Armenians are strong people. So they are capable of forgiving Turkey for the genocide

Fresno Bee, CA

By Silva Emerian

06:00 AM

Huge crowds of Armenian Americans march during an annual commemoration of the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians under the Ottoman Empire in Los Angeles Wednesday, April 24, 2019. The march was intended to press demands that Turkey, the successor of the Ottoman Empire, recognize the deaths as genocide. Turkey contends the deaths starting in 1915 were due to civil war and unrest. Damian Dovarganes AP

Most of us have experienced hard things: Betrayals. The loss of a loved one. Cross-country moves. Failed marriages. Sick children. Combat. Empty refrigerators. Empty hearts. But the majority of us have never lived through a pandemic. This is hard.

We’re not used to being told to shelter in place and stay at home. We’re not used to waiting in line to get into the grocery store. We’re not used to figuring out online classes and virtual school. We’re not used to canceled events, vacations and graduations. We’re not used to overwhelmed hospitals. We’re not used to this many people being sick and dying all at once.

This is hard.

Silva Emerian Fresno Bee file

But some of us remember living through the Great Depression. Some of us remember what it was like during World War II. Some of us lived through genocide.

The Armenian Genocide was the first holocaust of the 20th century — a crime against humanity resulting in the death of 1.5 million Armenians and the deportation of hundreds of thousands more. It was on April 24, 1915 when the leaders of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey rounded up Armenian businessmen, community leaders and clergy and shot them dead, thus beginning the systematic murder and deportation of all the Christian Armenians living in their (historically Armenian) land.

My great-grandparents were among the survivors. They ended up in Syria, where my parents were born. Others landed in Lebanon, Egypt, the United States, France and Australia, creating a worldwide diaspora. Like seeds, we were scattered around the globe, where we planted schools and churches and new communities. We not only survived — we thrived.

For the last 105 years, the Turkish government has denied that the Armenian Genocide occurred. Despite eyewitness accounts, including that of Henry Morgenthau, U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1913-1916; despite photographic evidence, mass graves and first-person testimony from survivors; despite physical proof and tangible documents making denial unfounded and implausible, the denial continues.

This is hard.

With denial comes a lack of closure. Not having recognition fuels anger. Hearing the stories of suffering, torture and indescribable torment leads to vengeful thoughts. Every year the scab continues to get ripped off. The wound remains open. And a painful legacy continues to get passed down the generations — a legacy of hatred for Turkey.

This hatred, of course, is in direct opposition to our Christian faith. Armenia became the first Christian nation in the world in 301 AD, and it is our faith that has kept us strong for more than 1700 years. It is our faith that enabled us to endure the genocide. And it is our faith that will help us overcome our hatred.

It will be hard. Because without recognition, without an admission, without reparations, how can we progress? How can we just let go of a century of pain? How can we turn the other cheek? How can we possibly move on from the persecution that shaped our modern identity?

There is one way. Forgiveness. With or without recognition, we as Christians can choose to forgive the Turks who killed our ancestors. We can choose to pray for the current government of Turkey that continues its denial. We can choose to bless the more than 98% of Turks who do not know Jesus and pray for the protection of the 0.3% of Christians living in that country.

This will not come naturally to Armenians. We are a stubborn group. We will resist. We will kick and scream. We will outright refuse. We will feel absolutely justified in our pain and anger. And in so doing, we will never move forward as a country or a people.

We have to forgive. We have to pray to reconcile. We have to change our mindset and outlook for Turkey. If we don’t pray for a heart-change in the people there, we can never expect any change in their minds or behavior.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS