Russian Faces Up to a Year in Prison for Denying the Existence of God

If you think Facebook in the US is heavy on censorship, take a look at how Russia deals with dissenters and atheists. How dare they speak such lies!

A Russian faces up to a year in prison for saying "there is no God" during an argument on social media, his lawyers said Wednesday.

Source: 1, 2

VK is the largest European social networking site, claiming over 100 million members. The same guy also wrote that “the Bible is a collection of Jewish fairy tales,” which didn't go over well with Russian authorities either. All offending posts have been deleted and he is now on trial in his native city of Stravropol.

Russia's Investigative Committee — the equivalent of the FBI — charged Krasnov with "offending believers' feelings," which was criminalized in Russia after a notorious performance by punk band Pussy Riot in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior in February 2012. Two band members were jailed in 2012 for performing an anti-Vladimir Putin song at the cathedral.

Below is another video containing members of the band getting whipped during a protest that took place in February 2014.

Krasnov was forced to attend a month of psychiatric evaluations before being declared sane. I believe that America is slowly taking lessons on how to implement the same level of reaction to people with original or opposing ideals.

With that said, if you give an idiot a microphone, they're going to say something stupid. Social media is the biggest stupid microphone in existence. Before you know it, we'll all be required to take pills for an obvious "flaw" in the way we express ourselves or risk being labelled a threat to society.

You are still "free" to let the authorities know if your friends or family exhibit any possible "questionable" behavior. The freedom police will be dispatched immediately to make the situation a more "pleasant and agreeable" environment at all costs. Alright, back to the happiest place on Earth...

Russia again a "non-free" country in Freedom House rating

Russia retained its "Not Free" rating in the annual "Freedom in the World 2016" report compiled by the Freedom House human rights organisation, scoring only 22 of a possible 100 points, with its shortcomings deepened by economic recession and growing intolerance of dissent.

Remember, Putin thinks very highly of Trump and I wouldn't be surprised if the two traded a few secrets about how to make Trump an “authority figure” in Washington.

"The regime also took measures to stifle criticism of its foreign interventions. Opponents have been derided as traitors, forced from their jobs, arrested, or pushed into exile," it added. "To drive home the leadership's intolerance for dissent, President Vladimir Putin issued a decree making it illegal to publish information about military casualties even during peacetime. The head of a committee of soldiers' mothers was convicted of fraud after publicising the cases of Russian troops killed in eastern Ukraine, where the Kremlin has implausibly denied that any Russian forces are deployed."

So what exactly does it mean to be free? Nowadays, I'm sure our definition will differ from those we elect to uphold it. In their mind, laws dictate what we are free to say and do.

Many are helpful in maintaining a functioning society, but the literal definition of many laws seem to be open to interpretation by our government.

Anxious Dictators, Wavering Democracies: Global Freedom under Pressure

- The number of countries showing a decline in freedom for the year—72—was the largest since the 10-year slide began.

- Only 43 countries made gains from the previous year.

- Over the past 10 years, 105 countries have seen a net decline, and only 61 have experienced a net improvement.

- Ratings for the Middle East and North Africa region were the worst in the world in 2015, followed closely by Eurasia.

- Over the last decade, the most significant global reversals have been in freedom of expression and the rule of law.

Download Link: PDF

“Freedom” is becoming an antiquated word and comes in a variety of bitter flavors. In the future, laws will not exist to protect those freedoms, but rather to dictate what is acceptable behavior in any given setting. I'd recommend finding another way to express your discontent instead of using the same tools that our government has admitted to using.

In my opinion, social media is “for the birds” and is having the opposite intended purpose on society, allowing people's ego and narcissistic tendencies to flourish at an alarming rate. Uphold your right to be heard while also respecting the rights of others.

