If tiny Armenia was truly the first Christian state on earth why in the world doesn't your state owned church teach love and forgiveness? Even in Christ's time there was the separation of church and state. Armenia must separate its church and state if the true message of Christ is to be taught there. This is why your church has engaged in terrorism from the mid-1800s up to and including this very day. The Armenian Church is nothing more than a front and an extension of your state run terror machine.

Christian Scholar Samuel Weems, in a 2002 reply to hate mail

 -The Patriarch Nerses, in turn in a correspondence dated 13 April 1878 forwarded to the Foreign Secretary of Great Britain, Lord Salisbury, was giving utterance to the following : "It is no more possible for the Armenians to live together with the Turks. Only a Christian administration is able to secure equality, justice and freedom of conscience. Muslim administration should be replaced by a Christian one. Armenia (Eastern Anatolia) and Cilicia(37) are among places where it entails setting up Christian administrations ...The Armenians of Turkey, thus want this. That is to say, in the Armenia of Turkey they desire having a Christian administration in trust as the case is in Lebanon.”(38)

Nerses Varjabedyan

-The Patriarch Nerses making a visit to the Ambassador of Great Britain in Istanbul on 17 March 1878 was reported as saying "...a year before, we had no complaint to raise against the Ottoman Administration; but, now the victory by the Russians caused change in the situation. We claim having an autonomous Armenia in the Eastern Anatolia. If you feel unable to give us a hand, to go what through this we will address Russia." On the Ambassador asking what he meant by Armenia, the reply was quoted as "Van, Sivas, Diyarbakir and Cilicia."

As the Ambassador replied "but in none of such places you have the majority" the Patriarch said: "we do know this; but now Russia gained area in the East; the balance of power between Russia and Ottoman Empire changed. We have to consider our future.”(39)

-However, in the early days of the war, the same Patriarch Nerses had made it public that his person is an Ottoman patriot loyal to Ottoman Sultan (40). As the war approached its close, The Armenian Assembly meeting under the presidency of Varjabedian resolved to make an address to Russian Tsar. In a memorandum forwarded to the latter (41) they claimed that the areas in the Eastern Anatolia down to Firat (Euphrates) river should not be returned to the Turks, that these be annexed to Russia and if otherwise, the alike privileges to be conceded to Bulgaria and to Bulgarian nation (community) be also yielded to the Armenian nation, that in case a need arises to evacuate the areas occupied, a guarantee in kind should be sought and that the Russian occupation be continued till reformation is put into operation and completed.

-The Ottoman-Russian war of 1877-1878 terminated with the entering into effect of the armistice on 31 January 1878 at Edirne initiated on demand of peace b) Ottoman following the capitulation of Plevne and the opening of the way to Istanbul to Russian forces(42). The conditions for peace were negotiated at San Stefano (Yesilköy). On initiation of the armistice negotiations at Edirne, the Patriarch Nerses Varjabedian detailed the archbishop of Edirne, Kevork Vartabed Ruschuklian and Stephan Aslanian Pasha and Hovannes Nurian Effendi, members of
the Turkish delegation, to see to the Armenian interests(43). The former Ambassador o: Russia to Istanbul, Ignatiev, who was member of the Russian delegation announced the Armenian delegation that the privileges to be yielded to the Bulgarian would not be conceded to themselves, but they had to brace themselves for the day on which the autonomy would be ceded to them(44). In spite of all bids made, the Armenian delegation could obtain nothing of avail from Edirne Armistice talks.

-At the end, in the course of peace negotiations which continued at San Stefano (Yesilkoy), the Patriarch Nerses Varjabedian and some notables of the Armenian community came in person to have a talk with the Grand Duke Nicholas, the brother of the Tsar and succeeded to have a clause entered into the treaty in connection with the Armenians.

-The expression "Armenia" mentioned in the article XVIth of the San Stefano Treaty entered by and between the Ottoman Empire and the Russia on 3 March 1878, which contained extremely harsh conditions against the former, had caused the Ottoman Empire to acquiesce to the existence of such a country. However, the subject treaty would not be put into effect. Because, Russia had affected the international balance present in the Middle East and this had caused the Great Britain to express dislike as this latter pursued a policy of protecting the integrity of the Ottoman Empire.

