Talk:Serbian

A Question

So, just Orthodox Serbs can be considered “ethnic Serbs”? There’s a strange mix between ethnicity and religion here. So if a Serb converts from Orthodoxy or became atheist or agnostic he’s not a Serb anymore, even if his everyday life besides religion remains the same?--MaGioZal 08:33, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

Where is it written just Orthodox Serbs can be considered “ethnic Serbs”? I don't understand your confusion. Please elaborate. --Biblbroks's talk 10:03, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

The thing is that I think it’s strange to relate ethnicity to religion in a so direct way. For example, if a Catholic Italian becames Protestant, he remains a Italian. That’s the point.--MaGioZal 10:53, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

Answer

Serbs don't consider religion to be a choice. You are born into your religion, and you are tasked to carry on your traditions. The national and ethnic identity are considered intertwined with religion, if not the same. Serb may consider himself a Serb and an "agnostic", but if he voiced that in public he would be socially ostracized in different ways.

Many "Serbs" were indoctrinated to be atheists during the communist rule, and they continue to be so, but true Serbs are considered those that follow Orthodox Christianity and live traditional Serbian lives. This is true for pretty much the entire society. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.113.134.157 (talk) 07:07, 26 July 2011 (UTC)

The tribe of Serbs within the ancient Slavic people was so named before the concepts of christianity were ever brought to them. Therefore, unless they themselves desire otherwise and renounce it, and even then only by name, the ethnicity of a person doesn't and can't be changed. The fact you use the quotation marks when referring to the people who were indoctrinated tells more about you, but never the less - if it weren't for indoctrination, the religions would've died out and atheism would've thrived. Unfortunatelly, it is not so. --PrimEviL 05:21, 9 April 2015 (UTC)