Posted on 04/28/2007 9:57:35 AM PDT by kellynla
In an act that hit the front pages of the largest newspapers in Turkey, the widow of a martyred Christian told reporters she did not want revenge against the Muslims who killed her husband and two others, according to a new report from Voice of the Martyrs.
"Oh God, forgive them for they know not what they do," she said, agreeing with the words of Christ on Calvary (Luke 23.34), according to a letter Christians in Turkey have written to the worldwide church, a letter released through Voice of the Martyrs.
"In a country where blood-for-blood revenge is as normal as breathing, many many reports have come to the attention of the church of how this comment of Susanne Tilman has changed lives," the letter said. "One columnist wrote of her comment, 'She said in one sentence what 1,000 missionaries in 1,000 years could never do.'"
Necati Aydin, Tilman Geske and Ugur Yuksel, (L to R) who were martyred by Muslims in Turkey
She is the widow of Tilman Geske, a German citizen who along with two Turkish Christians were martyred recently – allegedly by five Muslims who met the three victims at a Christian publishing company for a Bible study.
Authorities have taken several suspects into custody, and their cases remain pending.
The letter titled "A letter to the Global Church from The Protestant Church of Smyrna" was received by VOM shortly after the slayings, and the ministry organization that works with the Persecuted Church worldwide is publicizing it.
"The Voice of the Martyrs has already been actively involved in assisting the families of these courageous Christians. We encourage you to pray for them as they grieve, and to pray that this will be a significant turning point for the gospel in Turkey," the organization said.
(Story continues below)
VOM noted that 2,000 years earlier, this location of Christians was addressed in Rev. 2:8-11: "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write… 'Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation 10 days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.'"
The letter describes the work Geske, 46, was doing on a new Turkish Study Bible. That morning, he went to the offices of Zirve Publishing, which produces and distributes Christian literature to Malatya and other parts of eastern Turkey, for a Bible study. Pastor Necati Aydin, the father of two, also left for the same office, as did Ugur Yuksel.
"None of these three men knew that what awaited them at the Bible study was the ultimate testing and application of their faith, which would conclude with their entrance into glory to receive their crown of righteousness from Christ," the letter said.
Also heading to the Bible study were five men thought to be "seekers" who had been guests of Pastor Necati at an invitation-only evangelistic service earlier.
"No one knows what happened in the hearts of those men as they listened to the gospel. Were they touched by the Holy Spirit? Were they convicted of sin? Did they hear the gospel in their heart of hearts? Today we only have the beginning of their story," the letter said.
"The young men got guns, bread knives, ropes and towels ready for their final act of service to Allah. They knew there would be a lot of blood. They arrived in time for the Bible study, around 10 o'clock," the letter said. "Reportedly, after Necati read a chapter from the Bible the assault began. The boys tied Ugur, Necati, and Tilman's hands and feet to chairs and as they videoed their work on their cellphones, they tortured our brothers for almost three hours."
The letter included the following graphic details of the torture:
"Tilman was stabbed 156 times, Necati 99 times and Ugur’s stabs were too numerous to count. They were disemboweled, and their intestines sliced up in front of their eyes. They were emasculated and watched as those body parts were destroyed. Fingers were chopped off, their noses and mouths and anuses were sliced open. Possibly the worst part was watching as their brothers were likewise tortured. Finally, their throats were sliced from ear to ear, heads practically decapitated."
The letter released by Voice of the Martyrs said neighbors thought the noise was a domestic argument so they did not respond.
Another believer, Gokhan, arrived about 12:30, but couldn't get in, so he called.
"Ugur answered his phone. 'We are not at the office. Go to the hotel meeting. We are there. We will come there,' he said cryptically. As Ugur spoke Gokhan heard in the telephone's background weeping and a strange snarling sound," the letter said. He called police.
When officers entered, they found, "Tilman and Necati had been slaughtered, practically decapitated with their necks slit from ear to ear. Ugur's throat was likewise slit and he was barely alive," the letter said.
Several assailants were caught in the room, and two nearby, including one who apparently tried to jump out a window to flee and was seriously hurt.
The letter said persecution of Christians – bombings, physical attacks, verbal and written abuse as well as media propaganda -- moved into the intense range following a decision in 2001 by the National Security Council of Turkey to consider Christians a threat to national security on the same level as al-Qaida.
The letter described cameras in churches to promote fear and antagonism towards Christians.