-On becoming aware of the news that the Treaty of San Stefano will be subjected to modifications, the Patriarch Varjabedian moved and initiated activities with the governments invited to convene in Berlin. In line with this object, the archbishop of Besiktas, Khoren Nar Bey, went to Russia (St. Petersburg) and was received by the Tsar Alexander II. Khoren Nar Bey requested from the Tsar that the patronage the Russians provided to the Armenians be continued, that the defense of their causes be taken on at Berlin Congress. Another delegation under the presidency of the former Patriarch Khrimian had started a series of visits to European capitals (Rome, Vienna, Paris, London) to win the politicians of these countries to their sides in defense of the Armenian Cause (Hal Tahd). The delegation was fitted out with a project consisting of seven articles prepared to make specific the Armenian claims and to pave the way for the founding of an Armenia in Turkey(45).

-On the other hand, the Patriarch Nerses Varjabedian, in a correspondence (46) forwarded to Karekin Papazian, the Head of the Armenian Committee in Manchester, mentioned that their goal was to attain material and spiritual welfare through expressing gratitude towards Russia and expecting hope from the Great Britain. The Patriarch in the meantime had again visited the Ambassador of the Great Britain, Mr. Layard, to express the view that their parties had prepared a project for submission to the assembly, that it would be appreciated if the Great Britain backed the same(47).

-Moreover, the Patriarch Nerses, had forwarded statistics drawn up by clergymen attaining large figures, deliberately tempered with, as regards the Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire, to Great Powers.

-At the end, the sham question was accepted as the article 61 of the Berlin Treaty signed on 13 July 1878, without being much modified the Article 16th of the San Stefano Treaty. In this way, the "Armenian Question" was being identified as a a problem of reformation to be carried through under the supervision of the Great Powers in the Ottoman Empire. The Article 61th did not provide the Armenians with independence or autonomy alike Lebanon, brought them nothing but a promise to bring reformation. The Armenians were not delighted with the emergence of such a situation. Therefore, after a few while, they would make bids to initiate riots and to shed blood under the guidance of their Church and would demand Russia and Europe to interfere with.

-In a pamphlet issued in the year 1879 by Nuriaz Cheraz who had acted as translator-clerk in the delegation of the former Patriarch Khrimian to Berlin Congress, the author laid emphasis upon having no grounds for the Armenians to fall in distress with the results obtained and addressed the same as follows(48): "The Berlin Congress enabled us to lay the foundations of the national building which we plan to erect in years ahead.. Europe gave into our hands arms; we have to use such arms before the same becomes rusty... we have through the Berlin Congress come by a gold mine; it falls upon us to run such a mine and to dig gold out." As would be appreciated, the pamphlet suggested the Armenians to have recourse to armed action, that they had behind themselves European states to back them.
-The Patriarch Nerses Varjabedian nourished the belief that the question could only be solved through revolution and rioting and had set up a commission hidden under the title of "Reformation Commission" operating at the patriarchate for the achievement of it. A circular sent to the bishoprics in the midst of the year 1879 by the above-cited commission was openly inviting the Armenians to take arms. The subject circular was asking the Armenian clergymen in the provinces to abide by the following(49)

-1. In order to keep alive the question of Armenia, the Armenians of Gregorian, Protestant, Catholic sects and of other sects should be kept as an unified whole on this issue,

-2. The opinions of the children taking instruction at schools should be infused with the Armenian question. At villages having neither school nor means to hire instructors, the priests should teach the boys and the girls at least how to sign their names. They should further teach the illiterate elders at towns and villages how to write down. At least, these should be able to set their hands. Because, on days ahead, this would be necessary,

-3. Armenian Synods at the provincial centres and their spokespersons should frequently meet with the foreign consulates. The grievances suffered by the Armenians should openly be made known to consulates and with consular staff, a close relation should be established,

-4. Europe shall see to the rights of all Armenians and shall back them. All civilized governments of Europe are ready to do so. To hear grievances suffered by the Christian Armenians and to bring solution to them is required in compliance with the provisions of the article 61 of the Berlin Congress. Nothing sooner than the present moment, we have to make our best to prove the consulates how the Armenian people are skillful, honest and eager to absorb knowledge, to make the same agree with how much desire we feel for reformation and security,

-5. Notwithstanding where we are and what we do, the European travellers with whom we run across should be greeted with cheerful face, the Armenians hospitality should be displayed. The old Armenian stories should be told to them for they become a backer of the Armenian Cause (Hai Tahd),

 -6. Such matters should be made known to synods, priests and Church communities and efforts to insinuate the same should be made,

-7. The Ottoman Empire would not be in a position to hinder sincere relations which you would establish with the European travellers. If oppression and torture is inflicted owing to such relations, the local government authorities and the consulate the nearest to sites should be made familiar with the situation, and all happenings with all details required should be written to the Patriarchate.

