnel Watson
NOT JUST in Kansas anymore
Governor Bill Lee said he’s used cell phone data to see Tennesseans are becoming more active since he asked people to stay at home last month. That data, he said in a press conference on Thursday, weighed heavily on his decision to issue a stay at home order.
His use of cell phone data has some concerned for their privacy.
“It’s been said your phones actually a tracking device that you can talk on, and that’s pretty true,” LMU Law Professor Stewart Harris said.
We’re always looking for the newest gadget and latest app. We quickly accept terms and conditions without even thinking about it.
“We click on that button,” Harris said.’I accept your terms of service I assert that I’ve read them,’ but of course no one actually reads them. In those terms of service you’re agreeing to that company to share whatever data it collects about you, and that’s precisely what they do.”
Harris said companies then sell that money to advertisers, other companies, and even the State of Tennessee.
“We saw the numbers of movement by their cell phone activity the movement of those cell phones and that data is what weighed into this decision,” Governor Bill Lee said. https://www.wvlt.tv/content/news/Gov-Bill-Lee-used-cell-phone-data–569340231.html