joelstrumpet

Hi Metehan. Here we go.

First of all, forgive me for my many questions to you. I have read of Erkenegon and Fethullah Gulen, but much of what I read leaves me with many more questions. I hope you can answer them for me. And there is nothing like getting first hand accounts from a Turkish citizen who can tell what the newspapers don't. I appreciate your help.

From my reading it seems the ' deep state' is comprised of business, political, and military leaders, and their followers who are secular Attaturks. Is this true ? If they are also muslim, why do they fear an Islamic state in Turkey ? Is it because they fear they will lose control of their respective organizations, and their authority, and money ? What political party do they generally endorse ?

Fethullah Gulen is popular in America also. I'm not sure of the number of his followers here, but he is involved in many aspects here, most of which are hard to trace as he does not take any credit. He works mostly in organizations and universities that further his teachings. It has been said of him if he returns to Turkey he will be welcomed much as Ayatollah Khomieni of Iran was in his time. Then there will be a Spiritual revolution in Turkey, but of course it will not be like Iran was. Do you think this is possible, and what do you think will be the future for Turkey if this happens ? Are you Fethullahci ?

Metehan, please feel free to ask me any question, and I will respond. I am just a man of no particular consequence here in America, a US citizen.
I live in Southern California in the mountains near the Mexican border.
I am Christian.

God Bless You

David

Metehan, I will be offline for a few days while I complete a construction project in my house. Sorry. I will be back soon.

God Bless You

David

"From my reading it seems the ' deep state' is comprised of business, political, and military leaders, and their followers who are secular Ataturk."

Ergenekon is not the whole deep state. As I said before, Ergenekon is the action part of the deep state. And yes, Ergenekon supporters are Atatürkçü (like Fethullahci). They claim that AKP is undermining Atatürk's secular ideology. Normally, secular ideology is anti-religious. But, in Turkey this is twisted that a person can both become a Muslim and secular. Because, actually most of Turkish people don't know what really secularism is. They say I support secularism and I am a good Muslim. And some of our citizens act like supporting secularism although they don't, because there is a huge psychological pressure on people through media. A person can't say I support Sharia freely. This gives rise to AKP. I believe that the core squad of AKP don't support secularism. But, you can never read that an AKP member of parliament said s/he supports Sharia. In the same way, a person who hate Islam can't say freely that s/he hates Islam, but they mostly criticize Islamc rules. Yet, still they claim that they are good Muslims. It is ironic, isn't it? We have a proverb "Horse trace is mixed with dog trace". If you don't know deeply what is what, you can't understand who is who in Turkey.
To simplify, CHP supporters are hard secularism supporters. AKP supporters are mostly keen to Sharia but they can't say that. Another party is MHP (nationalist party). Half of them thinks like AKP supporters and the other half thinks like CHP. But, I want to share a survey result that according to Gallup, 74% of Turkish people are keen to Sharia law.
Andd it is also important to note that approxiamtely 17% of Turks are Alevi. They think in accordence with an Islamic ideology, which is distorted I think, that Ali (an Islamic saint) should have been the first caliphate rather than Abu Bekir and also they think that there is no reason to pray salah 5 times every day, because Ali has prayed all of our salahs, something like Jesus sacrificed himself for Christians' sins. Because of that distorted idea, Alevis are far away from Islamic culture. Most of them don't go to mosques. The core squad of Ergenekon comprised of Alevis. They hate Sharia. They fear Islamic state both bacause of their hate of Sharia and because they will lose their authority, control, prestige and money. Actually the latter overweighs. And as you can guess, they generally endorse CHP.

"It has been said of him if he returns to Turkey he will be welcomed much as Ayatollah Khomieni of Iran was in his time. Then there will be a Spiritual revolution in Turkey"

No. This is Micheal Rubin's fabrication. Khomieni and Gülen are very different persons. Gülen's objective is not just turn Turkey to Sharia. Althoug he never says that he will do that, actually I believe that he is dreaming that. But, as I said it is not the only dream of Gulen. Gulen wants Turkey to be again as powerful as Ottoman Empire under Islamic rules. Therefore, he encouraged his supporters to open schools and universites around the world (from Argentine to Indonesia, more than 1000 schools). But, it is crucial to note that he does not support radicalism, Al-Qaida, Taliban, etc.. He emulates Gandhi in that way. He never wants to use guns to turn the country to Sharia. He gains the hearts of people. Their supporters are volunteer to spend their lives fully for that dawa. Anyway, his turn will not trigger anything. Maybe Turkey will turn to Sharia in the future, but that will not start with his turn. This is a process that takes many years. Our public's sensitivity to Islam raised in the last 30 years.

Finally, I am not Fethullahci, but I support Fethullah Gülen.

God Bless you...

Hi Metehan. Back online finally. Actually, it went well and we are ahead of schedule.

Thanks for your insightful reply. I didn't realize the core of Erkenegon is Alevi. I know little about them so I will have to study some more about their demographics. What you said makes sense to me, that it is about control, power, and money.

Much the same here in the US. And the reporting in the media does not tell the whole truth. Here in the US the media is mostly liberal and they support only their causes, so the truth of a matter is hidden unless you look elsewhere for the facts and the implications of events. The support for Obama is phenomenal to me, a conservative with social tendencies. His domestic policies reach towards socialism, very disdainful to me. But I tend to agree with his foreign policy, if in fact he is willing to partner with other nations for peace and prosperity instead of dictate to them. The jury is still out in this matter with his policy towards Israel and Iran being a focal point for me. The rhetoric, threats, and hate coming from Iran must stop, and Israel should not be forced into an arrangement by the US or anyone else. Israel is fully capable of negotiating a peace with her neighbors without interference from outsiders once all can agree the support for hate and terrorist actions must end. Such a thing is possible, but it will take a lot of time to fully come about. National Israel in no angel either, I do not give blind support. Yet this is the land of my God, and I pray His Will Be Done.

I read a lot of end times Scripture amongst my other reading. Are you familiar with any Christian end times beliefs ? Maybe you are thinking I am like so many others who believe the end times are upon us. I don't know if they are, honestly. I hope not, but still I watch for events that may be important. Scripture speaks of many, many events that must take place. A peace with Israel and her neighbors seems to be a crucial point in time. But this peace must fulfill perfectly every single aspect of Scripture to be the final times. Who can know everything in this matter ?
Still , I watch.

I like much of Fethullah Gulens writing. He brings a quality to islam that is refreshing. While there is much fear of radical islam, but he brings a moderation that I hope catches on. Yet I have a fear that I have a difficult time describing. Much like the Obama phenomenon here in the US I feel there is something that is hidden from view. Maybe I am just an old skeptic, I don't know. I hope for the best, yet have reservations if this is possible. It will take so much effort on the part of so many, and for some time. But I pray for peace, and trust it will come one day.

I would like to talk more Metehan. You are very articulate and intelligent. I hope I can keep up with you.

God Bless You

David