Pushing it into people's ears should naturally make them question why it has to be forced in the first place. Whether this man's words hold any truth or not, others who have been outspoken in the past have put Putin on edge. If you didn’t get the memo, you'll most certainly get the whip!

a reply to: eisegesis
"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act."
George Orwell

a reply to: eisegesis

Since nobody here called bull# on the title here yet, I'm gonna go ahead

I dont know about this one. You bust into a purpose-built ultra religious room and start yelling everyone is full of snip... you could wind up dead for that in many countries and police wouldnt batt an eye over it. Here in my country you would be charged with something for that just not in virtual room yet. There are a couple cases centered on bullying and harrasment online that might soon change that.

Is this just more 'Russia BAD' stuff? Cause on-the-level other countries should be observing these cases and methods more academically since we have problems with these issues too.

They know how to handle these counter- revolutionary Kulak scum in Mother Russia. Political Correctness is for the useful idiots to jamb down the throats of the decadent, capitalist swine! There is no Political Correctness in Mother Russia. Political Correctness is a social construct weapon, created in Russia and successfully deployed in the west. RODINA!

More evidence of the war against Atheists!

The only thing stopping this happening in the west is the fact we have secular societies.

a reply to: eisegesis
Here are the actual phrases of the accused blogger

Если я говорю, что сборник еврейских сказок под названием «Библия» — полная ....... ( нецензурное слово ), значит, так и есть!)

"If I say that the collection of Jewish fairy tales titled Bible is complete (obscenity) so it is."

Да кому нахер сдались твои кривославные жидовские праздники?

"Who the (obscenity) needs your askew-dox (antisemitic word) holidays?"

www.aif.ru...

a reply to: MALBOSIA

I dont know about this one. You bust into a purpose-built ultra religious room and start yelling everyone is full of snip... you could wind up dead for that in many countries and police wouldnt batt an eye over it.

Of course not, when they're the ones doing the killing!

Here in my country you would be charged with something for that just not in virtual room yet.

And what charge would that be? Putting yourself in a position to deliberately hurt people's feelings? These are WORDS we are talking about. Verbal expression should never be condemned and feelings will continue to be hurt regardless of how many laws are designed to prevent that from happening. Only tightwad imbeciles have a problem with their authority being questioned and those with something to lose that was gained through deception.

Is this just more 'Russia BAD' stuff?

Yes captain obvious, lol. Russia does bad things to it's people and we should always maintain awareness of these issues. The same goes for any government. I haven't personally displayed any previous attempts to defame Russia or expose how it handles it's more outspoken citizens, but will gladly call them out as "bad Russia" when things that are as absurd as this make the news. Bad is bad, regardless what border it happens behind.

Cause on-the-level other countries should be observing these cases and methods more academically since we have problems with these issues too.

What exactly was the problem to begin with? He was on a public/private website and spoke his "little" mind. I'm not defending what he said, but only his right to say it. I also won't easily tolerate another person's right to be offended if they simply put themselves in a position to receive such criticism. If you can't handle hearing other people tell you what they think of your own open display of expression, do it in private.

He was charged with "offending believers' feelings". Don't you see the irony in that his own feelings are of little importance when the government only agrees with one ideology. They only defend those helping to maintain the illusion, not shatter it. Intimidation sure does play a powerful and necessary role in controlling Russia's hopeful.

a reply to: eisegesis

If they wern't just "WORDS". They were words used to assault people that this guy knew be most impacted.

Protestors are charged all the time for causing disturbances. If you don't have a reasonable explination for purposely causing an impact on another person it is usually considered harrasment or public disturbance.

"Offending a believers feelings" seems pretty cut and dry. I dont see what you are not getting. If someone believes something, you think anobody should have the right to invade a website that would be reasonable to expect some level of comfort in expressing a specific religious belief, and curse everyone and tell them their beliefs are stupid?

There comes a point when the right of expression is supperceded by the right to not be persecuted and harrassed for your beliefs.

a reply to: MALBOSIA

"Arrest this man! He said my religion is stupid!"

...you have got to be kidding me.

I hope your way of thinking is in the extreme minority. Otherwise, humanity might as well just give up.

originally posted by: dogstar23
a reply to: MALBOSIA

"Arrest this man! He said my religion is stupid!"

