Submitted by Deniz Bülent Tolga (Turkey), Dec 24, 2005 at 09:10
To ask this question,a person should either be ignorant or have an "Hidden Agenda".
Turkey made a revolution in 1920's.I'll briefly point some revolutionary actions that are relative to our subject.
-Ottoman Empire was ruled by an emperor who was also "Caliph" (khalifah as some people say).After revolution we have cancelled the authority of the emperor and caliph.
We said no one can claim to be the representative of god.
(People who worry about our religious position still have a Pope by the way)
-We said the state can't claim to have a religion because State should be equally close to it's citizens no matter their beliefs.
(Please look at your country's constitution...most of yours have a religion right?)
-Ottoman empire was using Religious laws.Our revolution changed it into modern laws.
-We gave women their rights before many European countries.
-In education we have changed the Islamic system into modern education.(We started to study Voltaire,Camus etc. instead of many Islamic lessons.)
(i remember Germany teaching students about Luther who doesn't like Turks and Jews)
I can give many other examples but i guess these will be enough.If you think we are living like Arabs or the people in Iran you are totally mistaken.
I admit there are people who want Islamic laws etc. but these people are everywhere in every religion...there are fanatic christians as well.But our revolution has started 85 years ago and in 3 generations (my grandfather,father and me) we made an unbelievable progress.There is no turning back.People can live their religion no matter jew,christian or muslim.
The plan is making Turkey a conservative country.Because conservative people doesn't want revolutionist actions.
Let's give an example English teachers were forcing intelligent Indian students to memorize logarithmic table (which is a book long) so students would not think about their country and freedom.Keeping their minds closed made India an "easy colony" for some time.
These religious subjects works the same way.But Turkish people like me are aware of these dangers.Don't worry about us (hahaha if you care).This head-minister Erdogan can make a step backwards but our reforms will continue with him or without him.Turkish youth is here to protect Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's work.(for your information he is the founder of modern Turkey)
Let's think for a second...which president is talking about crusades?Tayyip Erdogan?or Bush?...Bush
Which one is claiming to have "Missions from God?" Erdogan or Bush???....Bush
Now here is my question....Is USA going Christianistic?
With respects
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