B. Zdorovets

 B. Zdorovets

"B. Zdorovets from Olshany in Kharkov oblast got seven years of strict regime [gulag] for his faith."- (page 467)

We learn from the Gulag Archipelago that the Soviet Bolsheviks also persecuted believers in the 1960s. We learn that faithful believers were persecuted for their faith in GOD Almighty described in the stories of Yevgeni M. Sirokhin, Zhenya, and Bazbei. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described that after publishing One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, the truth about gulag and socialism began to be understood. We learn that in the 1960s, believers were still persecuted for their faith, yet remained steadfast regardless of the opposition from Soviet Bolshevik socialists.

In the story of Yevgeni M. Sirokhin, the Soviets wanted to take away the children of Yevgeni even when he was a disabled veteran who had served in the Second World War fighting against the nazi socialists and was successfully bringing up his children in the faith. In the story of Bazbei, the Soviets attempted to remove Bazbei's children by falsely accusing him of falsehoods. One of his daughters was bribed and promised entry into a higher institution of learning if she spoke lies about her father. When she retracted from the lies, the corrupt Soviet judge removed her new testimony describing how she had been told to lie by the Soviets.

B. Zdorovets was given seven years in gulag for having faith in GOD Almighty. Zdorovets did not renounce his faith and kept persevering despite the attempts of the Soviet Bolshevik socialists to cause opposition. There were righteous believers who kept their faith despite the opposition from the socialists who hated zealousness, responsibility, industriousness, and fidelity seen in the previous stories. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described how faithful believers persevered in their faith despite the envy of socialism. We learn that there were individuals that persevered in their faith and after being released from gulag served years in exile in another nation. This was with the intention to prevent faithful Christians from going back to Soviet Russia to speak truth.

A seventy-six-year old believer named, Y. V. Arend, also was placed in gulag for his faith despite his age. This is interesting noting that the socialists were persecuting righteous faithful believers without reason. Despite the difficulties, faithful individuals persevered in the faith and the Soviet Union along with gulag began disintegrating in the 1960s leading to the eventual defeat of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. We learn that socialism did not produce industry or necessities and instead was based on stealing and temporary lies. In the 1990s, the Soviet Union collapsed. The Soviet Union only lasted seventy years. This describes the power of GOD Almighty of judging wickedness and helping the righteous persevere.

Yevgeny M. Sirokhin

 Yevgeny M. Sirokhin

"Yevgeny M. Sirokhin, a (Group I) disabled veteran of the Fatherland War, blind in both eyes, was sentenced in the village of Sokolovo, Zmievski district, Kharkov oblast, to three years in a camp for bringing up his children Lyuba, Nadya, and Raya as Christians, and they were taken away from him by court order.”- (page 467)

Yevgeny M. Sirokhin is another individual that was envied and hated by the Soviet Bolshevik socialists. Yevgeny M. Sirokhin fought in the Second World War against the socialist nazis. Yevgeny became blind in both eyes after serving in the Second World War. Yevgeny went on to have a family and had three children. The Soviet Bolsheviks did not care that Yevgeny M. Sirokhin was a disabled war veteran, and falsely accused him so that the socialists could take away his children.

Similar to the story of Bazbei and Zhenya, the Soviet Bolsheviks hated stable families that persevered in the worship of GOD Almighty. The Soviet Bolshevik socialists attempted to take away his children. This is interesting because while the socialists “appeared” to want to help the “working class” and the “proletariats”, they were persecuting hard working individuals including disabled veterans who were taking care of their children.

This is because Yevgeny was instructing his children in the Christian faith. This story helps us understand that socialism does not try to help anyone and that it did not even respect disabled veterans who risked their lives fighting in the Second World War. There are other stories that describe how socialism did not look to help anyone. From the other stories, the understanding was that socialism did not want individuals to instruct the Christian faith.

However, in the story of Yevgeny who was industrious despite his disability, the Bolshevik socialists were still envious. We can learn from history the manner why socialism is the worst method of governance and has been a failure everywhere it has been tried. This is seen in multiple stories of the Gulag Archipelago that describe how socialism and communism is not what they appear to be. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described in great detail why the Soviet Union collapsed in the 1990s. 

Zhenya Khloponina

 Zhenya Khloponina

“Instead of going to the cinema or dances, I used to read the Bible and say my prayers-and just for that you are taking my freedom from me. Yes, to be free is a great happiness, but to be free from sin is a greater still.”- (page 466)

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described the story of Bazbei, a father of nine children. Bazbei was a miner and had raised his children in the Christian faith. The Soviet Bolsheviks resented that children could be brought up in the faith and attempted to take the children from Bazbei. Bazbei had never obtained help from the Union committee being self-sufficient and a hard worker. The Soviet Bolsheviks had decided to bribe one of his daughters with fifty rubles so that she could speak lies against her father.

The Bolsheviks promised Nina, the daughter who was in the eight-grade, that she would be accepted to a higher institution if she gave false testimony against her father. They told her to say that her father attempted to poison her. All of these statements were obviously lies of the Bolshevik socialists who either envied or resented Bazbei. The daughter, Nina, would later regret speaking lies and would confess to having spoken lies against her father. The Soviet Bolshevik judge ommited her statements about having spoken lies.

Zhenya was one of the righteous daughters who did not speak lies against her father and told the truth. Zhenya Khloponina described how she preferred being free from sin even if it meant being persecuted. This is interesting because despite the envy and resentments of the Soviet Bolsheviks, there were zealous children who never doubted GOD Almighty nor their faith in GOD Almighty. Zhenya did not speak lies and was loyal to her family. The Soviet Bolshevik judge cut Zhenya's testimony off short because of her integrity and zeal.

Despite the persecution, Bazbei and the righteous children persevered trusting in their faith in GOD Almighty. Despite being envied, they did not renounce their faith. Two of the children got five years in camps, two got four years, and Bazbei who was the father got three years. They persevered in the faith and it was noted that the Soviet Bolsheviks were quite displeased. The story of Zhenya describes how freedom is amazing, yet freedom from sin and idolatry is even better. 

Tanya Khodkevich

 Tanya Khodkevich

“You can pray freely but just so GOD alone can hear.” -(page 23)

Tanya Khodkevich was a zealous woman in the Soviet Union who was sent to gulag for speaking about her faith. Tanya Khodkevich described how in the Soviet Union in the 1920s, individuals were allowed to have faith but not declare their faith to others. This was with the intention to prevent the instruction of Christianity in the Soviet Union. Parents were forbidden from instructing their children in the faith. We learn that despite the opposition, righteous parents kept instructing their children in the faith.

“True, they were supposedly being arrested and tried not for their actual faith but for openly declaring their convictions…”- (page 23)

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described that parents were allowed to renounce their faith, yet most never did. Tanya Khodkevich was given ten years in gulag for stating that individuals could pray but not express their Christian belief to others. This is interesting because for speaking truth, she was envied and hated. There are different stories in the Gulag Archipelago that describe the incongruencies of Soviet Union false accusations. The intention was to prevent individuals from speaking truth and preventing individuals from realizing the truth.

Irina Tuchinskaya was also envied and falsely accused for being righteous. We learn that there are multiple stories in the Gulag Archipelago of Soviet Bolsheviks being envious and speaking lies about others. Despite the opposition, parents kept instructing their children in the faith seen in the story of Zoya and also children kept their zeal despite discouragements. We also read about the elderly, both men and women, who also kept instructing the faith and believing in GOD Almighty despite the opposition of the Soviets.

Despite the opposition, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described that righteous faithful individuals kept persevering in their faith. Despite the envy, individuals decided to keep faith and worship GOD Almighty. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described that he was surprised with how righteous Christians were able to have boldness and zeal in the Soviet Union. The Gulag Archipelago describes how amazing and impressive individuals who kept their faith were able to persevere amidst adversity. This led Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn to convert to Christianity.

Irina Tuchinskaya

 Irina Tuchinskaya

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described the absurdities and incongruencies of Soviet socialism that attempted to prevent individuals from learning about the truth in Scripture. Soviet Bolsheviks attempted to prevent individuals from learning the importance of worshiping GOD Almighty. There were individuals that stated that parents were forbidden from instructing the commandments of Moses and Scripture under the Soviet Union. This was with the intention to prevent individuals from growing in the faith.

A faithful woman named, Tanya Khodkevich,  described how individuals were allowed to have faith but could not speak about their faith for the worship of GOD Almighty in the Soviet Union. This was with the intention to prevent individuals from realizing the truth. We learn that despite the adversities caused by socialism, there were individuals that converted to Christianity seen in stories of the Gulag Archipelago. We read about how different individuals converted even in gulag because they realized that socialism was based on lies and envy while Christianity speaks truth.

"Irina Tuchinskaya was arrested while leaving church. And she was charged with having 'prayed in church for the death of Stalin.'"- (page 241)

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described the story of Irina Tuchinskaya who was a righteous woman who attended church. The Soviet Bolsheviks decided to falsely accuse Irina Tuchinskaya with praying in church for the destruction of Stalin. To this Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn questioned how the Soviet Bolsheviks were able to deduce that since individual prayer was private and from the previous story, we learned that individuals were not allowed to state their belief. Therefore, through reason we can understand that the Soviet Bolsheviks were envious of Irina Tuchinskaya for being righteous and falsely accused her.