...you have got to be kidding me.

I hope your way of thinking is in the extreme minority. Otherwise, humanity might as well just give up.

Harrasment and bullying online has led to suicide in some cases. People that get their jollys from intentionally hurting others feelings cannot stand behind freedom of speach, that is not what it is meant for.

a reply to: MALBOSIA

The article specifically states that he was arrested for "offending believer's feelings". Believer in what, whatever the government finds acceptable? How do you justify whether to prosecute somebody based on a single person's perception of what is acceptable to say and what is not. The government is charging and potentially locking these people up in an effort to silence them. Feelings come in shades of grey and we would all have to agree to think the same in order to uphold specific thresholds for specific topics such as religion or race. The opposite of free speech and full expression.

You don't get to think for yourself...if the government says God exists, you damn well better believe he does.

Or as you see you get a vacation courtesy of the Russian government.

originally posted by: MALBOSIA
There comes a point when the right of expression is supperceded by the right to not be persecuted and harrassed for your beliefs.

NOPE. Sorry but you're wrong. Having someone trash your personal beliefs with an opposing viewpoint, even if it's done in an angry voice with foul language, is still just as valid as the opinion which it opposes.

Then you talk about "persecution and harassment" while this guy facing criminal charges for his opinion. Who's more persecuted, the guy who got his feelings hurt because he didn't like what someone else said about his "Beliefs" or the guy who's facing prison for voicing his??? Think about it.

Here's a clue. Your "Personal Beliefs" mean exactly Jack-sh*t to anyone else. Just like everyone's "Personal Beliefs". That's why they are personal and if you don't like it when others disagree with them then don't post em up where everyone else can see them. Keep them personal.

originally posted by: tsurfer2000h
You don't get to think for yourself...if the government says God exists, you damn well better believe he does.

Or as you see you get a vacation courtesy of the Russian government.

Many people in USA lost their jobs for just talking. And in Europe they even got to jail.

So as I understand it a Pussy Riot member who hates Putin is being charged with a made up law based on religious tolerance or maybe intolerance

And you are blaming religion for what politicians are doing, politicians from a recent communist country that outlawed religion, less than a generation ago

Seriously, can you not see this is not about religion at all, it's intolerance, it's political manovering, it's using religion as a way for authority to crack down on political dissenters

Are you so blind that you can't see the simple. You have been played like a couple of spoons

It's amazing how easily people are lead around by the media these days

originally posted by: Raggedyman
So as I understand it a Pussy Riot member

He can't be a member since he hasn't got one.

originally posted by: Raggedyman
who hates Putin

He doesn't care about Putin. He hates "the collection of Jewish fairy tales titled Bible" and "askew-dox (antisemitic word) holidays"

a reply to: vernichter

Ok my mistake, he isn't a member of PR

Now what makes you say he is not a political agitator, that he is not being targeted by the authority's because of an anti Putinn stance

Do you really think he is the only person in the whole of Russia who says things anti church on the computer. That's a little naive isn't it


Believe what ever you want to believe

originally posted by: Raggedyman
Now what makes you say he is not a political agitator, that he is not being targeted by the authority's because of an anti Putinn stance

I haven't seen him saying anything about Putin. Can you supply a quote?

originally posted by: RaggedymanDo you really think he is the only person in the whole of Russia who says things anti church on the computer. That's a little naive isn't it

There are millions of people in Russia who post about Church and Putin.

This one is just a weird case. There is a saying that in America you can get sued for waking up in the morning. Something similar can happen in Russia.

originally posted by: eisegesis
- Over the last decade, the most significant global reversals have been in freedom of expression and the rule of law.

Personally, I find it very interesting that freedom of speech seems to be a self defeating concept. If you give a person a large enough audience, which social media is very good at doing the social backlash of saying something unpopular largely quiets a person and prevents them from saying how they really feel. If you write the wrong thing on Facebook, you are effectively unhireable for example.

Governments seem to be buying into this too, with the concept of "encouraging" citizens to not say anything controversial.