Cyprus-Forum.com

[YFred]

Maybe it's because those Christians who converted to Islam did so to evade the higher taxes and have over time become less religious than most other Cypriots? Though most TCs I've had this conversation with seem to think it was because of the British influence on the island...

Having said that there are still a lot of TCs who are religious to some degree. My neighbours for instance do not pray 5 times a day but come Ramadan you can be sure their whole family will fast.

I actually prefer TCs being this way as it's not too intrusive on peoples lives...

Does it mean that after each fast they then feast?

[T_C]

Maybe it's because those Christians who converted to Islam did so to evade the higher taxes and have over time become less religious than most other Cypriots? Though most TCs I've had this conversation with seem to think it was because of the British influence on the island...

Having said that there are still a lot of TCs who are religious to some degree. My neighbours for instance do not pray 5 times a day but come Ramadan you can be sure their whole family will fast.

I actually prefer TCs being this way as it's not too intrusive on peoples lives...

Does it mean that after each fast they then feast?

Yeah, they would break the fast by eating hurma and then a proper feast after...

[Oracle]

One thing strikes me as odd.

There is talk at the moment about being more sympathetic to the TCs because a lot of them are supposedly Cryptic-Christians i.e. GCs or other Cypriot Christians, who converted and become Muslim, for various reasons.

But then, we have the TCs constantly reminding us that they are NOT religious.

So why would anyone bother to become a "Muslim", if even the TCs are not Muslim?

Surely if a Christian man or woman wanted to marry a Turk-Muslim, it would have been more likely that the Turk-Muslim would convert to Christianity to fit in, as he had less to lose, not being a devout follower of religion.

So who is lying?

1. Are the TCs more Muslim than they admit and not only hang on (cryptically) to their Islamic roots;

or

2. Are the GCs not as religious as they are constantly made out to be (for Turkish-political expediency), because so many of them were reputedly casting aside Christianity to become Muslims (and hence are now amongst our "brothers" the TCs languishing under Turkish Administration!)

Are the TCs Muslim or NOT?

How many TCs have converted to Christianity?

Do u really cudgel ur brain on such issues or u r trying every possible way to pull TCs into GCs side for ur national cause?

Do u have to be such a ridiculos person, Uracle?

Thank you for the Turkish Nationalist view!

So this is just a ploy to make the TCs think they share kinship to GCs, is it?

And you worry that might make them give up the fight for joining with Mother -Turkey?

Because deep down inside they are really Christians who have converted to TC Muslimhood?

As far as I know TCs, none of them cudgel their minds on issues like this. They don't care much abt religious issues. The fact is that no matter who our ancestors were or whether we r converted christians or not; we feel ourselves closer to Turkish speaking people. Got it? Or disappointed?

Maybe you don't care much about religious issues because you spring from the types who never cared about religious issues and so easily converted to being Muslim ... hence why you say you are not religious to this day!

Obviously if that is the case, then your fickle minds are easy fodder for the Turks to brainwash, which is why you have so easily also become "Turkish" ....

[insan]

One thing strikes me as odd.

There is talk at the moment about being more sympathetic to the TCs because a lot of them are supposedly Cryptic-Christians i.e. GCs or other Cypriot Christians, who converted and become Muslim, for various reasons.

But then, we have the TCs constantly reminding us that they are NOT religious.

So why would anyone bother to become a "Muslim", if even the TCs are not Muslim?

Surely if a Christian man or woman wanted to marry a Turk-Muslim, it would have been more likely that the Turk-Muslim would convert to Christianity to fit in, as he had less to lose, not being a devout follower of religion.

So who is lying?

1. Are the TCs more Muslim than they admit and not only hang on (cryptically) to their Islamic roots;

or

2. Are the GCs not as religious as they are constantly made out to be (for Turkish-political expediency), because so many of them were reputedly casting aside Christianity to become Muslims (and hence are now amongst our "brothers" the TCs languishing under Turkish Administration!)

Are the TCs Muslim or NOT?

How many TCs have converted to Christianity?

Do u really cudgel ur brain on such issues or u r trying every possible way to pull TCs into GCs side for ur national cause?

Do u have to be such a ridiculos person, Uracle?

Thank you for the Turkish Nationalist view!

