Jehovah's Witnesses have learned from scriptures that we can expect persecution not only in Russia but worldwide. This is bible prophecy. (Matthew 5:10-12)

For clarification purposes only, (I am certainly not trying to minimize what is happening to Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia), isn't this passage part of the Beatitudes and refers to all Christians, and not just Jehovah's Witnesses?  

Throughout history, most claiming to  be 'Christian' have joined in with what ever part of the world they live in taking up their holidays and political agendas. When a certain faction is less popular than the majority, they may get persecuted but when that faction is the majority, too often the same faction that is persecuted in one Country is the persecutors in another.

(John 15:17-21) “These things I command you, that you love one another. 18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. 20 Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours. 21 But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.
(2 Timothy 3:12) In fact, all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.

Thank you for your comment Harry. JW's have been killed in Russia and most other Countries at one time or another. In the USA they were lynched and tarred and feathered around WWII primarily at the instigation of the supposed 'Christian' clergy.

Here is an example here in Texas: "OTHER ACTS OF MOB BRUTALITY
Many were the acts of mob violence having Jehovah’s witnesses as their targets. In December 1942 at Winnsboro, Texas, a number of Jehovah’s witnesses were accosted by a mob while doing magazine street work. Among the Witnesses was O. L. Pillars, servant to the brethren (circuit overseer). As the mobsters approached, the Witnesses concluded that street work could not be done under such circumstances. So they began walking toward their car. “In the middle of the main street, in his sound car, was the Baptist preacher, C. C. Phillips,” recalls Brother Pillars. “He had been preaching about Christ and his being crucified, but as soon as he saw us he changed his sermon. He started ranting and raving about how Jehovah’s witnesses would not salute the flag. He told how he would be happy to die for Old Glory and that anyone not saluting the flag should be run out of town. As we passed his truck, we looked ahead to see another mob coming toward us. Soon they closed in on us and held us until the city marshal appeared and arrested us.”"


https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090616155749AAxg9Hj

https://books.google.com/books?id=TvozCq8HJOcC&pg=PT197&lpg=PT197&dq=winnsboro+tx+rope+broke+pillars&source=bl&ots=B7d8UwlY2M&sig=4x4xwJN9XCL927J8AvgSD4pZYtI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYoujVnqTTAhUY-2MKHTvbAb4Q6AEIIjAA#v=onepage&q=winnsboro%20tx%20rope%20broke%20pillars&f=false

http://www.freeminds.org/history/conflicts.htm

Hi texasescimo.  Thanks for the responses.  Yes, I am aware that JW's have been (and still are) targets. One of my closest childhood friends is JW and, over the years, I've worked with a few.  Frankly, I find them to be the most decent and morally grounded of all the Christians I have encountered during my lifetime.

That was kind. Most of my family seems to despise the Witnesses. I had a Grandmother, Aunt, and two cousins that were JW's when I was a kid. My cousin almost got beat up when I asked him what he got for Christmas and he somehow told me that I shouldn't celebrate Christmas. He might have said something like it wasn't Christ birthday or something else. As kids, I don't think either of us used much tact. lol

Hey tex,  thanks for responding to the post, at these hours i'm preparing for the public ministry. I know the question posted was sincere and deserving of a prompt response. :)

You're welcome my friend. Did you ever hear of  O. L. Pillars? They hung him and the rope broke. Heard anything new about the brothers in Russia? It's been hectic around here as we have been back and forth from nursing homes and hospitals with my mom and stepdad. 

The latest news from our website is that they recessed AGAIN, seems they  (Russian authorities)are unable to produce evidence to support their case. Excuse my knowledge of the technology, but go to this link for really interesting news: https://www.theworldnewsmedia.org/topic/34313-representatives-of-the-Guinness-book-of-records-is-ready-to-commit-a-new-world-record-for-the-number-of-letters-written/ you take great care buddy! :)

Dear Whistle6,
With all respect for your wonderful contributions here...this comment seems a bit harsh, especially in light of all the genocides and exterminations of the 20th century...

You may know...the JayDubs were on Hitler's list, although not as high priority as Jewish.
Now, we need to stand up for each other.

It is not intended to be harsh.  It is intended to bring to question the involvement, maybe the existence, of god.  It strikes me that when a religious group, of what ever faith, comes under persecution, it is attributed to a sinful world or the powers of evil.  Has any religious group experiencing persecution ever considered that their faith may be ill placed?  That perhaps their god is a false god? One would think a god would watch out for his devotees. 

I have never heard this term, "JayDubs".  It seems a tad dismissive.  And yes I have heard of Hitler's dislike of Witnesses.  This does not have bearing on the current question.

Jehovah'si Witnesses were sent to concentration camps because of their bible based beliefs to not take part in the killing of their fellow man. Many of my brothers and sisters perished there. This is in the history books. To say that Hitler had a "dislike" of the Witnesses and minimize their suffering is at least inaccurate as well as insensitive. 

I stand with my primary point as to the theodicy question.  Their god did not protect them.  This should give one much to consider about one's faith and god.

Pretty cold. When the Jews were God's people and Babylon had taken them into the 70 years captivity, would you say there is no God but then when they were released there is a God? In the first century when the Jews persecuted the Christians and then the Romans came and encircled Jerusalem with Christians in danger as well as Jews, no God, but when the Christians heeded the words of Jesus and fled to the mountainous region of Pella and escaped the slaughter on Jerusalem there is a God? Around WWI when JW's were incarcerated in the United States, no God, when they were exonerated, there is a God? When Hitler sent JW's to concentration camps and vowed to exterminate this brood from Germany, no God, after they started thriving there again, there is a God? Try reading the Bible and you will understand the Christian mind set towards persecution.

You mistake what my position.  My position is that there is likely no god.

Perhaps doing a little research could help?

How did life begin?

These links give some opinions of some scientist:

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102010343?q=%22how+did+life+begin%22&p=par How did life begin?
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102010344?q=%22the+origin+of+life%22&p=par Is any form of life really simple?
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/The-Origin-of-Life-Five-Questions-Worth-Asking/ The Origin of Life—Five Questions Worth Asking

The discussion is the theodicy question, not the origins of life.

Your previous comment: "

All positions start with some foundational premise which may not be demonstrable.  The position that life is created by a god or arose form material processes each have such a non-demonstrable starting premise.  Life is here is obvious. How it is here is not obvious at all.  My position is that one cannot prove either position.  There is much inferential evidence for god and no god.  All this is interesting to discuss but you seem to be evading the theodicy question which is what the discussion at hand is addressing. 

Sorry, I thought the question was: [

If Russia bans Jehovah's Witnesses April 5 2017 (Tomorrow) as planned, will it eventually affect other nonRussian Orthodox religions as well

Are Jehovah's Witnesses really extremist?]

EDIT: To go ahead and follow your lead of this thread, on the slim chance that you don't already have your mind made up with an agenda, the answers are in the Bible. See if this helps:
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102005141?q=%22Why+Does+God+Allow+Suffering%22&p=par

This post was edited by texasescimo at April 15, 2017 5:32 PM MDT

Also please elaborate on "pretty cold", this comment bewilders me.  Reading the Bible does set forth the Christian mind set.  It does not follow this mind set is true.

Your comment earlier seems to imply that Christians never considered the possibility that there is no God: "