Iconography in the Assyrian Church of the East

[Paul Younan]

Well, I don't know if I would be so extreme as to not perform the funeral.

Oh yeah, they were threatened with being thrown out of the building. Grieving family or not, we are sorry for your loss, but the Beth-Qanke (sanctuary) is not going to be defiled with pagan imagery. If we do not allow iconic imagery from the New Testament or a statue of Mary and Joseph, what makes people think the ancient false deity Ashur would be acceptable? Is this a temple to Ashur, or a Edtha of Meshikha? I would rather have a stature of Mary, at least that's a New Testament character!

Look at the Greeks, they have a Cross on their flag. They are a Christian nation. Could you imagine if the Greek flag had an image of Zeus on there? What would the clergy of the Greek Orthodox Church do? I don't think for one second they would allow that flag on their altar!

What do our idiots choose as a flag design? One that includes the disgusting image, not only of Ashur, Akhi, but also of Shammash. That star in the center is a very old Babylonian symbol of the sun deity, Shammash.

Absolutely revolting. And has no place in the Church.

By the way Akhi Paul- why do you guys yourselves "Assyrians" when you are actually Arameans?

Well, that's a very complicated question. As you may know, there is a lot of controversy within our community on the topic.

We are Assyrians, because we live in Assyria. Just like I am American. That's speaking geographically, not necessarily ethnically.

However, there are 3 or 4 schools of thought. The predominant one states that we are Assyrians geographically as well as ethnically. Secondly, there are those who hold to the Arameans theory. And, of course, the third theory is Chaldeans. After that, there are those who recognize the historical truth that the Assyrian empire consisted of many races and subjugated peoples, the "lost 10 tribes" including Arameans, Chaldeans, etc. That all these groups were integrated within the greater "Assyrian" identity. I belong to the latter school of thought.

+Shamasha