Atheism and being Armenian

[KanadaHye]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

You should review the definition of faith. There's no faith required for lack of belief.

So why are you preaching your lack of belief?

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

Is it difficult being an atheist as an Armenian? It's not easy even if you're not Armenian, but I do think it makes it a bit harder. Religious Armenians love to imply (most imply, the rest come right out with it) that you're somehow less Armenian if you don't subscribe to religion.

I remember visiting a derelict Armenian church in Malatya with a group of Armenians, some of them were quite religious and insisted that everyone in their group should sing inside the church, and then turned rather viciously on the sole Armenian who declined to do so because he was not a Christian.

[Siggie]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

I don't see anyone contesting the intelligent stuff but rather avoiding to confront it or pretending it doesn't exist.

Of course you take it there... Intelligent discussion doesn't require holding any particular position.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

I don't see anyone contesting the intelligent stuff but rather avoiding to confront it or pretending it doesn't exist.

[Siggie]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

No church necessary to interact with other Armenians.
I don't think I missed much by not attending church outside of early school years. Plenty of religion from K-3 when I was at a private Armenian school, but I was still an atheist by middle school.
Is it difficult being an atheist as an Armenian? It's not easy even if you're not Armenian, but I do think it makes it a bit harder. Religious Armenians love to imply (most imply, the rest come right out with it) that you're somehow less Armenian if you don't subscribe to religion.

Does every thread touching on atheist have to end up in argument over whether belief or lack there of is justified? That wasn't even the point of the thread. Aren't we tired of spinning our wheels yet?

If atheists are uncomfortable with Armenians and Christianity, then it just means their faith in non believing isn't very strong. It's human to be doubtful.

You should review the definition of faith. There's no faith required for lack of belief.
Who said they're uncomfortable with Armenians or Christianity? Their uncomfortable with how they are treated by their fellow Armenians, perhaps, but I think it's misleading to say they're uncomfortable with Christianity and especially Armenians.

By three methods we may learn the pointlessness of Armenian message boards: First, by lurking, which is noblest; Second, by imitating the majority, which is easiest; and third by posting intelligent stuff and allowing experience to eventually tell you it was time wasted, which is the bitterest."

Ah, the all too familiar #3...

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

That's not what I said at all. I'm noticing a trend here, and I really can't do anything to help If you cannot follow the basic information being exchanged in the conversation.

By three methods we may learn the pointlessness of Armenian message boards: First, by lurking, which is noblest; Second, by imitating the majority, which is easiest; and third by posting intelligent stuff and allowing experience to eventually tell you it was time wasted, which is the bitterest."

We may also learn that it is against forum rules to satirise Confucius. If that is not the case, why was my post containing the above words erased?

[gkv]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

I suddenly had the urge to come back after a long, long, LONG time. I hope this will be interesting.

I recently gave a presentation on 'Faith and Reason' at a philosophy conference, and afterward I was asked by someone if it is particularly hard for me to be an atheist as an Armenian. It wasn't a question I had thought about much before, as I tend to consider culture and religion two separate categories (though there absolutely can be overlap between the two). Certainly someone can be an Armenian who is also an atheist, such as myself, but my question to you all is if you believe religiosity is something necessary (or at least extremely important) to the Armenian experience? Why or why not?

why do you care?

[KanadaHye]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

I don't know if you are being satirical or factual.
But if there are those who would read it as factual, are Armenian churches full of priestesses, and images of goddesses? The rulers were the ones wanting the imposition of Christianity onto the peasants.

Greek mythology is well known, Armenian mythology was probably similar. Why would modern churches contain symbols of mythological figures?

[bell-the-cat]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

You left out the part where martyrs were seen to be met with force and put to death because they were teaching the peasants how to empower themselves which was seen as a threat to the current rulers. Kind of like the emancipation of women that the west uses against every culture in the middle east as an excuse for military force.

I don't know if you are being satirical or factual.
But if there are those who would read it as factual, are Armenian churches full of priestesses, and images of goddesses? The rulers were the ones wanting the imposition of Christianity onto the peasants.

[Jinx]

Re: Atheism and being Armenian

Isn’t that’s how we learn about our history, by your logic if it’s written by people then it’s not true, then most of our history is not true, right?

That's not what I said at all. I'm noticing a trend here, and I really can't do anything to help If you cannot follow the basic information being exchanged in the conversation.