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Russian prosecutors requested a 3½ year prison sentence Friday for a blogger charged with inciting religious hatred for playing "Pokemon Go" in a church.
Prosecutors made the request as the trial of Ruslan Sokolovsky, 22, wrapped up in the city of Yekaterinburg. A judge said a verdict in the case would be issued May 11.
Sokolovsky posted a video on his blog showing him playing the smartphone game in a church built on the supposed spot where the last Russian tsar and his family were killed. He has been in detention since October.
He is charged with inciting religious hatred. It is the same offense that sent two women from the Pussy Riot punk collective to prison for two years in 2012.
Source: ABC News
Video: YouTube
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Russian Prosecutors Seek 3.5 Years for Blogger Who Played "Pokémon Go" in Church
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The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
There's no such thing as an original sin.
-- Elvis Costello
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 30 2017, @10:36PM (43 children)
Religious hatred seems easy to incite. I thought people were only supposed to go to jail for offending the Moslems. Isn't Christianity a religion of peace?
(Score: 3, Informative) by marcello_dl on Sunday April 30 2017, @11:04PM
Yep, getting jailed for this is a good way to increase your hatred of religion.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by julian on Monday May 01 2017, @12:46AM (40 children)
Putin draws a lot of support from Christian (Orthodox) conservatives. It's why he persecutes homosexuals and women who step outside traditional gender roles. It's the Christian Taliban just like we have in the USA with our plague of mouthbreathing evangelicals crowding into megachurches and whining--without any sense of irony--about being an oppressed majority with control of three branches of government.
In the US today, if I ever end up being persecuted by a religion for being an atheist, or a homosexual if I was one, it would be a Christian doing the persecuting. It wouldn't be a Muslim. There just aren't enough of them here and they have almost no political power in the West despite the fearmongering from the alt-right.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @01:28AM (36 children)
Agreed in general.
However, is there any wisdom to welcoming in self-proclaimed members of Islam, an ideology whose fundamental and "perfect" written doctrine calls for a literal world-wide war of conquest using both force and deceit?
Would not a good approach be to take an abolitionist stand against ALL would-be slavers, no matter what label the authoritarians use for themselves?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @01:56AM (25 children)
Destroy the major religious idols/worship locations for each religion and then deal with the fallout of it for each major religion.
China had no problem dealing with Tibet that way. Others should do the same for Judaism, Christianity (Western or Eastern), Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, etc until they are all reminded they *AREN'T* the chosen ones, and to be humble in their treatment of others, lest the last vestiges of their religious faith be wiped off the face of the earth in retaliation.
But that isn't PC. And perhaps it would only make things worth in the long run, since religion CAN sometimes keep otherwise uncontrollable people under control...
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @02:25AM (2 children)
religion CAN sometimes keep otherwise uncontrollable people under control...
It doesn't seem to be working very well. I support your non-PC proposal. The Abrahamic religions need to be reigned in, in particular. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are a cancer that turns the darkest impulses of the soul into irresistable commandments. Their vision of the afterlife in particular compels otherwise rational people into extremism.
(Score: 2, Disagree) by Wootery on Tuesday May 02 2017, @03:36PM (1 child)
Not so much for the Jews, really. Seeing as how a huge proportion of those who identify as Jewish are atheists, the afterlife thing doesn't apply so much.
(Score: 2) by Wootery on Thursday May 04 2017, @08:35AM
I'm being moderated as 'Disagree', but with no replies. I don't bite, Soylentils.
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Monday May 01 2017, @02:50AM (18 children)
Buddhism believes in reincarnation (rebirth). The ultimate goal of a Buddhist is to reach the state of enlightenment (Nirvana) and liberate oneself from endless reincarnation and suffering. Some see Buddhism as a religion, others see it is a philosophy, and others think it is a way of finding reality.
Any religion that doesn't involve converting others is ok with me. Your freedom of religion ends at my personal space. I don't care if you worship the Jedi spirit or the Flying Spaghetti Monster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster [wikipedia.org] as long as you keep it to yourself.
