Armenian Church Restructuring

[Vigil]

Do you think it is possible to restructure the Armenian church so instead of teaching about the "bible" we teach our youth about Armenia?

 

Maybe set up rules on how to become Armenian and remain Armenian.

If you really think about it a nation is just a set of ideals shared by groups of people.

 

Don't you think its time we redefined the Armenian ideal? Maybe we can use the church to our advantage...maybe we can actually benefit from worshiping a god who is deaf, blind, and mute?

Edited May 31, 2004 by Vigil

[Sasun]

Not a good idea, church is not the place for nationalism and politics.

[ED]

I desigree with you on this sasun, vigil may have a valid point, and why not, in diaspora church role should be more then preservation of faite. insthed of having a bingo nights 2 times a week, they can have some kind of a history, cultural etc... events, clasess.

 

Azaagayin patkaneliutyun u davananq tarberen ayo, bayts yekexetsin da azgayin karuyts kareli e hamarel, handzins/hamenayn deps haykakan yekexetsin.

 

good point Vigil

[Vigil]

Sasun I do not know if you notice, but that is what the Jewish religion is all about.

 

They have a very powerful tool at their command. They are deemed a religion and a race, but actually it is just a religion.

 

When they marry somone of a different culture they force them to convert and learn Hebrew. Couldn't somone be jewish without learning Hebrew?

 

Granted the cultural portion of Jewish religion is a race, but the religious portion is still a religion...so why are they asking followers to learn Hebrew? This allows them to preserve the integrity of their culture and to always increase their population.

 

Instead of the ethnic other converting the Jew to their culture the Jew for "religious" reasons converts the ethnic other to his.

 

If Jews are semetic then why do most look white? Makes you wonder doesn't it?

 

Armenians can do this and if they do the Armenian population will always increase.

It would also make marrying ethnic others possiable because the Armenian ideal would still exist afterwards.

Edited May 31, 2004 by Vigil

[Sasun]

Vigil and Edward, I am convinced that any church before everything should serve God rather than material interests of a nation. I can understand spiritualization of national matters to some degree. But I would never accept church as a nationalistic tool in the hands of politicians. Politics is a very currupt area, as it stands now the Armenian church is currupt and ineffective enough. It needs lots of purification and separation from nationalistic doctrines.

 

In the past when we didn't have independence the Armenian church has proven to be a savior of our nationality - I highly appreciate that and don't blame them for merging the national and spiritual matters. However, we don't need it now and a reform is due but not the type of a reform suggested by Vigil.

 

And Vigial, I personally don't appreciate a bit the Jewish religious chauvinism, that's not right in my mind. All nations are equal under God, I don't believe that the Jews are a chosen nation and wouldn't believe if the Armenian church said that Armenians are a chosen nation. That's plain ignorance and wrong. You could say that Jewish religion was instrumental saving their identity be it religious or national identity. Yes I agree, but we are not facing such danger now.

 

I would like to see the spiritualization and purification of the Armenian nation, and our church could be very helpful if it was pure itself.

[Anoushik]

Do you think it is possible to restructure the Armenian church so instead of teaching about the "bible" we teach our youth about Armenia?

 

Maybe set up rules on how to become Armenian and remain Armenian.

Interesting Vigil. My family also holds similar beliefs. I think it's a great idea but very hard to make it a reality.

[ED]

Vigil and Edward, I am convinced that any church before everything should serve God rather than material interests of a nation. I can understand spiritualization of national matters to some degree.

Sasun jan

 

I'm not talking about materialism , now days it more of a preservation if you will, specialy in diaspora which is getting larger and larger on daily bases, and further more, church (Armenian) should hold first and formost to the highest degree for the reasons mantioned above! fait one can find anywhere, can we find what if we were to loose 10 years from now elsewere? as far as diaspora geting larger thanks to economic hardship and social problems Armenia is facing now days, thats a deferent topic. church (i think) has a duty and when i see in 10 mile reduis there are allready 10 churches, and one more is beeing build for 1 millon$ what is that telling you? more of a $$$$$$

[Sasun]

Edo jan, I agree, that's not purely a material thing. I am all for preserving the Diaspora Armenians, our language and cultural heritage. What I am objecting to is the use of the church as a tool in this. That's not at all the business of the church, in fact I am not sure that they can do it well. Why can't secular organizations do the preservation? I think the church has a bigger role to do than those issues, not that Diaspora is a small issue. We would benefit a lot more if the money that goes to build an empty and unnecessary church is spent on specific problems that Diasporan's are facing.