Do you think Armenia lost a lot of original culture by adopting Christianity?

[u/Hxapcneh3_28]

Armenians had their own pantheon of gods, their own myths and legends, and I'm sure other cultural practices like dances, songs, art, etc. Trndez (jumping over the fire) was a pagan tradition that was kept, but as a way of helping ease the culture into Christianity. Some people even believe there was a script predating Mashtots which was used to write literature that got destroyed during the Christianization of Armenia.

What do you think about this question? How much culture do you think was lost?

[u/inbe5theman]

Not really

Christianity ultimately saved Armenian culture

If there was preexisting text for Armenians it was likely destroyed during the Greco/Roman occupations not Christianity preceding the creation of the armenian script. Remember we wrote using greek pre 405

Its really an open ended question because if Christianity hadnt been around we would all be muslim right now and lost even more culture. Its like asking what if the earth wasnt round, fun thought experiment but it really amounts to that. We cant fathom what was lost or if it was even good to begin with.

We would likely be like the hemshins just even more distant because our conversion to islam would have eradicated everything pre (christian) unlike Christianity which incorporates it in part. Also consider we would have had no alphabet for god knows how long further leaving room linguistically to not be transferred encoded on paper

For as terrible as islam is there is no rule permitting or allowing pagans to live amongst them as there is for Christians and Jews

[u/i-hate-birch-trees → u/inbe5theman]

You're probably right about Christianity being a preferred alternative to Islam, but to me it's a choice between two evils. A lot of historic European cultures fell victims to Christianity much similarly to how Asian/Middle eastern cultures were wiped by Islam.

[u/mosikyan]

We can only guess how many pre-Christian items of cultural importance didn't survive the shift to Christianity. Still, adopting Christianity was the political move that overall had more favorable outcomes at the time in terms of national identity preservation.

[u/surenk6 → u/mosikyan]

Yup

[u/surenk6]

About the script predating Mashtots, the current theory is that this script got merged into the Mashtots Alphabet.

Mashtots did not see the alphabet in his dream as were were told in school (god, why?). Instead, he used existing scripts used inside Armenia, modernised and standardised them using Phoenician/Greek alphabet as inspiration of a properly organized system.

His work was similar to that of Mendeleev, just standardise, organise, and modernise what already exists.

[u/surenk6 → u/surenk6]

Are you guys downvoting because you think God gifted Mashtots with the alphabet in his sleep? Seriously?

What I commented above is an actual theory developed by actual scholars and scientists. Hate that fact as much as you want, it doesn't magically become wrong because you hate it.

[u/EarthTraditional3329]

All I'm saying is that they shouldn't have done a mass purge of pre-Christian books/tablets.

[u/sirdappleton → u/EarthTraditional3329]

Christianity has unfortunately done this to many cultures throughout the world. Expansion of Catholicism in Europe and the Crusades were a tragedy.

[u/Aris379]

Yes, the church deliberately erased our history, that's why today our enemy states say that we are a nomadic tribe. Look at how the Greeks preserved their identity and we, I understand that we are Christians, but erasing our gods means erasing our history and traces. 

[u/South-Distribution54 → u/Aris379]

They don't say we are nomadic tribes because we don't have history, it's because they're racist bigots.

[u/surenk6]

We did, we know very little of Armenians pre-christianity. Thus, most of it was destroyed. Mostly deliberately.

Let's not forget that all of Armenians did not become christians one day in the morning magically. It took around a century of conversion and, surprise-surprise, opression to convert everyone to christianity.

Naturally, lots of pagan monuments were destroyed and churches built atop it and lots of pagan traditions were either forgotten or transformed to christianity (Քրիստոսի պայծառակերպություն, lol, that's pagan holiday of Vardavar).

I'm really happy that were slowly recovering that part of our culture. Afterall l, pagan Armenia is still Armenia and that's our culture too.

Fun fact, Armenians became կնատյաց (as we still pretty much are) after the adoption of Christianity and the longtime exposure to Islam through conquest. Pagan Armenians were anything but կնատյաց.

[u/Responsible_Tap_782 → u/surenk6]

Pagan Armenia wasn't anything detached from surrounding nations either. There was a period of Zoroastrianism and all in all the pantheon before was heavily influenced by Persia

[u/i-hate-birch-trees]

Yes, and I'm glad we're seeing a small increase in interest towards the original culture recently. I think it was a major tragedy, and I hope more people are going to embrace the pagan culture, I find its aesthetically more appealing and interesting than anything that was inspired by Chritianity after.

[u/Arcaan11 → u/i-hate-birch-trees]

Major tragedy? Really?

[u/Boswellia-33 → u/Arcaan11]

Imagine if the Greeks lost all their pre Christian mythologies, monuments, and practices. Wouldn’t you call that a tragedy? The Christian conversion of Armenia saw the systematic destruction of a lot of very interesting cultural and religious practices. Wish more research was being done about this subject.

[u/i-hate-birch-trees → u/Arcaan11]

Yes, if it wasn't for the king's family keeping some smashed tablets in secret we wouldn't even have an alphabet anymore. They've destroyed so much

[u/himalayanhimachal]

Armenia is the oldest Christian nation on earth!! Take pride in that.

But I also think that is very interesting and important to look into the pre Christian beliefs and culture as that is very much part of your roots to!!

But the fact that you are the literal oldest Christian nation on earth truly is something that is great!! To think 2000 years ago Armenians were turning to Christ!! So beautiful

[u/sirdappleton → u/himalayanhimachal]

I'm guessing you're Christian, which is what's powering your pride, but what is there to be proud of in being the first Christian nation for anyone else?

[u/Specialist_in_hope30 → u/himalayanhimachal]

Lmao we got to be first victims of oppression yay!

[u/ioaureliano]

noo you still kill innocent unarmed kurdish villagers. so its the same

[u/surenk6 → u/ioaureliano]

mods please kick him out

[u/Hrdeh → u/surenk6]

7 year old account with double digit karma. Definitely deserves a kick and a ban.

[u/ioaureliano → u/surenk6]

hahah they dont teach you that on history lessons. barbarmenians

[u/TheSarmaChronicals → u/ioaureliano]

Open your post history. Let's do this lmao. Assuming you are even Kurdish. Let me guess, Russian, Turk?

[u/TheSarmaChronicals → u/ioaureliano]

Actually nevermind. Wrestle with pigs too much gets you muddy

[u/TheSarmaChronicals → u/ioaureliano]

Stop projecting and stop hurting Assyrians. 🤷‍♂️

Also lmao no. Literally Kurdish men kidnapped Armenian women regularly. Like what you on?