“Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia famously switched from a Christian church to a mosque in 1453. The same sort of conversions have been taking place in Buffalo’s East Side.”
The same sort? Really? The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS (which you can order here) recounts how, after over seven hundred years of trying, the warriors of jihad finally entered the great city of Constantinople on May 29, 1453. When they did, they made the streets run with rivers of blood. Muslims raided monasteries and convents, emptying them of their inhabitants, and plundered private houses. They entered the Hagia Sophia, which for nearly a thousand years had been the grandest church in Christendom. The Muslims then killed the elderly and weak and led the rest off into slavery.
The Byzantine scholar Bessarion wrote to the Doge of Venice in July 1453, saying that Constantinople had been
…sacked by the most inhuman barbarians and the most savage enemies of the Christian faith, by the fiercest of wild beasts. The public treasure has been consumed, private wealth has been destroyed, the temples have been stripped of gold, silver, jewels, the relics of the saints, and other most precious ornaments. Men have been butchered like cattle, women abducted, virgins ravished, and children snatched from the arms of their parents.
When the slaughter and pillage was finished, Mehmet II ordered an Islamic scholar to mount the high pulpit of the Hagia Sophia and declare that there was no God but Allah, and Muhammad was his prophet. The magnificent old church was turned into a mosque; hundreds of other churches in Constantinople and elsewhere suffered the same fate. Millions of Christians joined the ranks of the dhimmis; others were enslaved, and many were killed.
That’s how the Hagia Sophia “famously switched from a Christian church to a mosque,” and Salon is trying to make that bloodbath out to be a routine real estate transaction. It’s all part of the establishment media’s universal tendency to minimize, ignore, or deny outright the reality of Islamic jihad, and to whitewash Islamic doctrine and history.
“A new solution for America’s empty churches: A change of faith,” by Ashima Krishna, Salon, August 31, 2019 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):
Over the past few decades, vacant and underutilized churches have become a familiar sight in American cities.
In some cases, a congregation or a religious governing body — say, a Catholic diocese — will sell the church to developers, who then turn them into apartments, offices, art galleries, museums, breweries or performance spaces.
But what about churches in neighborhoods that aren’t doing well, areas that are less attractive to developers looking to turn a profit?
In Buffalo, New York, two empty Roman Catholic churches were recently converted — not into apartments or offices, but into other places of worship. One became an Islamic mosque, the other a Buddhist temple.
As an architect and historic preservation planner, I was drawn to this phenomenon. With the help of Enjoli Hall, who was then a graduate student at University at Buffalo, I interviewed those involved in converting the former churches.
With immigrant and refugee populations growing in post-industrial cities across the U.S., the conversion of vacant Christian churches into new places of worship can preserve historic architecture and strengthen burgeoning communities….
Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia famously switched from a Christian church to a mosque in 1453.
The same sort of conversions have been taking place in Buffalo’s East Side. Many former Catholic churches have, over the years, been converted into other denominations — Baptist, African Methodist Episcopal and Evangelical — to accommodate the area’s African American community.
But several former Christian churches in Buffalo’s East Side also now serve as sites of worship for other religions. Two mosques, Bait Ul Mamur Inc. Masjid and Masjid Zakariya, used to be Saint Joachim’s Roman Catholic Church and Holy Mother of Rosary Polish National Catholic Church, respectively….
Utis says
“… switched ..” How can someone with a Hindu surname mean this word as anything but sarcasm? I’m currently at the spot in Robert’s book where Islam is “enriching” the temples and artworks of India. Don’t Hindu-Americans teach their kids the reality of history? This boob would be laughable, but this is not a funny topic.
SAFI says
Somewhere between “Hagia Sophia switched to a mosque” and “Islam came to India”, I think I’m starting to get the idea of how this works. Hear no evil, See no evil, Speak no evil about the Religion of Peace, (or else…)
The Left seems to be consciously trying to whitewash and vindicate the history of past violent Islamic Conquest in order to facilitate further Islamic Conquest in the present.
Isntlam says
Great work, Robert.
CogitoErgoSum says
So how much money did the Christians get out that Hagia Sophia real estate deal?
gravenimage says
Good question, Of course, those able to flee with their lives were the lucky ones.
GreekEmpress says
I can’t tell you how angry I got reading that Salon article—and seeing a picture of our beloved Hagia Sofia—yet again—with those horrible minarets!
Free Constantinople!!!!
Alexios Comnenis says
Amen!Amen!
CRUSADER says
?
Alexius I Comnenus, was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118. Although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. Inheriting a collapsing empire and faced with constant warfare during his reign against both the Seljuq Turks in Asia Minor and the Normans in the western Balkans, Alexios was able to curb the Byzantine decline and begin the military, financial, and territorial recovery known as the Komnenian restoration. The basis for this recovery were various reforms initiated by Alexios. His appeals to Western Europe for help against the Turks were also the catalyst that likely contributed to the convoking of the Crusades.