What Turkey witnessed from its Christians was something else. "Hundreds of believers and dozens of pastors flew in as fast as they could to stand by the small church of Malatya and encourage the believers, take care of legal issues, and represent Christians to the media," the letter said.
When Susanne Tilman desired to bury her husband in Malatya, the local officials spread rumors it was a sin to dig a grave for a Christian, so volunteers from the church in Adana dug the grave in an untended 100-year-old Armenian graveyard, the letter said.
Ugur was buried with "his believing fiancée watching from the shadows as his family and friends refused to accept in death the faith Ugur had so long professed and died for," the letter said.
"Necati's funeral took place in his hometown of Izmir, the city where he came to faith. The darkness does not understand the light. Though the churches expressed their forgiveness for the event, Christians were not to be trusted. Before they would load the coffin onto the plane from Malatya, it went through two separate X-ray exams to make sure it was not loaded with explosives," the letter said. "Necati's funeral was a beautiful event. Like a glimpse of heaven, thousands of Turkish Christians and missionaries came to show their love for Christ, and their honor for this man chosen to die for Christ. Necati's wife Shemsa told the world, 'His death was full of meaning, because he died for Christ and he lived for Christ… Necati was a gift from God. I feel honored that he was in my life, I feel crowned with honor. I want to be worthy of that honor.'"
Then Susanne Tilman expressed her forgiveness in a television interview that was reported on front pages across Turkey.
The letter said the Malatya missionaries most likely will move, as they've been identified as targets in that hostile city, and the remaining 10 believers have gone into hiding.
"What will happen to this church, this light in the darkness? Most likely it will go underground. Pray for wisdom, that Turkish brothers from other cities will go to lead the leadership church," the letter said.
"Please pray for the Church in Turkey," wrote Pastor Fikret Bocek. "Don't pray against persecution, pray for perseverance."
"This we know. Christ Jesus was there when our brothers were giving their lives for Him. He was there, like He was when Stephen was being stoned in the sight of Saul of Tarsus," the letter said. "Someday the video of the deaths of our brothers may reveal more to us about the strength that we know Christ gave them to endure their last cross, about the peace the Spirit of God endowed them with to suffer for their beloved Savior. But we know He did not leave their side."
"We pray – and urge you to pray – that someday at least one of those five boys will come to faith because of the testimony in death of Tilman Geske, who gave his life as a missionary to his beloved Turks, and the testimonies in death of Necati Aydin and Ugur Yuksel, the first martyrs for Christ out of the Turkish Church," the letter said.
Susanne said she planned to remain in Turkey with her children, Michal Janina, 13, Lukas, 10, and Miriam, 8.
Voice of the Martyrs is a non-profit, interdenominational ministry working worldwide to help Christians who are persecuted for their faith, and to educate the world about that persecution. Its headquarters are in Bartlesville, Okla., and it has 30 affiliated international offices.
It was launched by the late Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, who started smuggling Russian Gospels into Russia in 1947, just months before Richard was abducted and imprisoned in Romania where he was tortured for his refusal to recant Christianity.
He eventually was released in 1964 and the next year he testified about the persecution of Christians before the U.S. Senate's Internal Security Subcommittee, stripping to the waist to show the deep torture wound scars on his body.
The group that later was renamed The Voice of the Martyrs was organized in 1967, when his book, "Tortured for Christ," was released.
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One other difference.
I don't see Christians making cell-phone videos of such goings-on being inflicted on Muslims.
Surely Bill Moyers or some such would have pointed it out to us in the interests of enlightenment.
(...where are the calls for 'tolerance' and 'diversity' to be practiced BY Moose-limbs, btw?)
NO cheers, unfortunately.
Christ asked forgiveness for those who tortured and crucified him. They did not repent and ask for forgiveness. Most people are not experts in Christian doctrine like you are. However, they try to emulate Christ’s behavior. This is a good thing and I believe she should be admired for her gesture. Why you feel she is not a real Christian like yourself is beyond me. You know nothing about her or her faith. As I recall, judging the faithfullness of others is quite contrary to Christian doctrine.
NOTHING will EVER destroy Christianity. EVER!
I don't see forgiveness and punishment as mutually exclusive, myself.
If this woman can forgive, that's great. Nevertheless justice must be served.
Can you even imagine those words coming from a TYPICAL (most frequently encountered) Muslim??
One would like, in the this troubled world, to say we could, but in all brutal honesty it would be a lie.
