Religion destroys faith

Without faith and national values, states and their peoples will not survive. It is only a matter of time. — Arbak Khachatryan

History is probably the least exact of the sciences. Consider this: we obtain information about the distant past from ancient manuscripts and chronicles. The chronology of events is most likely correct, but everything else cannot be accepted unambiguously: very few people were literate, and they were usually close to the rulers… Even now, a small change in politics and history will be rewritten again.

However, there are facts connected with Christian states—Armenia, Georgia and others. Many countries that once adopted Christianity used it to justify persecution and wars, for example the Crusades. In general, such use of faith is characteristic of all religions: this is how Egyptian civilization was destroyed; using Christianity, the Jews destroyed the Roman Empire. And how many people were destroyed during the “Holy” Inquisition proclaimed by the Vatican, or in the colonies of Spain and Portugal, where Christianity was spread by force… Now, Armenia… The country that was the first to adopt Christianity back in the fourth century never used its faith to seize others’ territories or start wars.

On the contrary, the Armenian people have always been forced to defend themselves and suffered for their faith. Armenia was conquered and liberated more than once, but people rallied ever more strongly around the Armenian Apostolic Church, finding their salvation within its walls. Armenians’ identity is deeply and firmly connected with Christianity and its values. This is how it is written in the chronicle. But why, with such a history and culture, could Armenians not create a strong state, defend their statehood and spread their national values, while barbarians could and prosper?

Why was Armenia always dependent on some major state? Interestingly, among all 15 republics of the USSR, our generation remembers Armenia as prosperous, proud and strong. Everything that exists in Armenia today is a legacy of that life of ours: the state language, institutions of government and so on. Despite the Soviet Union, the church was an inseparable part of our people and state. We were proud of our great scientists, cultural figures and politicians… Above all, we were proud to be Armenians.

But today everything has changed, first and foremost values. Trade has become the basis of life… Merchants and bankers have become the authorities… Those who pay taxes on time are declared heroes… Should Armenians now connect their identity with paying taxes and take pride in that? Even the church has discredited itself, engaged in trade and chased material gain. It has reached the point where the Armenian Church advertises bank cards! Armenia is again defending itself from neighboring Muslim states; the head of state begs for peace, while citizens of those states buy property in the country.

If this continues, tomorrow they will become modern Armenia’s heroes precisely because they pay taxes diligently… Though, with things like this, I doubt the country will continue to exist as a sovereign state.

I believe church and faith are not identical concepts: faith changes people, while the church can destroy that faith. Armenian King Abgar V, who fought against the Roman appointee Meherdat, was the first Armenian king to believe in Jesus Christ and Christian values—love, family, children, parents—and to adopt Christianity independently and consciously, not under anyone’s coercion or because his life was threatened. Armenia took the risk and became the first Christian state founded on faith and national values; it assumed this responsibility and did not force Christianity on anyone outside, unlike Spain or Portugal… It follows that Armenia, with its faith, chose its own path of development independently, that is, it was self-sufficient, but after adopting Christianity as the official religion, for some reason it began to weaken… Many interpretations come down to Armenia constantly being forced to defend itself… In my opinion, however, religion destroyed faith.

Religion instills in our generations the idea that they are weak and powerless, whereas faith raises people to fight for their national values, family and love… So let us change our approaches… Let us approach major states with a proposal to recognize Etchmiadzin as the cradle of Christianity instead of the Vatican, renowned for bloodshed, the Inquisition, pedophilia and banks. Tomorrow may be too late; you too will be destroyed… Without faith and national values, states and their peoples will not survive.

It is only a matter of time. Perhaps the time has already come for all Christian denominations—Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodoxy and so on—to set aside secondary disagreements and unite? Perhaps it is time for Armenians scattered throughout the world to remember their roots and embark on the revival of true identity and spiritual values? To cleanse Holy Etchmiadzin of impure forces and turn it into the Global Symbol of all Christianity.