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Gospel Herald
Jan 16 2015
National Prayer Breakfast 2015 Preview: Remembering Armenian Genocide Of 1915
By Isaiah Narciso
The theme for this year's National Prayer Breakfast, which is on Feb.
5 this year in Washington, will focus on the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.
The annual event, which takes place at the Washington Hilton in the
nation's capital, is organized by the Fellowship Foundation, a
conservative Christian group, and hosted by the United States
Congress. According to Azbarez Newspaper, attorney Ben Smith spoke to
Public Radio of Armenia about the yearly event, which is held on the
first Thursday of February each year, focusing on the Armenian
Genocide of 1915.
"We've brought greetings and letters from our leaders in the U.S. to
encourage the leadership in Armenia to participate in the
commemorations set up Washington," Smith said.
According to the official website of Fellowship Foundation, the
tradition started in 1953, when members of Congress invited President
Dwight D. Eisenhower to join them for a fellowship breakfast "in the
spirit of Jesus."
"Because of the warm environment of that first gathering, the
breakfast has continued each year, hosted and directed by members of
the prayer groups in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of
Representatives," the organization wrote. "Annually, the House and
Senate groups take turns inviting people from every state and many
nations to join with the President of the United States for this
special time of fellowship and prayer together."
The organization added that the breakfast has a typical attendance of
"more than 3,000 people of all races, cultures and faith traditions."
According to Smith, the National Prayer Breakfast was started "in an
effort to bring leaders from both parties together at least for one
day to focus on prayer and the principles of Jesus so that they could
dispel their different points of view and their arguments."
"They actually focus one day on spiritual principles," Smith said.
Smith told Public Radio of Armenia that the Fellowship Foundation is
working with various Armenian communities in the United States to
recognize and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide.
"Three years ago I was part of the commemoration in Aleppo, Syria, and
it was really powerful," Smith said.
As for the politics behind the issue, Smith commented on that aspect,
noting he had no power to deal with it.
"I think most people in the U.S. recognize and want it recognized,"
Smith said. "I can't say to what extend and when President Obama will
do that, but I'm confident most of the Americans are aware of the
Genocide."
Christopher Atamian of the Huffington Post elaborated on the events
surrounding the Armenian Genocide, which happened back in 1915.
"Armenian intellectuals of the Ottoman Empire were rounded up in the
dead of night and sent to be executed in inland concentration camps in
Ayash and Chankari," Atamian wrote. "This event followed on nearly two
decades of ethnic cleansing and pogroms against Armenians that
included the murder of some 300,000 Armenians by Sultan Abdul Hamid in
1896 and 30,000 killed during the Adana Massacre in 1909."
Atamian noted that the Ottoman Empire, which is now the modern-day
country of Turkey, nearly wiped out its entire Christian population
through these crimes against humanity.
"Christians were rounded up and locked inside churches that were set
on fire and burned alive or thrown into caves with sulfur thrown on
top of them and cremated in primitive gas chambers," Atamian wrote.
"The Turks, aided and abetted by their ally, the German Kaiser, seized
Christian properties and bank accounts, raped and enslaved women and
children and forced thousands to convert to Islam under pain of
death."
Although Turkey's government has refused to apologize to the Armenians
about the scale of human depravity exercised back in 1915 in the days
of the Ottoman Empire, Atamian noted that the "Jews of the Caucasus"
have managed to rebuild and thrive in both the former Soviet Union and
modern, independent Armenia. He tried to explain the reasons behind
the Armenian Genocide, which included "a surreal mix of ethnic and
financial jealousy."
"The Armenian Amira class, for example, ran everything from the state
mint to the bread factories and most of the empire's industry, while
the Greeks and Levantines were the most successful diplomats and
merchants as well," Atamian wrote.
On a lighter note, Smith elaborated on his first visit to Armenia. He
told Public Radio of Armenia that he was impressed by the country's
people, history and culture.
"I think Armenia is really a well-kept secret," Smith said. "This
would be a great place for tourism. And if American people knew more
about it, and knew about the beauty of the country, they would be
interested."
Smith's trip, according to Public Radio of Armenia, included a visit
with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians. They discussed the invitation to join President Barack
Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast.
"I'm very grateful to the leadership and the church, we were
graciously received," Smith said. "We intend to come back as soon as
we can."
The National Prayer Breakfast will be aired Feb. 5 on C-SPAN.
http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/53984/20150115/national-prayer-breakfast-2015-preview-remembering-the-armenian-genocide-of-1915.htm
Jan 16 2015
National Prayer Breakfast 2015 Preview: Remembering Armenian Genocide Of 1915
By Isaiah Narciso
The theme for this year's National Prayer Breakfast, which is on Feb.