I personally venerate the Holy Mother Maryjane, several days a week, and twice on the Sabbath.
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @05:31AM (10 children)
Some see Buddhism as a religion, others see it is a philosophy, and others think it is a way of finding reality.
What's your point?
You seem to be saying that being buddhist inherently makes you chill.
Allow me to introduce you to the bin Laden of Buddhism. [telegraph.co.uk]
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @06:58AM (8 children)
Thank you. I've been wondering about this for some time.
Though this case seems to be more of hatred against Islam than against non-Bhuddists in general. I don't see anything about them having a problem with Christians or atheists.
It seems that they might have pretty good reasons to dislike Islam, just like people in New York, Germany, Sweden, etc do, without it needing to be about one religion vs another.
TL;DT: I'm not convinced.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @08:12AM (7 children)
In fact islam has nothing to do with it.
There just isn't a christian minority of equivalent size and status in his country.
Its just standard xenophobia. If they were christians or jews he would be just as horrid towards them.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @10:11AM (5 children)
I'm unaware of the Christian or Jewish equivalent of ISIS... (in before "muh Palestinians": the Six Day War)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @10:18AM (4 children)
He's not going after ISIS.
He's going after a minority group in the country.
Christian ISIS: The Lord's Resistance Army
Jewish ISIS: Pricetag Attacks
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @10:31AM (3 children)
I don't know much about the former; the latter is absolutely pathetic as a stand-in for a Jewish ISIS.
War on behalf of Islam is a worldwide problem. [thereligionofpeace.com] There's definitely good reason to not want people who voluntarily self-identify as such around.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @11:11AM (2 children)
Oh, you are one of those nutjobs who gets his knowledge of islam from idiots.
You should just lead with "I'm an ignorant bigot" and save us all the time.
Because none of that shit is relevant to buddhism.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @11:17AM (1 child)
You posted no argument, merely insults. Your insults do not invalidate historical facts.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 02 2017, @10:15AM
Ad hominem and no arguments. Then it seems the fact that Islam is a hostile belief system stands because that is not counter argumented in any serious way. ;)
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Monday May 01 2017, @03:13PM
Yeah, but Hindu people make up 80% of the population.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Monday May 01 2017, @06:33PM
My point is I don't care what religion or philosophy you choose to pursue as long as you don't try and push it off on me. It is rare to see violence associated with Buddhism, not that it never happens of course, anymore than any extremist nut job can claim any religion, hence Scientology, the LDS, or the Westboro Baptist freaks.
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
(Score: 2) by Wootery on Tuesday May 02 2017, @04:34PM (6 children)
Any religion that doesn't involve converting others is ok with me. Your freedom of religion ends at my personal space.
Except that trying to spread ideas doesn't affect your personal space. Evangelism isn't violence.
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Tuesday May 02 2017, @05:48PM (5 children)
I totally agree. That was my point. I think that anyone is entitled to worship as they see fit, but if I choose to worship differently or not at all they had better be ready to accept that. It is any religion that considers it a duty to convert others that I have a problem with. The more aggressively they pursue others the bigger my problem is. I am NOT my brothers keeper, nor am I looking for him to be mine. If he or I wish help one of us will ask, or seek. Sticks and stones...but words never hurt me.
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
(Score: 2) by Wootery on Tuesday May 02 2017, @08:05PM (4 children)
It is any religion that considers it a duty to convert others that I have a problem with.
You just made the exact same conflation again.
Trying to convert isn't a problem. Is it terrible when scientists try to convince people of facts? No.
Bigotry and violence are problems, but they're not the same thing.
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Wednesday May 03 2017, @02:53AM (3 children)
I consider waking me up on Saturday morning, spreading the word of god a problem. If an astronomer did that I'd consider them a problem as well, but that has never happened.
