A step backward

One week ago, the new President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiev, signed the new official Law "On the Freedom of Faith and on Religious Organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic." The 30 tenets of the law include:
+No proselytizing. This includes on the street or indoors. Absolutely no speech concerning unregistered Rel. Org.s is allowed anywhere. Minors cannot attend any church without the permission of their parents.
+200 members of any organization must sign a public petition to the government to apply for the legalization fo their faith. (previous law required 10)
+The liquidization of all organizations and their assets (including buildings, goods and monies) of any org. currently lacking 200 members that practices their religion.

This law is particularly insteresting to Charlotte and I, of course, since we are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or as the Russian Orthodoxy calls us, "The Mormon Cult." Charlotte and I are still allowed to pray in our own apartment and administer the sacrament to ourselves, but we can be arrested even if we play hymns loud enough for our neighbors to hear.
For a country so impassioned about Democracy, this seems a strange deviation for Kyrgyzstan. President Bakiev had the full support of Islamic and Russian Orthodox Leaders across the country and the solemn nod from the Kremlin.
The people here don't know any better. They think Mormons are cultists. The woman I work with literally thinks we have human sacrifice. Mormonism here is legally considered "neo-paganism" accordingly to the Federal Courts.
The thing that I have become most grateful for, is the news. In America, the media is a beast that is easy to hate. Especially for anyone with a conscience. They interfere with the Democratic process, absolutely. But seeing a country where there is no freedom of the press, a part of the world where a language barrier prevents the people from finding out the truth, it's disturbing. This part of the world needs the free press badly. It seems that in America we are overcome with it, and people like Joe the Plumber get crucified for asking a question. Yet here, any independent voice would be welcomed. People here don't know the missle shield is defensive, they don't even know who fought in WWII. So, let's count our blessings that we live in a country where men fought and died so that we could have freedom, and we have an active press that keeps us informed.
So go and thank God, that you live in a country where you can thank God.