Law in Russia Limiting Religions

Thank you for the detailed Sept. 23 editorial regarding the pending restrictions on Russian religious freedom.

I have friends who work as religious teachers regularly in and out of Russia. I have also spent time with a young ministering Russian couple, Natash and Yakoff Bouharov, and their two daughters who live in Irkutsk, the capital of Siberia. Even without the proposed restrictions, Russian Protestants, including Yakoff, are covertly detained, severely interrogated, their families are threatened, and they are otherwise abused and live restricted lives. These are extremely courageous people. Many of them simply disappear, just as in the days of the KGB. Russian government fears the U.S. media may hear about this, but it continues. The only word I am aware of that leaks out is through shortwave radio to Japan from Eastern Siberia. Any new religious restrictions would, I am sure, simply give a green flag to the modern-day KGB to overtly increase their terrorism and death tactics.

It is my understanding there are many Orthodox Church leaders in Russia who disagree with the proposed religious restrictions, believing in the choice of conscience and holding a view of religious cooperation rather than competition. But they do not have enough power it seems. Few of us realize that, during the past 70 years of Communist rule, 60 million Soviet Christians were persecuted and killed. Regardless of one’s faith preference, this is appalling.

DICK LARSON

Pasadena

* Your headline of Sept. 20, “Russian Bill Deals Blow to Freedom for Religions,” alerted us to the impending possibility of the loss of religious freedom in Russia.

Actually, the decision of the Duma seems to be an effort to protect Russian citizens from religious hucksters, especially televangelists.

I believe that the action of the Duma should be applauded.

MAURICIO DOMINGUEZ

Claremont