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
(Score: 2) by Wootery on Wednesday May 03 2017, @08:26AM (2 children)
Thing is, if I really believed I could save someone's soul by converting them to my religion, I like to think I'd spend a lot of my time doing it. It's well within the bounds of freedom of expression.
Same goes for being a bit too evangelical about their atheism, if they really think it's improving the world to spread atheism. (This tends to be comparably annoying, of course.)
I certainly object to dangerous ideologies, but I don't see a real problem in people trying to spread their ideas in ways that might be a bit annoyingly. Free society can cope with the 'a bit annoying' stuff.
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Wednesday May 03 2017, @05:37PM (1 child)
That's a slippery slope to the Inquisition there. What's a bit of harm to the mortal flesh in long run if you save the 'immortal' soul. I realize that's an extreme example but I hope you get my drift. I agree with you about atheism though, there is little difference between someone aggressively pushing their view of atheism or their personal religious stance. Yes as much as it is annoying everyone has the right, or should, to express their opinion, be it reasonable, or less than so. Boy Scouts to the LDS, the KKK, to the Black Panthers. Just not on my front porch on Saturday at 09:00 :)
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge
(Score: 2) by Wootery on Wednesday May 03 2017, @09:41PM
But it's not a slippery slope. Your right to swing your fist ends at my nose, and all that. Crazy superstitions are allowed, but aren't an excuse to break the law. Simple as that.
The front-porch-at-9:00-on-a-Sunday issue might be within the scope of laws regarding 'disturbing the peace' and such, at least if you have a clear sign on your property. Personally I get it easy: there are some such evangelists here in the UK (the Jehova's Witnesses spring to mind), but not many.
(Score: 3, Informative) by butthurt on Monday May 01 2017, @04:25AM
> Destroy the major religious idols/worship locations for each religion [...]
They tried that in Russia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Christ_the_Saviour [wikipedia.org]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_the_Soviets [wikipedia.org]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moskva_Pool [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @05:28AM
China had no problem dealing with Tibet that way.
Lolwut? Sure China had no problem doing that to Tibet.
The results, on the other hand, have been less than optimal.
and to be humble in their treatment of others,
You propose cultural genocide to promote the humble treatment of others?
Irony fucking overload.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Monday May 01 2017, @05:54PM
But that isn't PC.
Typical radical right winger there, he doesn't seem to know the difference between "politically correct" and "not being an asshole".
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
(Score: 2) by Arik on Monday May 01 2017, @03:24AM (9 children)
Some extremely wierd doctrines used to be found in the Bible as well. As time went by and Christian nations became more 'civilized' alternative readings and understandings of the same perfect text were found. The same process was well under way in the Islamic world at the start of the 20th century, so there is clearly no impediment to it in Islam itself.
There are a couple of problems here. One is the simple fact that among humans EVERY group has a tendency to prefer their own which only needs a little aggravation to start causing problems. Religion can be one way of forming those groups but they are not the only - and not all groups go wrong. But they all *can.* Even Buddhism has a few holy warriors.
So I think the problem here is more specific than just "Islam" with the broad brush. The problem seems to be, in fact, much more specific than that, one school of Islam among many historically, but the one with the greatest prestige and growth currently. How that particular school of Islam, small and uninfluential a couple of centuries ago, has come to dominate the perceptions of the religion worldwide here in the early years of the 21st century is an interesting story, and worth investigating, but I'm afraid it won't tend to reënforce your thesis.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @07:09AM (8 children)
I understand the hesitation to jump aboard the "all Islam is bad - round 'em up, ship 'em out!" train, but the idea that Islam could be reformed if given enough time does nothing in the here and now where the problem is.
If some Muslims were to disavow the violence mandated by Islam according to its own "source code" books, and instead start to adapt to a culture of personal responsibility, no initiation of force, and no fraud, then I'd be happy to count them as friends and put my life on the line to defend them against other Muslims who would see them killed because my new friends had left Islam. Which is exactly what my friends would have done.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @08:16AM (5 children)
> "source code" books,
Repeat after me: People are not computers.
