https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53366307

Built in Constantinople by Justinian, the Hagia Sophia was the largest and most impressive cathedral in the world for over a thousand years. Even soon after it was built, many peoples couldn't believe it was built by humans without divine intervention. It was converted into a mosque when Constantinople fell, but it has been a museum for almost a 100 years.

Now Erdogan has committed to turning it back into a mosque, probably to bolster his shaky political support among Muslim hardliners. In my mind, the decision is a travesty. I would also like to note that there have been no threats or acts of Christian terrorism in relation to this decision.

I just came to post this....

I'm terribly upset.

The Hagia Sophia had been gone a long time but it still hurts.

RebelE Infantry said:

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I'm just over here waiting for the Holy Father to call a Crusade Or reestablish the Holy League (not holding my breath though). The Turks have been a plague upon Christendom for centuries. We should force them out of Europe and Anatolia.

Make Istanbul Constantinople Again!

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Too old to fight but I would fan sure give as much money as I could.

God, Texas and Constantinople.

I'm not really sure why western Christians are so upset about this.

I'm certainly sad to see Turkey becoming more Islamist and move away from the secular vision of Ataturk but that's been going on for some time.

The possibility of turning part of Istanbul or Asia Minor into a Christian territory ended in the early 20th century. There are almost no Christians left in Turkey today.

Serotonin said:

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The possibility of turning part of Istanbul or Asia Minor into a Christian territory ended in the early 20th century. There are almost no Christians left in Turkey today.

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I know of one who has been a Christian Missionary there and is planning on going back and staying until he's martyred, which is a very real possibility.

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Maybe your fellow Christians who are concerned about Muslims once again taking over a wonderful relic of Christian history should have your Christ-like compassion

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Wait...Christ-like compassion...yet calling for a Crusade? what?

Ciboag96 said:

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craigernaught said:

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I'm not really sure why western Christians are so upset about this.

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What is this "western" Christian you speak of? Is that the one that thinks Jesus had red hair and drove a BMW? Maybe your fellow Christians who are concerned about Muslims once again taking over a wonderful relic of Christian history should have your Christ-like compassion and not your offhand western isolationist identity.

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What?

The western Christians are Christians who live in the West who post on Texags. This is a weird thing to get mad about.

The Turks took it over a long time ago. They aren't "once again taking it over".

Calling me a western isolationist when I'm not an isolationist and I don't live in the West is, again, super weird.

Man this is a crazy time. I may need to revisit that thread about the end times being nearer.

I don't see how it can have visitors and prayers at the same time. It seems if you are a dedicated Muslim that would drive you nuts.

You can already visit many of the other mosques in the city.

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That is rich coming from a "Western Christian". Your terminology.

If you don't grasp the gravity and importance of this then that's on you. You may want to brush up on history at minimum...

I don't mean that in a smart ass way. 7 years ago this wouldn't have masttered to me either so I'm not pulling a holier than though type thing on you.

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Maybe you're replying to the wrong person, but I was commenting on the dissonance between being Christ-like and calling on the killing of people.

craigernaught said:

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You can already visit many of the other mosques in the city.

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Yea like the giant blue one built directly across from it.

If muslims can do this with no remorse then there should be no issue with the jews taking back what was theirs in Jerusalem.

They have a much more ancient claim to the Holy Sites there than the muslims do. And in this case the Christians have a much more ancient claim to the Hagia than the muslims do as well, but the muslisms have no moral scruples about taking it and using it for their own purposes.

In short, if the Muslims can do this in countries they conquer and control so can the Jews. Fair is fair.

Don't worry CNN already did that for us

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. . .but the muslisms have no moral scruples about taking it and using it for their own purposes.

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Not as if Christians have not done the reverse, there a number of medieval mosque on the Iberian Peninsula converted to churches.

List of former mosques in Spain

List of former mosques in Portugal

You just said the quiet part out loud.

The mezquita in Cordoba is highly recommended.

They already are.

The "Big 3" are all Abrahamic religions.

jrico2727 said:

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Good all mosques should be turned into a place to worship of the one true God.

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I'm sure many Muslims believe the same about Hagia Sophia.

I would love if one day all mosques would become Christian places of worship, however not through conquest.

They didn't take them peacefully.

jrico2727 said:

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They didn't take them peacefully.

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So? The early Church spread throughout most of Western Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and to North Africa and as far east as India without use of force.

Deus Vult intensifies...

If only Innocent III had a little more foresight, this could have been averted.

craigernaught said:

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So your claim is that if the Turks claim what belonged to Byzantine Christians then the Israelis are justified in taking what belongs to Palestinian Muslims?

This is bizarre.

I honestly don't think most people are interested in having a consistent moral views.

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My point is that the muslims took constantinople by force. They had never occupied constantinople before that.

After they captured the region they coopted the Holy Site which they had no"Historic Right" to do. And yet they feel entitled to it based on the fact that they now control the land after conquering it and now controlling it.

Contrast that with Jerusalem and the Holy Sites there. The Jews have a more ancient "Historical Right" to the Holy Sites in the region.

They also conquered the region in war.

The Jews have both a historical as well as a possessive claim to Jerusalem but the Muslims assert that the Jews have no right to the land. The Jews claim to the Holy Sites in Jerusalem are stronger than the muslims claims on the Hagia Sophia and yet the muslims claim they get to use the right of possession for the one while denying Israel's same claim in the other case.

Basically hypocrisy at its worst.