What religion are you?

[yerazhishda]

Re: What religion are you?

Gnostic Christian. Shame that we have Armenians who are atheists, side effect of so called westernization I suppose.

A non-Christian "Armenian" is a contradiction-in-terms.

[Siggie]

Re: What religion are you?

A non-Christian "Armenian" is a contradiction-in-terms.

Right... because Christianity is a mandatory requirement for being Armenian?
That's smart, we need to trim down our numbers more.

[yerazhishda]

Re: What religion are you?

Right... because Christianity is a mandatory requirement for being Armenian?
That's smart, we need to trim down our numbers more.

It has been Christianity that has sustained us as a coherent group for 1700 years. Do you think if Armenians didn't have a uniting religion that we would have survived under foreign rule for so long? Look at the assimilation rate in the Diaspora and imagine how much worse it would be if there were no uniting religion! Christianity is the foundation of Armenia - whether we like it or not.

[Siggie]

Re: What religion are you?

It has been Christianity that has sustained us as a coherent group for 1700 years. Do you think if Armenians didn't have a uniting religion that we would have survived under foreign rule for so long? Look at the assimilation rate in the Diaspora and imagine how much worse it would be if there were no uniting religion! Christianity is the foundation of Armenia - whether we like it or not.

Didn't Armenia exist before the nation adopted Christianity as the official religion? Just because it has been a constant does not mean that it is necessary for the existence of the culture. You cannot conclude that because the majority were Christian that is why they survived because you have no way to know that they would not have survived as well if they had no religious belief at all.

Conflicting religious beliefs may be problematic of course (just consider how much bloodshed there's been in the name of religion). However if religion was a non-issue, then it wouldn't cause division would it? It's people like you who would cast out their fellow Armenians because they don't share that belief that would undermine solidarity.

[yerazhishda]

Re: What religion are you?

Didn't Armenia exist before the nation adopted Christianity as the official religion? Just because it has been a constant does not mean that it is necessary for the existence of the culture. You cannot conclude that because the majority were Christian that is why they survived because you have no way to know that they would not have survived as well if they had no religious belief at all.

Armenians would have assimilated into Ottoman society 500 years ago if it weren't for Christianity. Just look at the Hamshenis.

[Siggie]

Re: What religion are you?

Armenians would have assimilated into Ottoman society 500 years ago if it weren't for Christianity. Just look at the Hamshenis.

You are talking about trading one religion for another. I am saying not subscribing to any religion. This started out as a discussion about atheism. Why would one who does not have a belief in any god reject Christianity and then adopt Islam?

[yerazhishda]

Re: What religion are you?

You are talking about trading one religion for another. I am saying not subscribing to any religion.

That's almost as good as pormoting anarchy. There is no such thing as being without religion/set of philosophical beliefs. Something has to fill the vacuum.

And you think that if the Armenian nation and especially Armenians in the Diaspora had forsaken Christianity and embraced "nothing" that they would have survived? How so?

[Crimson Glow]

Re: What religion are you?

Gnostic Christian. Shame that we have Armenians who are atheists, side effect of so called westernization I suppose.

Shame that so many members of an ethnicity known for its intellect believe in fairytales based on a book put together 2k years ago, which is comprised of plagiarized stories stolen from mythologies and folklore that came LOOOOONG before Jesus supposedly ever arrived.

[Siggie]

Re: What religion are you?

That's almost as good as pormoting anarchy. There is no such thing as being without religion/set of philosophical beliefs. Something has to fill the vacuum.

And you think that if the Armenian nation and especially Armenians in the Diaspora had forsaken Christianity and embraced "nothing" that they would have survived? How so?

You made claim that they would not have survived as they did... that means you must support your claim. I simply said that it is impossible to know that they would not have survived.

I don't understand your question about anarchy and the vacuum lack of belief would create. Do we not have social norms and laws? Why would there be anarchy?

[yerazhishda]

Re: What religion are you?

You made claim that they would not have survived as they did... that means you must support your claim. I simply said that it is impossible to know that they would not have survived.

I don't understand your question about anarchy and the vacuum lack of belief would create. Do we not have social norms and laws? Why would there be anarchy?

I've already supported my claims; Christianity has kept us together as a group and has to a very large extent staved off assimilation. Don't you realize that even with Christianity assimilation has begun to start in America? Can you imagine if we didn't have a national church to bond us?

Without a set of beliefs there is a philosophical vacuum within the person. I'm not talking about standards, laws, etc., I'm talking about "why are we here?' type of questions - the fundamental purpose of life. Without a reason as to why we're here, it is very easy for a person to slip into depression and other mental ailments.

That is of course unless one doesn't regard these types of matters as "important". Then MTV culture will just fill the void for you.