assyrian nationalism – the ideology of a united assyrian people – is to a great degree based on a common and specific historic, ethnic, religious, linguistic, cultural and geographic background and heritage. it is espoused by almost all mesopotamian east aramaic-speaking assyrians. they are exclusively christians, with most assyrians following the assyrian church of the east, chaldean catholic church, syriac orthodox church, syriac catholic church, ancient church of the east and protestant groups like the assyrian pentecostal church and assyrian evangelical church, as well as those that are irreligious.