The unexpected voice says
Yeah, and this article should call it Constantinople or Konstantinoupoulos. five hundred frik’in sixty-six year is too long, far too long. Constantinople need to be retaken by Christendom.
No Muzzies Here says
They say “switched” although they know that it was forcibly converted by violent Muslims who killed and enslaved people. The choice of words is to go easy on Muslims, who are never held to the same standards as normal humans.
The World Trade Centers “switched” from occupied, to rubble encasing 3,000 corpses because of actions by Muslims.
gravenimage says
This last is grimly spot on.
somehistory says
It was not a “famous switching”…it was an **infamous brutality, a mass torturing and murder** of those who had built the church and were still using it at the time.
“As an architect and historic preservation planner”….you, the author, should know and be fully aware that when moslims buy or forcibly takeover a church, they don’t leave it as they found it. They don’t care about the history of the building…except to gloat over the fact that it was a church and now it isn’t.
The unceasing efforts of moslims and those who work for them to make islam and moslims who practice it look nice, peaceful, helpful, …is enough to gag all of the maggots on their fake prophet’s ugly corpse.
Yani jahosafat says
It was built on the site of a pagan temple and then the pagans became the christian’ s and then the Muslims thought they were something and didn’t know the whole time it was a pagan temple originally. DOH!;
KWJ says
I was thinking the same thing. Some historic preservation planner-the Hagia Sophia was gutted inside ruining its art, mosaics, etc. and it looks garish inside now. She’s either tone deaf or it was said with a smirk since the Hagia Sophia was taken by force not sold.
The quality of article writers is plummeting. They forfeit their dignity to regurgitate dumbed-down narratives or otherwise they are clueless. I hear youth repeating these things and it’s like you have to re-program them.
CRUSADER says
And writers don’t bother to proofread.
Very clumsy, mushy-minded. Irresponsible.
CRUSADER says
“Switched”
Written by a relativist.
Angemon says
Exactly the kind of “quality” journalism I’ve come to expect from Salon…
Elaine says
Northern former mill in the UK that are run by Muslim elected mayors have seen churches bought at knock down prices and turned into Islamic centres, Halal food warehouses and mosques.
DHazard says
Muslim real estate deal: You give us everything you own/made/invented/built while we kill, rape and enslave you. You create – we destroy or steal. It’s the way of the Prophet.
gravenimage says
+1
Keys says
Not in the image of the Creator, but of the Destroyer.
“You didn’t build that”.
CRUSADER says
Mafia “deal you can’t refuse”
AvantiBev says
Vatican II syncretism and savage destruction of the Holy Mass: the gift that keeps on giving. Thank God and pray God that the conservative, traditionally minded young seminarians coming through the seminaries now may not be too late. The biological solution will rid of us of most Father Flakey Rainbow Sunshines…not too late I hope.
Lasso a train says
You say you are an architect ,then you must realize that the Muslims in all their Infinite wisdom made a mosque out of a Christian church that was built on the site of a pagan temple to the sun. Which probably was the temple of apollo., imagine that. It’s true before the 3 churches that. Have occupied the spot there was a pagan temple.
And for your idea that Christian churches are in decline try again Mohamed.. there is something you better get thru your turbin before you go wasting your time. The supreme court in1892 in thecase theholy trinity vs theU.S. ruled in favor of the holy trinity .the honorable supreme court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes concluded that the united States was a CHRISTIAN country.although you are welcome to worship how you please you will not be allowed to make demands that deride the fact we are a Christian country , that is to say if you don’t like seeing a monument in the shape of a crossthat reminds us Christians of the sacrifice Jesus CHRIST suffered so that we may live ,then we are sorry you are not happy living in a Christian country just as we would or be happy living in an Islamic country and would do everything in our power to escape. They ruled this way because all of our founding documents and our laws reflect this.so much so that our laws and our Christian faith have become inseparable. Just as we are one nation. Under God ,indivisible. And if that’s not enough to convince you the nexttime you buy food and clothes, and anything,even a plane ticket please take note that it to reflects our Christian values when it says in God We Trust and not Allah.
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
When you see something like this get published, you gotta wonder what they’re actually thinking. The piece’s author is named Ashima Krishna, whom I take to be a Hindu, so she’s probably deluded, a self-imposed regimen about Moslems that afflicts them. But my guess is that the editor who let the piece be published probably had a more cynical silent thought when approving it. If he’s that smart.
Kurt buckler says
He can’t be that smart considering that the Muslims in all there infinite wisdom turned a Christian church that was built on the site of a pagan temple into a mosque. And now want Christian churches in America not knowing that the supreme court already decided in 1892 the holy trinity vs the U S. That this is a Christian country. They have the right to worship how they please but our laws and underlying beliefs are not negotiable. Christian values are what our laws are based on .And they are insepeable.we are a Christian country based on Christian values and you are not going to turn us into a bunch of Muslims period.not for sale.
Jon Sobieski says
It’s condescending Christianity. Make Christianity look like a loser. Maybe as a Hindu, she resents Christianity. That and the Muslim dhimmi delusion mesh well.
