Thoughts on Russia s new "anti-terrorism" law? Religious oppression? Economic idiocy? Civil rights violation? Good idea?

In Russia, the Russian Orthodox church seems to think that the State backing only them gives them license to persecute other groups. That is very wrong. All groups should be free to exercise their religious beliefs and to talk about them. Of course, Russia has never been a shining example of allowing freedom to its citizens.

In some countries of the world, governments try to clamp down on religious groups too, for political reasons. The book below would help you see how it is government influence that triggers any persecution of any religious group. To quote, "many states with low levels of political competition... chose not to impose a large number of restrictions on religion, while some... with relatively higher levels of political competition impose a large variety of restrictive regulations." The author groups governments into four categories; those who
(A) repress all religion (e.g. China); those who
(B) repress all but one religion (e.g. Russia); those who
(C) repress some religions (e.g. Singapore) and those who
(D) do not repress religion (e.g. Albania).

The author goes on to show that it is levels of religious division within a society that provokes governments to repress in the ways they do. This, as I said above, seems to act as a sort of green light to the public to declare open season on religious groups in their nation. But you will find that it is irreligious people in a society who do, by far, the most persecuting of Christian groups.

For political reasons, Russia has long chosen to accommodate the Russian Orthodox church which reciprocates the favor, and the pact seems to include clamping down on all other religious groups. In light of increasing terrorist acts done in the name of ISIS and how Russia has taken Syria's side in supporting Assad's regime, 'anti-terrorism' has become a convenient catch-all phrase to allow the state to exercise draconian control. Russia has always rubbed its hands in glee at the chance to control others.

Christian are "concerned"? The Russian Orthodox church is behind the goddamn law! Putin did it at their instigation.

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Russia is one of the inscrutable Asian nations. They have yet to become western in the sense that Europe is.

It sounds fine to me