UI – Part 408 – Turkey has Become a Turkey

Change Coming to Turkey

A recent Internet posting from the Gatestone Institute (gatestoneinstitute.org) has made it clear that President Erdogan is radically changing this secular Country, causing it to motor more rapidly down a highway towards a theocracy, or as a minimum a secular state with a rule of law dictated by the basics of Islamic Law in an extremist fashion. Making it more Islamic is reflected in the autocratic, dictatorial, practices and thinking of Erdogan towards his countrymen as well as the rest of the world. Excerpts from the noted Gatestone posting paint the picture.

“Erdogan recently threatened Italy that its bilateral relations with Turkey could deteriorate if Italian prosecutors investigating Erdogan’s son, Bilal, for money laundering, proceeded with their probe. ‘Italy should be attending to the mafia, not my son,’ Erdogan said. Typically, he does not understand the existence of independent judiciary in a European country. He thinks, as in an Arab sheikdom, prosecutors are liable to drop charges on orders from the prime minister.

“Even Turkish Cypriots on the divided island fear that Erdogan’s Islamization campaign may target their tiny statelet. On August 3, 2016, about 1,500 people from 80 groups spanning the political spectrum took to the streets in Nicosia to protest against “Turkey’s attempt to mold their secular culture into one that’s more in tune with Islamic norms.

“Europe’s ‘Turkish problem’ is not only about the fact that in a fortnight a bomb attack wrecked a terminal of the country’s biggest airport and a coup attempt killed nearly 250 people; nor is it about who rules the country. It is about the undeniable democratic deficit both in governance and popular culture.”

Subsequent to the coup attempt many citizens of Turkey, outspoken possibly, have been removed and jailed for speaking out against Erdogan. It has become an opportunity for this President to cleanse his nation of those who would oppose him or his regime.

Europe Turning Away

Called a “Turkey-to-Bridge” was a cryptic description of a hope that a bridge from the democracies of Europe to the Middle East might be possible, thus serious consideration for EU entry, but not without changes that saw modernity become more present in the theater of Islamism. The bridge is now filled with potholes that few believe can be filled. Entry into the EU seems less likely for Turkey today than ever. Erdogan is damaging this nation and reversing any progress made to become an acceptable democracy. The harm is to the citizens who do not want what Erdogan is offering, but are subject to becoming a dissenter and finding any day police at their door to take them away so their voices are never to be heard again.

The Problem Islam (and now Turkey) Has with Gays

(the quotes are from a Gatestone Institute posting)

“In only the past couple of weeks, Turkey was in the headlines with jaw-dropping news. In Istanbul, a secretary at a daily newspaper was attacked by a group of people who accused her of ‘wearing revealing clothes and supporting the July 15 failed coup.’ She was six months pregnant.

“Also in Istanbul, a Syrian gay refugee was murdered: he had been beheaded and mutilated. One social worker helping LGBT groups said: ‘Police are doing nothing because he is Syrian and because he is gay.’

“Turkey is dangerous not only for gays and refugees. A French tourist was left bloodied and beaten by Turkish nationalists after he refused to hold a Turkish flag. Grisly footage shows the gang, encouraged by Erdogan to patrol the streets on ‘democracy watch,’ telling the man ‘You will be punched if you don’t hold the flag.” The tourist is alone and does not appear to speak Turkish.’

Democracy

The term ‘democracy watch’ is ironic.  It is more the rising up in this modern Muslim nation of a vigilante Erdogan security force to purge those who seek democracy. It is taking steps backwards instead of forward, a practice common to Islamist dictators blinded by Muhammad and Allah and the ulema that guide and prod them to believe a sanitized people living under Sharia, without freedom, will be happy as 2016 becomes more like 632.

There is much more to this story and the reversal of the evolution of another Muslim majority country with a western look, attempting to modernize.  This happened with Afghanistan by the Taliban (beginning with the Russian invasion in December of 1979 – Carter was U.S. President), and Iran with the coup of its Prime Minister Mossedegh in 1953 (Eisenhower was U.S. President), and the subsequent overthrow of the Shah by the Khomeini and his forces (Iran Revolution in January 1979 – Carter was U.S. President).  In these areas residents once dressed like most of the world, there was no requirement for burkas or hijabs, education was open to all, boys and girls, literacy was on the uptick, women were able to walk and talk in public, even be with a man, Christians could pray, preach and proselytize, there were churches, and secular governments were active.  The countries were beginning to prosper and tourists were feeling safe as they visited. But then the sword of Muhammad entered the picture.

Concerned

I pray and fear for the residents of Turkey, to those we refer to as Moderate Muslims, as they should have realized years ago when Erdogan proclaimed there is no such thing as a moderate Islam, saying, “The Term ‘Moderate Islam’ Is Ugly And Offensive; There Is No Moderate Islam; Islam Is Islam.”

Maybe it is time for the moderate Muslims throughout the world, and certainly in Turkey, to reconsider whether or not they are truly people of the ideology of Islam. It may take an awakening and revival of spirit, but not under Allah and the example Muhammad, but as an independent thinker who can explore who they are, and proclaim they are not Islamists.  The choices as expressed by converts such as Nabeel Qureshi.  The moderate Muslim has three choices, 1.) become more a scholar of Islam itself, in effect radicalize, 2.) remain ignorant of the truth of Islam, or 3.) find another path, as a Christian, atheist, or other, but not Muslim.  Escape the chains that bind moderates to Islam by culture or heritage.

A Choice to be Considered

As an aside, the Christian choice in likely for those who believe strongly in the supernatural (Allah) and the afterlife, which requires salvation. God, his saving grace, has made that possible for those that believe in Christ. As Christ followers salvation is assured.  Christians are as convicted as they want to be, as devout as they want to be, and practiced as they want to be.  The burdens of something such as the 5 Pillars are lifted and those who are faithful apply themselves as believers, not as rote practitioners to be punished in this world for something that only God should punish. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—“ (Ephesians 2:8).  It is not by works, that is doing what you are required to do, but by faith, which you then do as you believe should be done. You have a heart and a relationship for and with god.  One other reason is freedom.  Christ came to set all humans free from the burdens of the law, the man made, man dictated and man enforced laws.  God’s laws are known inherently.  As a Christian there is hope and joy in this life.  As the Khomeini has said before, there is no fun in Islam.  But that is not so for a follower of Christ.  You are free to believe, not forced to believe.

Eating the Turkey

Erdogan is the Turkey of Turkey!  Erdogan is more as a demon making prey of those who will not bow down to his dictates. He will devour those unacceptable to him and his Party.  He is imposing his will on the people, not their will.  There will be no thanksgiving in Turkey.  What Erdogan is doing is inhumane, notably undemocratic and most Islamic.

Grace and Peace

Don’t forget to get your copies of the books, The Damascus Quran – a Novel, and The Wonder of Terra. Available online: Amazon and TomBalderston.TateAuthor.com