So this is just a ploy to make the TCs think they share kinship to GCs, is it?

And you worry that might make them give up the fight for joining with Mother -Turkey?

Because deep down inside they are really Christians who have converted to TC Muslimhood?

As far as I know TCs, none of them cudgel their minds on issues like this. They don't care much abt religious issues. The fact is that no matter who our ancestors were or whether we r converted christians or not; we feel ourselves closer to Turkish speaking people. Got it? Or disappointed?

Maybe you don't care much about religious issues because you spring from the types who never cared about religious issues and so easily converted to being Muslim ... hence why you say you are not religious to this day!

Obviously if that is the case, then your fickle minds are easy fodder for the Turks to brainwash, which is why you have so easily also become "Turkish" ....

Just another Galimatias product of ur imaginative world.

[YFred]

One thing strikes me as odd.

There is talk at the moment about being more sympathetic to the TCs because a lot of them are supposedly Cryptic-Christians i.e. GCs or other Cypriot Christians, who converted and become Muslim, for various reasons.

But then, we have the TCs constantly reminding us that they are NOT religious.

So why would anyone bother to become a "Muslim", if even the TCs are not Muslim?

Surely if a Christian man or woman wanted to marry a Turk-Muslim, it would have been more likely that the Turk-Muslim would convert to Christianity to fit in, as he had less to lose, not being a devout follower of religion.

So who is lying?

1. Are the TCs more Muslim than they admit and not only hang on (cryptically) to their Islamic roots;

or

2. Are the GCs not as religious as they are constantly made out to be (for Turkish-political expediency), because so many of them were reputedly casting aside Christianity to become Muslims (and hence are now amongst our "brothers" the TCs languishing under Turkish Administration!)

Are the TCs Muslim or NOT?

How many TCs have converted to Christianity?

Do u really cudgel ur brain on such issues or u r trying every possible way to pull TCs into GCs side for ur national cause?

Do u have to be such a ridiculos person, Uracle?

Thank you for the Turkish Nationalist view!

So this is just a ploy to make the TCs think they share kinship to GCs, is it?

And you worry that might make them give up the fight for joining with Mother -Turkey?

Because deep down inside they are really Christians who have converted to TC Muslimhood?

As far as I know TCs, none of them cudgel their minds on issues like this. They don't care much abt religious issues. The fact is that no matter who our ancestors were or whether we r converted christians or not; we feel ourselves closer to Turkish speaking people. Got it? Or disappointed?

Maybe you don't care much about religious issues because you spring from the types who never cared about religious issues and so easily converted to being Muslim ... hence why you say you are not religious to this day!

Obviously if that is the case, then your fickle minds are easy fodder for the Turks to brainwash, which is why you have so easily also become "Turkish" ....

Dearest, you will find in life that the more educated a society is the less religious it becomes and visa versa. It is therefore difficult to understand why it is that for an educated society GCs should be so religious. Perhaps you can explain to us as a biologist, where does religion begin and end, as well as how does it fit with your scientific knowledge. Do you seek God's assistance when an experiment does not go to plan or do you look at some scientific books.

[Oracle]

you will find in life that the more educated a society is the less religious it becomes and visa versa.

Not necessarily. On an individual level, there are those who are evidence-based and they tend to be the ones who follow through more academic disciplines. But this does not apply nationally as many wealthy/educated nations are also pious (USA, France etc).

BTW I don't necessarily believe TCs are secular ... maybe they are Crypto-Muslim. Perhaps they are generally lazy only involving themselves with something if there are immediate gains to be made. Certainly you all celebrate the religious festivals. Anyway, I am trying to gage this.

It is therefore difficult to understand why it is that for an educated society GCs should be so religious.

Orthodoxy is historically tied in with Education and itself teaches you about self-improvement. In this way it is a lifestyle faith/spirituality much like Buddhism. Greeks are generally good at holding contradictory views.

Perhaps you can explain to us as a biologist, where does religion begin and end, as well as how does it fit with your scientific knowledge.

People with amputated limbs who are faith-based are more likely to suffer phantom limb syndrome than people who are evidence-based. This trait has been linked to a gene.

Do you seek God's assistance when an experiment does not go to plan or do you look at some scientific books.

Experiments are not about going to "plan".