Matheos Izmirlian

-In the meantime, the primate Matheos Izmirlian, who was the acting Patriarch in Istanbul, was not dallying away and battered the bishoprics with correspondences. If these latter are carefully investigated, it exhibits itself that the Patriarchate was openly in betrayal, that the conduct it had chosen for itself to pursue was subversive, conducive to bringing intervention by foreign powers and contingent on seeking autonomy at the end(50).

-The province of Sivas was one of the Six Provinces (Alti Vilayet=Vilayat-i Sitte) on which the Armenians were laying claim. In other words, these were lands located West of Armenia which was planned to set up. Therefore, in terms of the allegations by the Armenians made. It was of a distinct significance. The coded correspondences pertinent to the years 1881 and 1882 which conveyed to the Home Office activities against the government conducted by the Patriarchate, forwarded by the governor of Sivas, Hakki Pasha, were drawing attention to the following matters(51)

-1. The Patriarchate had started to forward circulars to bishoprics indicating that preparations for initiating a revolt and inciting uprisings were under way,

-2. The Patriarchate had dismissed some bishops and priests in their right minds, whom had grasped the fact that revolts and uprisings would bring no outlet to Armenians, that interests of the Armenian community would be much harmed by, whom had rejected abiding by the instructions issued by the Patriarchate (which had some of these priests killed) and had nominated in their steads younger, much more aggressive ones,

-3. The Patriarchate, with circulars sent underhanded, had attempted taking population censuses, which was a commission to be performed by government authorities, with a view to indicating to European Powers that their parties held majority in the Six Provinces,

-4. The Patriarchate had collected duties from the Armenians under various names (under the colour such as aid to the Armenians who suffered from dearth, reimbursement of the debts payable for the Holy Jerusalem) and initiated large scale campaigns in Europe through press media in favor of the Armenians and against the Turks. As a consequence of such campaign, even the most ordinary events of murder were being displayed in the press as the killing in mass of the Armenians. Reports of murders published by the press had most of the times
no connection whatsoever with the Armenian Question. In brief, the events were being turned upside down to continue a campaign which was contingent on calumniation, slander and fabrication,

-5. The Patriarchate had on hand hundred of thousands liras (gold) amassed under the colour of "aid" from the Armenians. With a portion of the monies thus collected, the armed mobs acting in collaboration with the local volunteers initiated acts of terrorism after their being introduced to the country from the Russian borders into the Eastern Anatolia,

-6. The priests, in the course of the last three to four years had washed brains of the entire Armenian communities to go down to little children taking instruction at schools and thus had uprooted respect and obedience against instructions issued by the governmental authorities,

-7. The Patriarchate, further to its acting as leader in the establishment of the committees, had made huge sums allocated to such committees. There is benefit in mentioning that these committees were under order and sway of the Patriarchate.
-Following the death of Nerses Varjabedian in the year 1884, as Patriarch in his stead, was nominated the bishop of Erzurum Harouthioun Vehabedian (18851888) in the year 1885. This latter did not approve policy pursued by Migirditch Khrimian and Nerses Varjabedian and was convinced that awaiting any hope for help from Europe for the improvement of the Armenians situation in Turkey was of no avail. In the meantime, the former Patriarch Khrimian and his followers continued their programmes of defeatism. On the other hand, the Armenian bishops in accordance with instructions provided to themselves were active in the provinces of the Eastern Anatolia and were not shrinking from doing whatsoever is necessary to ascertain European powers' intervention. The Patriarch Harouthioun Vehabedian was familiar with preparations made underhand both at overseas and in provinces. In the meanwhile, the Patriarchate of Armenian Church in Jerusalem, with the decease of the Patriarch Yesayi Karabedian (1864-1885), had become vacant. By taking advantage of the vacancy and acting with the hunch of grievances and difficulties to arise in years ahead, the Patriarch decided to quit the Patriarchate of Istanbul to become the Patriarch of Jerusalem. At long last, with the ratification reluctantly conceded by the Sublime Porte, he was nominated Patriarch of Jerusalem(52).

Your high priest started telling his made up tall tale almost a full six weeks before a single Armenian behind the Ottoman army packed a bag to leave. Clearly there could not have been a massacre as your state owned church claims. I have the documented proof of this fact from the archives in Moscow, London, Paris, and Washington, D. C. What do you say about that?

Samuel Weems, in a 2002 reply to hate mail