from history islam,christianity and turkish peoples

Dear friends,My good friend Al,(from USA) he sent one letter.i wanted to share his and my letters with you...
loves from my heart
God Bless.

Dear Nur,

I just read an interesting article in a Christian magazine "Christianity Today" about Turkey. The title of the article is "Jesus in Turkey" Here are some of what the article says that I thought might be of interest to you:

For the first time in 550 years Christinity inside Turkey is growing. But its recent growth comes at a high price; since February 2006, radicalized Muslims have killed five Christians---the kind of cold blooded martydom not seen in decades. In November, a Turkish court set a date for the five suspects involved. Police are calling for life imprisonment and said that all five suspects have confessed to the murders.

Isa Karatas of the Alliance of Protestant Churches in Turkey told Compass Direct News....that there is some group of powerful influence behind them. The people want to portray Turkey's Protestants as enemies of the nation.

Few nations have as rich a Christian history as Turkey. This is where Paul founded some of the earliest churches, including the church at Ephesus. Seven churhes in the region were addressed in the Book of Revelation (chapters 2 and 3).

But Christianity came under Islamic rule in Turkey in 1453 and steadily declined for centuries; the last 100 years being the worst. In 1900, the Christian population was 22 percent. Now most experts estimate that there are fewer than 200,000 Christians nationwide.

In many ways the story of Turgay Ucal, a pastor of an independent church in Instanbul, embodies the promise and peril of Turkish Christianity. Here is a little of his story. Urcal was deeply curious about what happened to Jesus when, as the Koran says, he left the earth still alive and did not die. He wanted to know why and what is in the Bible. One day when he knew know no one was around he slipped into a Catholic Church.

Ucal said that Christianity offered a new balance of freedom in a disciplined context , transcending the stringent legalism of his upbringing. As a young man Ucal had tried to be a good Muslim like the rest of his family. He prostated himself five times to Mecca daily. He participlated in "The Light" (Nurcu) a Muslim youth group. He had a very structured Muslim mind.

Shortly after becoming a Christian, Ucal had not told anyone what had happened to him spiritually. But he quietly opened a court case to change his religious identiy registration. When Ucal's father found out about this, he was very upset. But then as time went on he saw that Ucal had not changed his idenity as a Turk, had not changed friends and seemed more at ease.

In 1986, Ucal finally started a church. His tiny congregation was allowed to worship for one hour every 15 days inside a Swedish Consulate in Instabul. But Turkish newspapers immediatedly made a big deal out of a Muslim background pastor starting a Christian Chruch. His parents were frightened for their son. Within a year Ucal had 20 Muslims-background Turks in his church and stablility was emerging.

Meanwhile Ucal served in the army for 8 months and he received Bible training in the Philippines and South Korea. After that Ucal decided to plant a different kind of church based on systematic theological teaching. Ucal found that his Muslim neighbors were attracted to this systamatic religious instruction.

Ucal started arguing that Christianiy was "authentically Turkish" and "socially natural." This became a huge breakthrough for believers. Today, Ucal's Istanbul Presbyterian Church is one of the largest churches in Turkey. And something else happened beyond Ucal's wildest imagination. His parents began visiting the church. Ucal's wife had already become a Christian.

Other like-minded leaders have begun new churches. The Ankara Church has grown with an emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Four other churches (Izmit Protestant, Eskisehir Protestant; and in Instanbul, Altintepe Church and Besiktas Protestant) have grown.

Anadolu Turk Protestant Church located in the same neighborhool as Ucal's church has greatly benefited from inquirers from a Bible Correspondence course that Operation Mobilization began 30 years ago.

In the strife- torn eastern part of Turkey, pastor Ahmet Guvener has created a much admired evangelistic stragety that has resulted in a multiethinic church of Turks and Kurds. Pastor Guvener has launched youth teams that stay within their Islamic social networks and form long term relations with neighborhood families.

Pastor Kaan Koryurck of Besiktas Protestant makes a pont of showing how the Bible inveighs agains public corruption, a problem Turks are deeply motivited to fight.

Three years ago Ucal appeared on national television, debating a Muslim leader. Ucal did not attack Islam but kindly, reasonably, and boldy answered the Muslim leaders charges. The Muslim leader was bursque and bullying. The media coverage was sensational and favored Ucal. People who watched the program realized that a "real Tuck" from a Muslim background could openly believe in Jesus.

Despite the progress, real danger pesists for outspoken Christians. It is not from the conservative Muslims who control the government. Indeed most Turkish pastors favor the reelection of the conservative Muslim Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Rather the danger is primarily from ultranationalists and their youth movement, known as the Grey Wolves.

The article closes with this: Ucal says that Jesus is walking with the Turks. We love without fear. Something protects this country. Turkey will keep its balance.

God bless,
Al

Dear Al,
I am sorry, i am answering later to your letter. I had some Works in another city. I backed yet.
I read your letter. Also i will tell some things about islam- christianity-Turkey and Turk people.

