Silence for State Interests
00:00, June 5, 2006 | News | Freedom of thought, conscience and religion“There is no interchurch life in Armenia as there are not religious minorities in Armenia ”. The head of the Armenian Apostolic Church-Shirak diocese Michael bishop Ajapahyan explains his opinion saying that in Armenia there is not for example, Georgian Church, Luther church or Catholic one. According to the bishop, Armenian Apostolic Church does not have sister churches as some of the existing ones are elements separated from the Armenian Apostolic Church and they are considered daughter churches such as the Evangelical and Catholic churches.
What concerns the so-called sects, the bishop considers them imported from outside which by their origin are not Armenian at all”.
“It is said that glorifying God by a guitar is more pleasant”- the bishop hesitates- “If it is pleasant become a Muslim”. He thinks that religion is a matter of salvation and not pleasure.
And when the church tries to teach what is right and what is wrong, explains the role of religion and church, is blamed for persecuting other religious directions. It is more when he is trying to take its member back from other religious directions. According to the bishop, 98 % of the Armenian population is members of Armenian Apostolic Church . Some of them are just “snatched” by other religious organizations.
The absence of sister churches of the Armenian Apostolic Church and anti-preaching of other religious organizations are the reason why interchurch relations cannot be formed with other organizations. Moreover, the preaching of those organizations are directed not spreading the Gospel but against the Armenian Apostolic Church.
“The sacrifice of your church is wrong, lighting a candle is wrong, crossing oneself is wrong, the priest is wrong” –the head of Shirak diocese is surprised at this criticism directed to the Armenia Apostolic Church and comments the way other organizations behave.
“They open the Gospel, show a line and focus on it”. But the Apostolic church comments the Gospel in a general implication. Finally, Armenian Apostolic Church reads and preaches the Gospel for about 2000 years. And, as its representative assures, did not give way to oppressions. From 451 up to now it confronts Byzantine, Russian, Georgian, Roman Empires and maintains its faith. And now it struggles with Europe and USA and struggles against West innovations.
“How wise was this church that managed to stand the oppression of Europe for 1600 years without a state?”-asks the head of Shirak diocese who draws a parallel between today’s EU and former Byzantine and Roman Empires and notices that only the name has changed, the essence is the same. And today Armenia can’t resist all this and here the bishop points to the personal interests of some people. Often statesmen make efforts to convince the church saying “it is the demand of the state”. And the church according to bishop Ajapahyan, thinking highly of the state interest keeps silent, closes eyes on illegitimate actions “compromises with his conscience for the sake of national interests and as always appears in the status of a victim instead”. According to the Apostolic Church , the worst thing is that there is no worked out policy of the state and on public phenomena. One of the reasons is that the Church is not ready. During the Soviet period, the Armenian Apostolic Church did not have the possibility to have a real role in the religious education of the nation and in maintaining of the so-called flock. It is only during the last 15 years that the church had the opportunity to enlarge its activities and rights. On the other hand, preferring the state interest, sometimes the Apostolic Church keeps silent. But “one day the church may make a differentiation between the state and the fatherland”-says the head of Shirak diocese,- because if the state adopted the spreading of democratic values, and the same democracy is not included in the state interest, then it should be publicly stated that is not the ideal option. People should be told that their opinion contradicts the state interest, that democracy must often contradict the state interest”. The representative of the Armenian Apostolic Church finds that in Armenia the state and the church will be united and will be in harmony. These two systems belong to Armenians and separating the Apostolic Church from the state is absurd according to Michael bishop Ajapahyan. He thinks that what is right in European countries does not mean at all that it is applicable in Armenia . “Why do they separate the Armenian church from the Armenian state?”-asks the bishop,-we used to live in harmonious King-Catholicos conditions and today it should be like this”. But today the representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church complain about the indifference of the state. Let it be negative, let it be spoken publicly that the Armenian Church is an obstacle in the way of European Union, but not be exposed to indifference. “In the Constitution you do not understand the role of the Apostolic Church compared with other religious organizations”-complains the head of Armenian Apostolic Church of Shirak diocese. The members of the Armenian Apostolic Church consider this a compromise for the sake of national interests and state.
Naira Bulghadaryan