Dictators do evil with the consent of an aggressive minority of the people

One question is haunting me: what will happen if the regime manages to establish control over the internal life of the Armenian Church in the atmosphere of indolence and indifference of a significant part of the people?

This is important, because the Armenian Apostolic Church (HACE) is not just another religious organization born in recent decades, but has been and remains the main institution of preserving our national identity, culture, and memory for centuries. In other words, the attitude shown on behalf of the state towards HASE cannot be considered as an ordinary so-called orientation dispute between the government and individual clergy.

 In its public confrontation with HASE, the CP considers the legality of His Holiness the Pope’s office questionable, demands his removal, and in 2026. in the pre-election program, he announced a political agenda for the “reform” of the Church, simultaneously subjecting many high-ranking clergymen to criminal prosecutions, and the other day he tried to start the trial against Vehi and 6 bishops.

It is clear that such behavior of the regime becomes a reality not only due to the administrative and legal levers of the government, but also due to the indifference of the majority of the people. The government can limit the rights of members of an organization (say, a religious, national, or sexual minority) that the majority of society considers to be outsiders.

Moreover, the government can even get the approval of the majority of the parliament through democratic mechanisms. This means that democracy does not automatically guarantee a fair, well, at least tolerant attitude of the majority of people towards a minority or an important public institution.

It is always necessary to fight, to put pressure on the government, because the will of the majority and justice are not always the same.

We have a similar picture in the case of Armenia․ administrationthe is discrediting Churchand authority, throws clergymen into prison, claims to reshape the Church’s internal management system, and most people are indifferent to it. So let’s record not only the illegal behavior of the regime, but also the political consequences of the indifference of the majority of the people.

Silence is not always a sign of agreement. Prolonged silence, especially when the boundaries of the autonomy of the national institution are violated, creates an illusion at the “above” that there is no serious danger of public resistance.

In this case, the next, no less important question arises․ is it CP:–in: of the head anti-church the campaign only her the initiative is, or it also society in formed anti-church and anti-clerical sentiments is the reflection.

If the citizen does not perceive the state pressure against the Church as a threat to his freedoms and social balance, then it becomes politically safe for the government to target the Church, and it can go further, receiving a new letter of indulgence (indulgentia) for each subsequent step.

This is a ringing of bells for all of us. Administration “omnipotence” only the police, judicial the system or administrative resources do not provide, his the power also society drawn and not controlled by him permissible the frame is, and ethat the people do not limit the limits of the authority of the government, the government becomes unrestrained and unmanageable and expands its “domains” more and more.

Therefore, the current situation around the Church in Armenia is not at all the problem of the “parties of the conflict”, it is a test of political maturity for the society.։ It is possible to disagree with any clergyman, criticize his behavior, the course of his service, demand an explanation, correction of a mistake, atonement, even internal reforms, while maintaining the boundary between the powers of secular and spiritual authorities.․ Church the problems need is be resolved his own canonical and: legal settings within, no թե՝ imposed by the parliamentary majority (= government). political and ideological goals.

After all, today the other branches of government, independent state bodies, are under the dictates of the ruling majority, tomorrow they may do the same with trade unions, parties and non-governmental organizations in general. And then many will wonder, why did we let this happen?․

And the rest of the people to each other

They asked in horror,

Where did it come from?

This general disaster is great.

Hovhannes Tumanyan

ARA SAHAKYAN

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