Religion and state management “have completely gotten mixed up,” said former RA prime minister, economist Hrant Bagratyan, speaking to journalists in Yerevan today.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“In the government building, they’re opening chapels and praying. The prime minister appears with priests on the [TV] screen. Incomprehensible things,” he said. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
According to him, the government doesn’t do anything and “now it’s stuck to this church.” Bagratyan added, he’s not an atheist; however, he’s a fierce opponent of the Armenian Apostolic Church. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“How can that be a church if it doesn’t belong to any Christian camp and hasn’t changed in 1,500 years? It has to change,” he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The economist called the church an “untouchable” organization, one that, “in my opinion, has not connection with Christ or faith.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“Once have you seen the Armenian Apostolic Church’s balance [sheet] of income and expenses printed in the press? Let any church in the world try not to do this. Where does this money come from? Who decides the price of candles [which parishioners purchase and light at church]? This is called shadow economy,” he said. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Bagratyan noted, it’s no coincidence that when Turkish sultans claimed their throne, they, first of all, gave the title of “Hero” to Armenian Catholicoi.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“We’re silent about this, we don’t like to talk about it,” he said, once again reiterating that he doesn’t understand what the government has to do with the church. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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