Hagia Sophia to be turned back into a mosque

[Tonitrus]

I'm pretty sure there are plenty of Christian churches that are both active churches as well as historical/heritage sites.

That being said, I would still be skeptical of this move simply because Erdogan is the one pushing it.

[Valmy]

I'm pretty sure there are plenty of Christian churches that are both active churches as well as historical/heritage sites.

That being said, I would still be skeptical of this move simply because Erdogan is the one pushing it.

Sure. If there was a need for it to be a mosque and it has been a functioning mosque with an established community. But there is no need for it to be converted into a mosque. It is just being done to symbolize nationalist glory and victory over Turkish enemies and shit.

As I said there is one of the most amazing and beautiful mosques in the world right next door. There is no need for it.

So you should be skeptical.

[The Brain]

What were the major problems when it was a mosque earlier?

[Eddie Teach]

That the Ottoman Empire was a Muslim state. Ataturk changed that but now Erdogan wants to go back. The building is just a symbol.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

So you should be skeptical.

extra so in light of his actions in/towards Syria (actively supporting ethnic cleansing), Lybia (UN Embargo), Cyprus, Greece (border and airspace), the Eastern Med, about every European country where there's a Turkish migrant community, NATO.

[Valmy]

What were the major problems when it was a mosque earlier?

Tons. A World War, genocide, occupation by foreign powers...I don't know how many were about the building though.

But yeah it is just symbolic and unnecessary.

[Sheilbh]

Because there is a huge and beautiful Ottoman Mosque right next to it, the Blue Mosque. There is zero reason for it to be a mosque except for nationalist Turk douchebag reasons. It is an ancient historical heritage site that should remain a museum.

And 500 years of that heritage/history was as a mosque. As I say I like buildings living and being used - especially religious sites - not preserved in aspic.

[The Brain]

What were the major problems when it was a mosque earlier?

Tons. A World War, genocide, occupation by foreign powers...I don't know how many were about the building though.

But yeah it is just symbolic and unnecessary.

If it's a meaningful symbol to the Turks then I don't see a problem with letting them have it.

[Eddie Teach]

It was a meaningful symbol to the Orthodox Christians too.

[Sheilbh]

It was a meaningful symbol to the Orthodox Christians too.

It's been a mosque for most of the last 500 years. You know, I'm sorry but I have to deal with Protestants squatting in the Bendictine Abbey of Westminster, Moroccans have to put up with Seville Cathedral. At a certain point you have to accept all of the history the building has as valid, not just your slice half a millenium ago.

[The Brain]

It was a meaningful symbol to the Orthodox Christians too.

*shrug* Then they shouldn't have lost it. If you can't let go after more than 500 years you have issues.

[Eddie Teach]

I dunno, if you can hold a grudge for 100 years 500 shouldn't be that big a stretch.

[The Brain]

Hungarians aren't the gold standard IMHO.

[Valmy]

What were the major problems when it was a mosque earlier?

Tons. A World War, genocide, occupation by foreign powers...I don't know how many were about the building though.

But yeah it is just symbolic and unnecessary.

If it's a meaningful symbol to the Turks then I don't see a problem with letting them have it.

I wasn't planning on taking it from them. I was also unaware it previously did not belong to them.

[Valmy]

It was a meaningful symbol to the Orthodox Christians too.

It's been a mosque for most of the last 500 years. You know, I'm sorry but I have to deal with Protestants squatting in the Bendictine Abbey of Westminster, Moroccans have to put up with Seville Cathedral.

Ok and if Spain decided to turn the Seville Cathedral into a museum to celebrate our shared human heritage it would be a pretty regressive and shitty thing to do to switch it back to a cathedral. Especially as this switch has nothing to do with the need for a mosque or Islam. This is about nationalist reactionary far right shittiness and pettiness. And there is a context of tons of other similar things they are currently doing, most of them much more sinister and serious and impact actual living people rather than ancient stones.

So no I am not going to endorse this move by Erdogan and his corrupt regime, even if you could somehow turn it back into a Mosque with good intentions somehow this is not what is going on here. For what that is worth

At a certain point you have to accept all of the history the building has as valid, not just your slice half a millenium ago.

Hey I have a great way to do that: make it a museum.