FYI says
Yes,Christianity is made to look like a loser and islam triumphant.
Yet, contrary to the belief of those who despise Christianity{ the msm,lefties,muslims,globalists etc}and think Christianity is on the way out…it really isn’t.
“many people will give up the faith at that time”
Matthew 24 v 10
It is in accordance with the prophetic teachings of Jesus that there would be an Apostasy.
muslims love taking over churches like Hagia Sophia:they see it as a great triumph.
It is really pathetic when you think about it….and one would imagine a Hindu would see that,in the light of centuries of islamic desecration of Hndu temples.
gravenimage says
I doubt that this is deliberately nefarious. More likely she just doesn’t have a clue what a Muslim takeover actually means.
Lassoatrain says
Where are my comments islam?
You think this is any way to treat the people allowing you to worship in our country freely .you will not allow my voice to be herd In my own Christian country , is this how Muslims do things , sort of sleezy if you want to know what I think . Not an honorable people more of a thieving mob mentality ..hand
gravenimage says
Salon: “Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia famously switched from a Christian church to a mosque in 1453”
………………………..
That’s one way of putting it–after raping, enslaving, or murdering those who had taken sanctuary in the great cathedral.
Is Ashima Krishna ignorant of history, or is this a deliberate whitewash? She’s a “preservation planner”–as if aggressive Muslims taking
More:
The same sort of conversions have been taking place in Buffalo’s East Side.
………………………..
In that case, these churches would have been seized from the parishioners, and all of them murdered or enslaved. Is this the sort of “switch” she has in mind?
It may come to that some day here in the United States, if we don’t fully stop the flood of Muslims here.
And Muslims love to take over Christian and other places of worship. This is a core part of Muslim supremacy.
Marigold says
The Hagia Sophia is a museum at the moment but for how long?
SAFI says
Erdogan has already de facto re-converted it into a quasi-mosque, where islamic prayed is being recited.
https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2018/04/02/erdogan-recites-islamic-prayer-hagia-sophia-easter-weekend/
https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/05/25/muslims-demand-turkey-convert-hagia-sophia-into-mosque/
But despite polls showing overwhelming turkish public support for such a move, I’m not so sure whether the rulers of Turkey will go ahead and revoke its Museum status, because that would be a bit like killing the Goose that lays the Golden Egg, since as a museum the building attracts millions of visitors every year who leave their money there. Converting it back to mosque could be a big blow to Istanbul’s turism derived revenue.
SAFI says
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/istanbul-s-hagia-sophia-is-at-the-centre-of-a-battle-for-turkey-s-soul-1.3342259
Mark Spahn (West Seneca, NY) says
What we need is not the conversion of churches to mosques and temples, but the rededication of churches to hitherto unappreciated saints.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=gregory+the+great+church&t=h_&ia=web
lists some of the churches in the United States — including one in Buffalo, NY — that were built in honor of Saint Gregory the Great. Why is he called “the Great”? To distinguish him from another, lesser Saint Gregory. We need to rename churches to honor Saint Gregory the Not So Great, the patron saint of the mediocre.
sidney penny says
Shades of what they say happened in India.
sidney penny says
https://www.amazon.in/Hindu-Temples-Happened-Islamic-Evidence/dp/8185990948
Hindu Temples: What Happened to Them, Vol.2: The Islamic Evidence
by Arun Shourie, Sita Ram Goel
The subject of this volume is not so much the destruction of Hindu temples as the character of Islam.
The story of the conversion of non-Islamic places of worship into mosques world wide.
Hagia Sophia is just one of many many.
https://www.hindustanbooks.com/pdfs/10120488-Hindu-TemplesWhat-Happend-to-Them-by-Sita-Ram-Goel.pdf
Hindu Temples – What Happened to Them is a two-volume book by Sita Ram Goel, Arun Shourie, Harsh Narain, Jay Dubashi and Ram Swarup. The first volume was published in the Spring of 1990.
The first volume includes a list of 2,000 mosques that they claims were built on Hindu temples, based primarily on the books of Muslim historians of the period or inscriptions found on mosques.
The second volume excerpts from medieval histories and chronicles and from inscriptions concerning the destruction of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples.
The authors claim that the material presented in the book as “the tip of an iceberg”.
Lydia Church says
Such a change of faith will lead you to hell.
Better to leave the buildings empty than to invite the devil in to make converts!
And yes, there is no comparison between that and the Hagia Sophia.
Ugh!
don vito says
Must we follow the stupid donkeys (dhimmis) that lead us?
CRUSADER says
Such as political dhimmirat party?
Green Infidel says
Don’t worry – at home the author’s probably still a good Hindu girl. Just that at work, she’s likely going for a promotion, and this article is the result… If there’s any opportunity for feedback, we may let her know what we think, and possibly educate some Salon readers in the process.
Wombat says
She’s not just a journalist – it says at the bottom of the article that she’s Assistant Professor, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
Charles Martel says
Maybe you can con Stan and Opal. But you can’t con me.