Posted on 06/23/2008 9:50:29 PM PDT by forkinsocket
Does the movement inspired by Fethullah Gülen represent a modern brand of Islam, or a subtle attempt to infiltrate religion into secular Turkey? The Guardian's religious affairs correspondent, Riazat Butt, reports from Istanbul A hitherto largely unknown Turkish Islamic scholar, Fethullah Gülen, has been voted the world's top intellectual in a poll to find the leading 100 thinkers.
Gülen, the author of more than 60 books, won a landslide triumph after the survey - which is organised by the British magazine, Prospect, and Foreign Policy, a US publication - attracted more than 500,000 votes.
The top 10 individuals were all Muslim and included two Nobel laureates, the novelist Orhan Pamuk, who is also Turkish, at No 4, and the Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi, in 10th.
The result surprised organisers, who attributed it to a sustained campaign by Gülen's followers, known as the Gülen Movement, after Turkey's biggest-selling newspaper, Zaman, publicised the poll.
Prospect's editor, David Goohart, admitted to not having previously heard of Gülen and said his supporters had "made a mockery" of the poll. But he said the result flagged up significant political trends in Turkey.
"The victory of Gülen draws attention to the most important conflict in Europe, played out in Turkey between the secular nationalist establishment and the reforming Islamic democrats of the AK [Justice and Development] party," he said.
The AKP, which is allied to Gülen, is contesting a case brought by Turkey's chief prosecutor to shut it down and ban it from politics for allegedly trying to usher in Islamic rule, in breach of the country's secular constitution.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Apparently, the muslims have learned how to 'FReep a poll'...
“....attracted more than 500,000 votes.”
***
All voted upon by 500,000 Muslims.
Does. Not. Compute.
Ninety plus percent of whom had the first or middle name of Mohammed.
Does anybody seriously believe this crap?
More garbage from the UK. The UK press is Garbage, Garbage and more Garbage.
How do we kill Jews?
How do we kill infidels?
How do we kill women?
How do we kill Jews?
How do we kill infidels?
How do we kill women?
How do we kill Jews?
How do we kill infidels?
How do we kill women?
How do we kill Jews?
How do we kill infidels?
How do we kill ...
LOL!
The trouble with "excellence" being subject to a poll is beyond ludicrous.
On the other hand, I am certain, with no research necessary, that these two Nobel Laureates did not get their "awards" in either hard science or in any rigorous "thinking" discipline.
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