There is more theological diversity within islam than there is in christianity or hinduism.
The only reason you think islam is some monolithic religion is because you are profoundly ignorant of islam.
Its clear you have exactly zero personal knowledge of actual muslims.
Inform yourself.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @09:08AM (4 children)
People who read and obey the text in the Koran, Hadith, and Sura are following Islam and are thus Muslim. Those who do not are not. This is the primary reason why there are so many Muslims murdering other "Muslims".
Once again, I refer you to the excellent English resource on Islam, an indepth analysis using Islam's own books, that is found at prophetofdoom.net
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @10:23AM (3 children)
People who read and obey the text in the Koran, Hadith, and Sura are following Islam and are thus Muslim. Those who do not are not.
By that criteria there is no such thing as a muslim as nobody can possibly do all that because not only is there is so much aracana in there, plenty of it is contradictory.
People of all faiths pick and choose not only what scripture to follow, but what the scripture even means.
Once again, I refer you to the excellent English resource on Islam, an indepth analysis using Islam's own books, that is found at prophetofdoom.net
People are not computers, but you are an ignorant robot mentally enslaved to a conspiratorial protocols of the elders of islam website.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 01 2017, @10:42AM
I'm happy to see that we have the official Arbiter Of All Things Islam here with us today.
Silly me - I thought that words actually [quran.com] had [quran.com] specific [ucg.org] meanings [quran.com].
Sounds like your projection is flaring up again. You could try refuting the message [prophetofdoom.net], instead of flailing weakly at the messenger.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 02 2017, @10:26AM (1 child)
By that criteria there is no such thing as a muslim as nobody can possibly do all that because not only is there is so much aracana in there, plenty of it is contradictory.
People of all faiths pick and choose not only what scripture to follow, but what the scripture even means.
Last scripture is the one with precedence.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 02 2017, @11:06AM
Correct insofar as Islam's books are concerned, and the term for that is abrogation [quran.com].
(Score: 2) by Arik on Monday May 01 2017, @01:44PM (1 child)
Pay close attention, the jihadis target traditional muslims as their very first priority in every case. Before infidels and sorcerers and everyone else - the very first thing when these guys take a village is they go find the Imam and they chop his head off. There's a reason for this.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 02 2017, @10:29AM
"Our style of Islam or your head chop-chop" ..?
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Monday May 01 2017, @03:08PM
It wouldn't be a Muslim. There just aren't enough of them here and they have almost no political power in the West despite the fearmongering from the alt-right.
Talk about your damning with faint praise. "They *would* persecute me except they lack the means to do so."
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Monday May 01 2017, @05:52PM (1 child)
In the US today, if I ever end up being persecuted by a religion for being an atheist, or a homosexual if I was one, it would be a Christian doing the persecuting.
Most likely true, but if so, the person doing the persecuting would not be following the tenets of his own religion. "Judge not, lest you be judged yourself." As to Muslims, those ISIS guys are NOT following when their prophet said, according to every Muslim I've spoken to. They're only after personal power and riches.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 02 2017, @01:11AM
To be Muslim is to emulate the behavior of Mohummad as documented in Islam's books. Mohummad's life was a horror show which kicked off immediately after his failed peaceful-religion phase that netted him a dozen or two followers over the first several years.
The life of the peaceful prophet was much less successful and profitable than that of a rampaging bandit warlord who was infamous for mass slaughter of people, wanton destruction of libraries filled with now-forgotten knowledge, deal-breaking ahead of more murder, slavery, rape, control through terror, and pretty much every other major trait that today's ISIS/Daesh members are known for.
Strange as it seems, the peaceful Muslims you may have associated with are the "bad Muslims" who don't really follow Islam.
(Score: 2) by archfeld on Monday May 01 2017, @06:36PM
Yeah, and basketball is a non contact sport...
For the NSA : Explosives, guns, assassination, conspiracy, primers, detonators, initiators, main charge, nuclear charge