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Law adds to woes for LDS in Kyrgyzstan

Can you count the number of members from Kyrgyzstan that live in the US?

I know two.

well done arc,whoopie !!

Maybe that nation and its people are ok. They do not need the Mormons. Christians either. Why do religions push push push and then are surprised by any push back? I don't get it.

Children's Rights.... That is the direction the world and the U.S. is headed.

It sounds good, that children should be "protected" from "indoctrination" by religions. But when you realize that it is parents, not government, who by-far, in most cases, have the highest vested interest in the welfare of their children, and that children's rights mandates compromise parent's rights to teach their children what they believe is best for them, it is frightening to think what the unexpected consequences of such laws will have on the next generation.

It's not about a religious Us vs. Them -- it's about a government saying Only Us, Not Them. Everyone's entitled to freedom of belief, Muslims included. The problem is that if you want to be something besides Muslim in a country with these laws, it's exceedingly difficult. Discrimination would become state-sponsored, and people who want to be Christian will have their lives negatively impacted in a significant way. That's the issue. It's not because Mormons (and Christians in general) expect to be able to 'push' their beliefs on people and get put out when they can't. It's because a government enforcing religion by law is discriminatory and obviously wrong.

I have to admit I have never met anyone from Kyrgystan. I knew a lady at BYU from Kazakstan, she ended up marrying an American and is probably still in the United States.
arc, did your Kyrgystani friends join the church here or in Kyrgystan or somewhere else? The lady I knew from Kazakstan joined the church while an exchange student in high school in Seattle.

boo hoo, ahhhh poor mormons, thats one less country that you can't bother people with you so called religion.

To the 8:28 commentator,
Your assesment of the situation would be valid in Saudi Arabia. However, the government of Kyrgystan has no love for Muslims either. Like all the post-Soviet governments in Central Asia it derives from a tradition of anti-religion, and viewing Muslim as an ethnic and not a religious designation.
The fact of the matter is that although this government dislikes Christians, its main goal is to limit the influence of Muslim groups in the nation. They dislike all religion, Christian, Muslim or anything else.

Bob, Bob, Bob. So you're the tyrant who would limit Free Speech in groups. You'd prefer to ban all religions rather than taking a chance that people can choose their religious futures. And while you're at it throw in limiting children's participation in religious activity. Wow, how shortsighted you are!

Excuse me? I live in Kyrgyzstan. 9:16 contributor is correct in saying that the gov. wants to limit radical Islam but don't be deluded. The men of parliament are VERY aware that any ethnic Kyrgyz who choose to make a choice of belief other than Islam will be subject to humiliation, intimidation, and physical and economic abuse. Some have been killed for their faith (outside of the "correct" one). Had a parliamentary deputy voted against that bill (it was passed unanimously) they would have been run out on a rail. This law is intended solely to stop the rise of evangelicals and non-muslim persuasions from recruiting away from the oppressive, controlling, misogynistic power-brokers in the village and urban mosques.

While the atheistic indoctrinations of the Soviets did their job and made the Kyrgyz version of Islam a comic charicature of the Quran, they are still ethnically Muslim and will do everything in their power to make sure they and their countrymen remain so.

In General Conference, President Monson asked members of the Church to pray for nations of the world that do not (now) open their doors to the Church and the preaching of the Gospel, will do so.

As I read this report, I wondered how many of us have followed his prophetic admonition and foresight?

Maybe we need to get on our knees, and petition the Lord on behalf of the people of Kyrgyzstan, before it's much too late!? Are we following the prophet?

Some like Bob and a few other atheists here believe that Christianity somehow is the cause of a closed mind. It appears that in this case Islam is the religion of fear and of a closed mind. If you can prevent specific religious thought then you can prevent political thought as well. Freedom of thought and freedom of speech go hand in hand.

all,

very interesting thoughts. i am a kg citizen studying in the US. what is my gov't trying to do is do something about the rising islamic radicals (and other ones as well). the gov't is just trying to find SOME solution to the problem with religious radicals (including korean and christian churches that do very suspicious and illegal activities). i have lived there all my life, and i saw how the religious situation and atmosphere changed after the collapse of the USSR. personally, i'd rather have the anti-religion regime because that way i would not at least worry about my kids joining islamic, korean or some other religious radicals. i mean it is getting that dangerous. never in my life have i see so many madrasah in the country. you may want to take a guess what these youngsters are taught there by half-literate teachers who barely read the Quaran in arabic. the problem is no one is controlling these bodies, hence their feeling free to do whatever (read this as teaching kids jihad or holy war) they please. im glad the parliament finally decided to do something about it.

I find this highly amusing. A government won't sanction your religion! Oh no! How does it feel?

"Maybe Not" says, "It's not about a religious Us vs. Them -- it's about a government saying Only Us, Not Them."

That's exactly what us gays are unhappy about in California.

"...the country's parliament passed a law that would make it more difficult for churches to register before they can operate legally..."

HEY -- the passed a law, get over it!

Wasn't this the message a few weeks ago after Prop 8? Cry me a freaking river.

LOL

Have to agree with Darin and Chad here. Mormon's want tyranny of the majority after funding most of the fight for prop 8 in California. Then a law somewhere else may pass and have a negative impact on Mormons and they act like such the victims. Get over yourself. You oppress here in the USA, and complain because some back woods previous USSR Republic may not want anything to do with you? Isn't that just proof that intelligence can be found anywhere?

Not that I expect Mormon's to recognize the hypocrisy of it all, but seriously, give me a break!

This article does not mention Mormons complaining. It's called a straw man fallacy when you misrepresent an argument, and then counter that argument, with faulty logic nonetheless.

Quite a bone to pick ehh?

No one is being oppresed in California. No one is going to jail or will ever go to jail because of Prop 8. To call it oppression is to misuse the term.
The resident of Kyrgystan is right that the real intent of this law is anti-Christian, not anti-radical Muslim.
The Kygystani is misguided in believing laws like these do anything to halt the spread of radical Islam. Radical Islam will be preached to children. People who at times encorage others to do suicide bombings will have no moral problem breaking this law.
It is the people who respect the laws, such as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and some other Christian groups, that will have their ability to operate ended.

I have just been writing a FHE lesson about the 12th Article of Faith, how We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. I added a section on what we should do if we think a law is morally wrong. But I have a feeling that the Prophet is right, and only our prayers can help here from America. Only the people from Kyrgystani have the right to try to change the law in some way. We can only pray that the leader's hearts can be changed in some way.

After reading all of the listed comments, it becomes easier to understand why the world is in the state it is. I am LDS, but I am also studying world religions at this time. I know that my views are different from a significant portion of the world, and I am willing to recognize that. I have friends that are gay, Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Asian, African American, and just about every other ethnicity, belief, or religion you can name.

What interests me here, is that Christians, primarily Mormons, are targeted for their narrow-mindedness while there is a real issue at hand. Prop 8 is a passed law, this is the second time that the concept of marriage has been voted on, and been passed defining it as a civil-union between a man and a woman. Even if you consider this discrimination, it is time to move passed this. In Kyrgystan RIGHT NOW, this is an issue. It's time to stop criticizing each other and focus on the issue at hand. In America we believe in freedom of religion, speech, and many other things. It becomes our responsibility now to act in defense of these freedoms for all others.