Crucial point. Christ asked for forgiveness for those who killed him. This dimwit is asking forgiveness for those who killed someone else. Can't be done. It's especially hollow if the killers haven't repented and asked for forgiveness.
However, they try to emulate Christ’s behavior.
She's not emulating His behavior.
This is a good thing and I believe she should be admired for her gesture.
I don't admire empty misguided gestures. There's no reason anyone should.
Why you feel she is not a real Christian like yourself is beyond me.
Because of her actions. That's why.
You know nothing about her or her faith.
I know more than enough. The evidence is right here in front of us.
As I recall, judging the faithfullness of others is quite contrary to Christian doctrine.
You recall incorrectly.
Have a nice day.
L
Then she did as Christ demanded. which is to love those who hate you. You say hate those who hate you. You seem to confuse forbearance with pacificism. Pascfism is to do nothing in the face of evil. But an expression of rage is really nothing but the evocation of satan.
.... and that is the difference between Christianity and the civil religion so often found on FR. The difference between us and you is that you have genuine confusion nver who the enemy really is. It ain't Islam. Islam is just a tool of higher and deeper forces of hatred. When you throw your hat in the ring with hatred of men, religions, cultures, perverts, socialists or whatever, you join up with the father of those wicked systems, so fight on the same side, believing you are waging war for "good."
Evil can be hated, and evil can be resisted with force. Indeed, it has to be. However, evil can never be CONQUERED by force. It can only be restrained. Evil can only be defeated by the love of Christ. I believe we well may see the explosion of the gospel in the Muslim world in our lifetime. If so, it may well come the way it did the first time 2000 years ago, with the witness of the blood of those who profess love and forgiveness in the face of hatred and evil.
No. She is saying that the gospel of Jesus Christ says that evil will be defeated by overcoming evil with good.
*applause*
Then what you have is a perversion of true Christianity. Don't blame me, I didn't say it first.
I pray for re-conversion of Turkish people to the Lord Jesus. In many cases they were once Byzantine Christians and were forcefully converted in order to survive.
She didn't say that. She said she forgave them. Big difference.
You say hate those who hate you.
Where exactly did I say that?
You seem to confuse forbearance with pacificism.
No I'm not.
an expression of rage is really nothing but the evocation of satan.
Nice dodge. When did I express rage exactly?
L
Rather, it is a perversion of biblical teaching to demand repentance before you love and/or forgive. You won't find that in the bible.
Really? Did Jesus condemn Herod for be-heading John the Baptist?
“If they did, then according to Christian doctrine, they must be forgiven.”
God forgives sins, he never said don’t hold killers to account on Earth.
Commas and periods are your friends!
Luke disagrees in 17:4-"And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."
Then there's Luke 17:3-17:3,4 If thy brother shall trespass against thee, rebuke him
So there's you, and then there's Luke.
This foolishness about forgiving people who haven't asked for it or sincerely repented for their transgressions isn't Christianity.
L
God forgives sins, he never said don’t hold killers to account on Earth.
Sounds like you guys have some serious confusion over the relative roles of forgiveness and executing justice. If justice has to be thrown out in order to forgive, then no Christian could ever serve in the army, the police force, work as a judge, be a jailer, or even be a lawyer (ok, well, maybe you got me on the last one :-)
There is nothing mutually exclusive about executing justice and offering my personal forgiveness. Indeed, in Christian England, criminals sentenced to the gallows had assigned preachers whose jobs it was to preach the gospel to men condemned to death, so that they might be forgiven. It is not the job of the individual to administer justice, that is the job of the state. As free republic shows, individuals are too hot headed and emotionally driven to be entrusted with dispensing justice. Contrarywise, it is not the job of the state to extend forgiveness. Its job is to blindly administer justice. Individuals are citizens of the state, and the state is composed of individuals, so the two worlds can touch, but they should not be meshed.
“Crucial point. Christ asked for forgiveness for those who killed him. This dimwit is asking forgiveness for those who killed someone else. Can’t be done. It’s especially hollow if the killers haven’t repented and asked for forgiveness.”
Murder harms more than the person who is murdered, it harms those who loved the victim too. She is well within Christian doctrine to forgive someone for causing her pain. Just because the Bible refers to forgiving those who repent, doesn’t mean that it is stating not to forgive those who don’t.
Just curious, what is your background that makes you such an “expert” on Christianity?
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