Cyprus-Forum.com

[insan]

All mosques, churches, cathedrals, tekkes, kuzus, kocs should be converted to public libraries. Reading is the most sacred worship.

[brother]

I agree with insan gardas, make them libraries so the ignorant can go and read and learn, religion in magority has only contributed to wars, division and backwardness.

[MicAtCyp]

Metecyp yes "bazaar" is the correct word, not a shoping mall.

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All mosques, churches, cathedrals, tekkes, kuzus, kocs should be converted to public libraries. Reading is the most sacred worship.

Looting or destroying a church or a mosque is like taking a Michael Angelo painting and burning it to heat up your stove. Although I agree with you, I am not referring to the religious aspect of these places, but on their cultural aspect. I can equally respect the culture behind a church and a mosque concerning architecture,design and art.
In fact thats what I do the 1-2 times per year I am oblidged to go to a church.I study the architecture of the building and the art of the icons and other stuff. It helps not falling asleep from the continuous halelouyias of the priests...

But don't forget for many people these places are sacred, looting them or destroying them is like committing a spiritual rape on them.They would still feel the same if one turns them into museums or a libraries....

[metecyp]

Metecyp yes "bazaar" is the correct word, not a shoping mall.

Well, if you were also talking about the bazaar next to Ayia Sophia, then you were wrong. We didn't convert Ayia Sophia in a bazaar, there's a bazaar next to Ayia Sophia which is completely seperate entity.

But don't forget for many people these places are sacred, looting them or destroying them is like committing a spiritual rape on them.They would still feel the same if one turns them into museums or a libraries....

I agree with you and that's why I said I understand your sensitivity about churches that were converted into mosques after 1974. For most GCs these are still churches and I understand why some GC might feel the way you described.

I was talking about Ayia Sophia though. It was converted into a mosque right after 1570s whcih I can agree that it was wrong to do so. But at the same time, for more than 400 years, it's a mosque and I don't think that any alive person can consider it as a church. What's the point of converting it back to a church? It doesn't make sense and it doesn't make sense to blame us that we converted it into a church 400 years ago.