YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS: Servants of Armenian Apostolic Church began to pay great attention to propaganda of spiritual values in social networks, particularly in Facebook. They locate periodically in their accounts parts from Bible and comments having the aim to introduce to the youth ideas from Bible. About propaganda in Facebook, challenges and problems of Armenian Apostolic Church “Armenpress” had an interview with pastor of Saint Hovhannes Church in Yerevan Shmavon priest Ghevondyan.

- Many of our priests have their accounts in Facebook and locate there parts from Bible. How useful is it for spreading spiritual values?

In past I also had an account in Facebook. I see that our fathers in Jerusalem are very active in social networks. Today this propaganda is very actual. There is only one danger: such pages become source of rumors. Besides it will be better if in social networks our compatriots write only in Armenian. Social network can be both useful and harmful for people. I think last year the gay parade was prevented due to social networks.

Each thing which is connected with Christianity can be considered as spiritual value, including all those things which can make people more beautiful, rise from its materialistic state. But not everything is spiritual value. There is a trend today that allegedly all those things which are not material are spiritual but it is wrong: real spiritual value is connected with church and God. It will be right to call them “Christian values”. They are propagated both in Facebook and media as there is a need for it. People are tired from everything material; they began to miss Christian values.

But there is also another danger: some people put “toxic” things under spiritual value and we get what we have today. In result of it family values weaken, human relations feel crisis. It is wrong to get used that near us can be homosexuals. Today they have many supporters. It is not a matter of human freedom. We also realize that there is a concept of “liberty” but moral must exist in everything. Paul the Apostle said that we can do everything but not everything is useful. It is wrong to support and propagate it.

- And how we can struggle against such challenges?

We must struggle against it with the help off law. Some weeks ago our young peole stood up and could prevent during several days the price increase of transport tariffs. When we are united we can solve our problems. Why can not we tell Europe that our national identity does not let us legalize homosexuality? Or another example: we have church and do not need sectarian organizations. We have right to refuse sectarians if we are Armenian Christians. Church is the nation and we are servants of those people.

- Pope of Rome has account in Twitter. It is normal in abroad but in Armenia it seems that people are not used to it.

If some eight years ago someone saw one of pastors in social networks he would be surprised. In past people were surprised that priests had mobile telephone. People consider that church and being modern are incompatible but church also walks in line with time. For making God’s words available church should use modifications. Naturally Pope of Rome does not govern his account personally. It is not strange in Europe. He uses Twitter as a way of making God’s words available for public.

- Lately sectarians began to organize events in facebook about their gatherings. What opinion do you have on this occasion?

It can not be controlled as there is a liberty of speech. If we try to prevent it they will have right to prevent us. It would be better that social networks had special principles but… We should struggle against such things with “counterblows” – we should write, explain that such events are wrong and we must avoid them.

Interview by Roza Grigoryan