This is another story of how the Soviet Bolsheviks practiced envy and told temporary lies. After Irina Tuchinskaya had left church, the Soviet Bolsheviks looked to arrest Irina and her family. We know that Christianity preaches against hate and envy, so we know that the Soviet Bolsheviks were lying and falsely accusing because they had envy or resentments. Despite the envy, we are able to read in the Gulag Archipelago about righteous individuals that persevered in their zealous faith despite obstacles, circumstances, or persecution. 

Boris Kornfeld

 Boris Kornfeld

"Fervently he tells me the long story of his conversion from Judaism to Christianity. This conversion was accomplished by an educated, cultivated person...some good-natured old fellow like Platon Karatayev."- (page 309)

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described how he met a surgeon who had been sent to gulag. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described that he needed surgery and had a cancerous tumor removed. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was able to speak to the surgeon and learn that he had converted from Judaism (not Messianic Judaism but the pharisee judaism that speaks about self-righteousness and obeying 600 false "commandments"). Boris learned from another individual in gulag named Platon Karatayev who was a believer. The surgeon had converted to Christianity renouncing idolatry. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was impressed by the stories of individuals in gulag who had renounced socialism for Christianity. There are multiple stories in the Gulag Archipelago that speak of individuals obtaining salvation by renouncing idolatry for King Jesus Christ.

We learn that Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described that the individual was gentle and well-mannered. We learn that the envious socialists even sent surgeons to gulag. We learn that there were individuals from different professions that had converted to Christianity after seeing the reality of socialism and envy. The surgeon was persecuted to martyrdom. We learn that in the Soviet Union even amist persecution, there were individuals that persevered with their zealous faith.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn noted that despite the persecution, it was rare that individuals taken to gulag committed suicide. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn had stated how there were a significant larger amount of attempts to escape gulag by individuals than attempts to quit life.  It was noted that instead the individuals persevered until martyrdom from persecution or  exhaustion  (from hard labor despite not having tools apportioned by the envious socialists and working in arctic weather), escape from gulag through attempts to escape, or release to exile and freedom. This is interesting noting that individuals who were persecuted did not quit life and instead persevered in their faith to eternal salvation.

This is interesting noting that despite the circumstances, individuals did not renounce their faith in King Jesus Christ. We learn that Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is able to help us understand in the Gulag Archipelago that it is possible to persevere despite adversity, obstacles, or persecution. There are multiple stories of individuals that renounced idol worship and socialism for the worship of the true GOD of gods, GOD Almighty, and confessed King Jesus Christ Eternal Messiah.

Boris Vinogradov

 Boris Vinogradov

“He was a quiet worker, dedicated friend, and only in heart-to-heart conversation would he disclose that he believed, believes, and will go on believing. And he never wore it on his sleeves.”- (page 240–241)

Boris Vinogradov was a righteous individual that was hard working and industrious. Vinogradov was a studious and righteous individual that became the organizer of the Moscow Institute for Railroad Engineering. We learn that during the time of the start of the Second World War, the people of Moscow had stayed in Moscow regardless of the German nazi threat. There were stories of how the nazi socialists were attempting to take Moscow from Soviet Russia. We learn that the citizens of Moscow decided to stay in the city while the Soviet Bolshevik bureaucrats decided to flee to safer cities of the Soviet Union.

Vinogradov had stayed in Moscow being in charge of the Moscow Institute of Railroads. We learn that with the start of the Second World War and infighting between nazi socialists and Soviet bolshevik socialists, Vinogradov was looking to get instructions on a question he had concerning his work. Vinogradov telephoned for instructions on a question he had concerning work and no one answered. We learn that then Vinogradov went to the District Party Committee, the City Party Committee, and Provincial Party Committee to ask for clarification and no one was there. Vinogradov then returned to his work with his workers and stated that while the leaders had run away, they were going to stay in Moscow.

To this, there most likely was a denunciation written against Vinogradov for stating that the leaders of the District, City, and Provincial Party Committees had run away from Moscow. Vinogradov was sent to gulag because he spoke truth and a sycophant was offended at the truth. It is well known that the Soviet Bolshevik bureaucrats fled from Moscow during the initial times of the Second World War in October 1941. The false accusation stated that Vinogradov had conducted Anti-Soviet Propaganda for speaking truth.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn describes that Vinogradov was quiet, dedicated, and a faithful believer. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn described righteous faithful individuals that were impressive and caused him to renounce idolatry. Vinogradov was another faithful believer who was industrious and hard working who was envied by the Soviet Bolsheviks for speaking truth. Vinogradov was intelligent, industrious, and a dedicated person who worked hard. For speaking truth about staying in Moscow regardless of the circumstances, he was envied. We learn that he did not lie and for that was persecuted by the Soviet Bolsheviks.