In starkest contrast to the solemn majesty of Valaam, the Pentecostals worship in a sweaty, low-ceilinged cubicle, most of which is taken up by the band in front and a giant mixing desk at the back. This faith allows us to express ourselves. The perceived threat of these religious groups was compounded by the simultaneous influx of sects such as the Unification church of Reverend Moon and the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult, which, at the time of the Tokyo subway attack in 1995 was estimated to have around 50,000 Russian followers, more than in Japan. Any of these groups could set themselves up as a religious organisation with just 10 signatures. This new law gives the government the right to curtail the activities of destructive organisations.
Most older religions have no reason to worry.
In reality, the situation is not quite so clear. Many of the articles of the law, such as the requirement that religions must prove they have existed on Russian territory for 15 years, aim at all the faiths that have arrived since the fall of communism. That's why the bureaucrats can read it in exactly the way they want. One of the conditions for the liquidation of a church institution is the violation of social order. Since the law offers no definition, it can mean anything.