Since Turkish groups ( very old history: B.C 552) NAME GOKTURK had one religion name SHAMANISM
(a religious phenomenon centred on the shaman, an ecstatic figure believed to have power to heal the sick and to communicate with the world beyond. The term applies primarily to the religious systems and phenomena of the northern Asian, Ural-Altaic (e.g., Mansi, Khanty, Samoyed, Tungus), and Paleo-Asian (e.g., Yukaghir, Chukchi, Koryak) peoples.)

When we search to Shamanism,we will see some rituels and some traditions of Shamanist and people were near to Christianity.
Therefore In history,when Christianity was born ana grownt
many Turkish groups and some Turkish states and kings of Turkish peoples accepted to Christanity very easy
example:

Juan Juan or Avar Turkisks-accepeted Christianity
Pechenek Turkishs- accepeted Christianity
Hazar Turkishs- accepeted Jewish
Kuman Turkishs- accepeted Christianity
Kıpchak turkishs- accepeted Christianity
Uygur Turkish groups-- accepeted Christianity AFTER BACKED TO ISLAM…( important information for Turkish history)
Karaman Turkish groups- ortodox Turkish .
(This now Prime minister of Greece Kostas Karamanlis and his family from Karaman town of Konya city in Anatolia Turkey.)

And still Gagavuz Turkish people is Orthodox-Christian Turkishs.and they are living to MOLDOVA.

AFTER ISLAM RELIGION AND OTHER TURKISH GROUPS:
After borned to islam,some Turkish groups ( they were still their own religion or some groups accepted Christianity).

Dear friend, Turkish peoples passed to Islam after 350 years. They didnt accepted to Islam very easy like Christianity.
Especially (we say EMEVI MUSLUM STATE i think english UMMAYYAD ISLAM STATE )
Between UMMAYED ISLAM STATE and Turkish states were very bloody wars 350 years.
They killed genocides to Turkish Christianity and Turkish Shaman peoples.Some Turkish groups runned away to Europa.some Turkish people been annihilated.

Finally D.C 922 Turkish Oguz state choosed to Islam under press.and They came to Anatolia.and Foundationed Seljuk Turkish state.
And you known Otoman state.. i must tell you. Seljuk state first times was very good for other religions. People was living to their own religion. Who was chrisitan or Jewish or Shaman. They were free.
You know , States used to religions for make press to people… or for goals of imperyalist.

(note:Turkish offical history never is teaching to all these.i read and searching always neutral history)

Dear Al,this letter like one history lesson. Sorry for this.
But i wanted to show, Turkish people didnt born Muslum ana they didnt accepted islam very easy.They saw genocide.Arabic and muslums killed to they.
I am believing Turkish people lost their own identity and charactertic some speciality after choosed Islam.

The history is showing that already There is Chrisitanity in Turkish people and They were having Chrisitanity.

You know Religon is very good tool for deceive to peoples and it is very good deceive for antropology diffusionism and coloniasm. In many long years, Turkish own cultur been influenced from Arabic cultur ana islam cultur.

Also Ottoman did it.( dont worry i will not tell Ottoman period. Because very long subcects.)
Well,TODAY

I would have very different ana more tolerence one my own people.

Today in Turkey,(without strong muslums)normal people have press and attack from some Muslum and national Muslum groups.
I didnt believed This government (R.T.Erdogan) has tolerence and more soft than others. Because he is doing show so this. But his fans and local party organisitions are pressing to normal people.
If you haven’t fundamentalist ideas,if you living modern,if you haven’t namaz or oruc , Uneducated people is seening very diffrent.
Some Muslum bureaucrats are hindrancing to your Works or future.
This year they made unfair me about my future of job. İ went to law court ana i won to one.
I am waiting for another one.

THEY AND GREY WOLFS.

Dear Al,they are not diffrent from Grey wolfs. They can unite every moment. They are following very sly politiacs.

They are showing different from Grey wolfs. You are thinking diffrent .But they have many common things with G.W
Also conservative Muslum political personals in this government.
I dont believe that this government is tolerance for other religions. They are showing fake.


I can image that, When i will have to baptisim,if they learn ,i will have many many problem in my job,they will seek a pretext for make hard to my life.
Already, you are guessing ,how will conservative people react.from even my family too.
But i never afraid and worry about all these. Because i am knowing that The God ana Jesus will help and support me.


Dear Al,

Some my the best Christian friends advised me “leave to your county.when you change religion.” But this now i m not thinking like they.
Because i must stay to here ana i must struggle with uneducationity&ignorange.

And more important subject Also i must tell “Word of The God” people.
My Dear Al,i talked very much.i hope,i didn’t bored you.
I will give to my Messenger adres.if you have or want we can talking with MSN.

have a nice day
God bless.

Your friend Nur.