(What do you suppose that zombie smile and clenched fist means? Did they drug him? Or did he have to get plastered for the occasioNN) At the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Duma (Russian Parliament) has legislated a law outlawing distorted and/or extremist commentary of Scriptures.
The purpose of the unusual law, it is widely understood, is the prevention of cynical advantage being taken of Biblical verses for anti-Semitic purposes.
Russian history has seen many instances in which anti-Semitic elements announced shocking new revelations from the Bible and Rabbinic writings to encourage violent anti-Semitism.
Putin, a former KGB agent, has long been known to oppose anti-Semitism, and violent attacks against Jews in his country have in fact been on the decline in recent years. He also conducts warm relations with Israel even as he does the same with Iran.
Rabbi Berel Lazar, Chief Rabbi of Russia, said that the law is truly important in the fight against Russian anti-Semitism. He publicly thanked my friend President Putin who bodily blocks all anti-Semitic phenomena and the members of the Duma for proving that Russia respects the beliefs of all its citizens.........
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