The Hagia Sophia

[Balthazor]

I do not think we are going to get the Church back guys. I think it is a nice thought but though it is sad we have a living church that is much more important than a de-sanctified building. Besides what culture has not stole or pillaged from another? We are just as guilty.
Some times it is better to just leave the past in the past.

I do not hear anyone here advocating giving America back to the Native Americans, and many of them had to give up their sacred places when the whites arrived.

And if you go to Rome you will see that the churches are sometimes built out of the ruins of ancient temples.

The more important thing is to retain what we have and keep our faith alive and spreading. If we do this then maybe one day Turkey will become a Christian Country and we will have the Hagia Sophia back.

Turkey really does need to let Christians have more freedoms though, it is not right that in so many Muslim countries they restrict Christians right to practice a peaceful religion. If we did this in any other country against the muslims we would be bombed.

[catholicinsd]

When the British occupied the Islamic world, they allowed freedom of religion to the Muslims. Why won't Muslim do they same now?

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='catholicinsd' post='1141481' date='Dec 13 2006, 04:17 PM']
When the British occupied the Islamic world, they allowed freedom of religion to the Muslims. Why won't Muslim do they same now?
[/quote]
Because the West believes in such freedoms and the Islamic world (for the most part) does not.

[kenrockthefirst]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' post='1141510' date='Dec 13 2006, 05:54 PM']
Because the West believes in such freedoms and the Islamic world (for the most part) does not.
[/quote]

Hence "what's good for the goose is good for the gander." If Turkey wants admission to the EU, to "Europe," to the "West," then it needs to conform with certain norms, i.e. freedom of conscience, freedom of religion. Ironically, Western tolerance for freedom of conscience and religion, women's rights, etc., is informed by its Christian heritage. Clearly, there is no such tradition / impetus in the Muslim world.

[homeschoolmom]

I agree.

[toledo_jesus]

[quote name='scardella' post='1134663' date='Dec 4 2006, 01:00 PM']
Just to be devil's advocate, then shouldn't the various churches made out of pagan temples be returned to pagans?
[/quote]
nah, they ain't around no more. We just got wimpy neo-pagans.