5 this year in Washington, will focus on the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide.
The annual event, which takes place at the Washington Hilton in the
nation's capital, is organized by the Fellowship Foundation, a
conservative Christian group, and hosted by the United States
Congress. According to Azbarez Newspaper, attorney Ben Smith spoke to
Public Radio of Armenia about the yearly event, which is held on the
first Thursday of February each year, focusing on the Armenian
Genocide of 1915.
"We've brought greetings and letters from our leaders in the U.S. to
encourage the leadership in Armenia to participate in the
commemorations set up Washington," Smith said.
According to the official website of Fellowship Foundation, the
tradition started in 1953, when members of Congress invited President
Dwight D. Eisenhower to join them for a fellowship breakfast "in the
spirit of Jesus."
"Because of the warm environment of that first gathering, the
breakfast has continued each year, hosted and directed by members of
the prayer groups in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of
Representatives," the organization wrote. "Annually, the House and
Senate groups take turns inviting people from every state and many
nations to join with the President of the United States for this
special time of fellowship and prayer together."
The organization added that the breakfast has a typical attendance of
"more than 3,000 people of all races, cultures and faith traditions."
According to Smith, the National Prayer Breakfast was started "in an
effort to bring leaders from both parties together at least for one
day to focus on prayer and the principles of Jesus so that they could
dispel their different points of view and their arguments."
"They actually focus one day on spiritual principles," Smith said.
Smith told Public Radio of Armenia that the Fellowship Foundation is
working with various Armenian communities in the United States to
recognize and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide.
"Three years ago I was part of the commemoration in Aleppo, Syria, and
it was really powerful," Smith said.
As for the politics behind the issue, Smith commented on that aspect,
noting he had no power to deal with it.
"I think most people in the U.S. recognize and want it recognized,"
Smith said. "I can't say to what extend and when President Obama will
do that, but I'm confident most of the Americans are aware of the
Genocide."
Christopher Atamian of the Huffington Post elaborated on the events
surrounding the Armenian Genocide, which happened back in 1915.
"Armenian intellectuals of the Ottoman Empire were rounded up in the
dead of night and sent to be executed in inland concentration camps in
Ayash and Chankari," Atamian wrote. "This event followed on nearly two
decades of ethnic cleansing and pogroms against Armenians that
included the murder of some 300,000 Armenians by Sultan Abdul Hamid in
1896 and 30,000 killed during the Adana Massacre in 1909."
Atamian noted that the Ottoman Empire, which is now the modern-day
country of Turkey, nearly wiped out its entire Christian population
through these crimes against humanity.
"Christians were rounded up and locked inside churches that were set
on fire and burned alive or thrown into caves with sulfur thrown on
top of them and cremated in primitive gas chambers," Atamian wrote.
"The Turks, aided and abetted by their ally, the German Kaiser, seized
Christian properties and bank accounts, raped and enslaved women and
children and forced thousands to convert to Islam under pain of
death."
Although Turkey's government has refused to apologize to the Armenians
about the scale of human depravity exercised back in 1915 in the days
of the Ottoman Empire, Atamian noted that the "Jews of the Caucasus"
have managed to rebuild and thrive in both the former Soviet Union and
modern, independent Armenia. He tried to explain the reasons behind
the Armenian Genocide, which included "a surreal mix of ethnic and
financial jealousy."
"The Armenian Amira class, for example, ran everything from the state
mint to the bread factories and most of the empire's industry, while
the Greeks and Levantines were the most successful diplomats and
merchants as well," Atamian wrote.
On a lighter note, Smith elaborated on his first visit to Armenia. He
told Public Radio of Armenia that he was impressed by the country's
people, history and culture.
"I think Armenia is really a well-kept secret," Smith said. "This
would be a great place for tourism. And if American people knew more
about it, and knew about the beauty of the country, they would be
interested."
Smith's trip, according to Public Radio of Armenia, included a visit
with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians. They discussed the invitation to join President Barack
Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast.
"I'm very grateful to the leadership and the church, we were
graciously received," Smith said. "We intend to come back as soon as
we can."
The National Prayer Breakfast will be aired Feb. 5 on C-SPAN.
http://www.gospelherald.com/articles/53984/20150115/national-prayer-breakfast-2015-preview-remembering-the-armenian-genocide-of-1915.htm