Posted on 09/27/2002 1:21:35 PM PDT by Destro
Turkish Police close church for "offending society"
ISTANBUL, Turkey, July 9, 2002 — Turkish security police ordered a Protestant Christian congregation meeting for 40 years in the southeastern port city of Iskenderun to close its doors in mid June, declaring the church had "no legal basis" and that its activities were harmful to society.
Pastor Yusuf Yasmin, 71, was served official notice by the security police of Hatay province to close and stop all activities of the New Testament Church in Iskenderun.
The abrupt two-page order was dated and delivered on June 14 to Yasmin, who was ordered to remove the church sign and list of worship services from the building by 5:00 p.m. the same day.
According to a copy of the directive obtained by Compass, the church was ordered to close "because your activities will incite religious, sectarian and dervish-order discrimination; will harm religious and national feelings; and will create offense in the society."
Signed by District Security Director Salih Gokalp, the order declared that the church's location had not been approved in the municipal zoning plan and that no religious or other private education of any kind could be allowed on the premises without the express permission of the Ministry of Education.
The church has met in its current location for the past seven years without previous complaints from the Turkish authorities.
Yasmin and the majority of his congregation, averaging 80 to 90 worshippers at Sunday services, are Turkish citizens from a variety of ethnic Christian backgrounds. The Protestant church has met for worship in the city since 1963, although after its original place of worship was torn down in 1970, the congregation met in the church facilities of the local Armenian Orthodox Church for 25 years.
In 1995, the congregation purchased and moved into its own church facility in Iskendurun's Piri Reis district, notifying local authorities on June 26, 1995, of the location and set times of worship, Bible studies and religious seminars.
In compliance with local zoning regulations, Yasmin informed all the other owners of residences and shops in the building that his church had purchased Flat C to be used as a place of Christian worship. "None of them had any problem with this, and all of them signed the notarized forms giving their consent," Yasmin said.
In an indirect admission, the police order acknowledges that "there is no provision in our laws concerning the construction and use of "places of worship.'" But it goes on to insist that "it is not possible for places of worship to be built in random places" under the country's zoning laws.
"We are not enemies of the state," a bewildered Yasmin said today by telephone from Iskenderun. "We love our nation. So why are they doing this to us?" After pastoring and preaching for 43 years, Yasmin admitted he had found it very difficult to be forbidden to worship with his congregation for the past month.
A lawyer retained by the New Testament Church confirmed today that he is preparing to file a case later this week before the administrative courts on behalf of the Iskenderun Protestants to regain their constitutional rights to freedom of worship and religious activities.
Iskenderun is located just 25 miles from Antakya (ancient Antioch), where the New Testament says Christ's followers were first called Christians. With a population of 160,000 population, Iskenderun still bears the name of its 4th century B.C. founder, Alexander the Great.
Source: Barbara G. Baker, Compass News
Turkey pulls plug on Christian radio station
ANKARA, Turkey, April 9, 2002 — Turkey's broadcasting authority has pulled the plug on a Christian radio station for broadcasting Bible verses. Radyo Shema in Ankara is one of the four Christian radio stations in Turkey.
The station was closed for reading the third chapter of John on the air said station manager Ismail Serinken.
This particular reading violates "justice in the broadcast, objectivity, and respect for the law." It seems the broadcast authorities interpreted John 3:18, which reads that "whoever does not believe stands condemned," as suggesting that Christians were above the law.
The decision has been appealed by the station. "If this ruling is applied, it means that we can't ever read the Gospel on the air," said Serinken. The authorities initially closed the radio station for a day, but another board ordered it be kept off air for a month.
Missionary activity is not explicitly outlawed in this predominantly Muslim country, but authorities sometimes charge Christians with insulting Islam or disturbing the peace.
Radyo Shema's broadcasts were mainly targeted at the 2,000 members of the Protestant Christian community. Christians represent less than 1% of the population of Turkey.
Another Station Targeted
The board has also laid criminal charges against the managers of another Christian station, Radyo Kumru, for broadcasting "Christian propaganda."
The board could not close the station because its Christian programs are broadcast on shortwave frequencies from abroad. Officials from Radyo Kumru could not be reached for comment.
"It's not a crime. What does 'propaganda' mean? It's very broad and uncertain," Serinken said. "As Christians, we respect the state. We should be able to read the Gospel on the air."
Source: Bible Network News, with notes from Associated Press
"this broatcast has been brought to you by religion of peace (c)"
If it is true that Christians constitute only 1 % of the Turkish population, then the number of extremist Moslems who have run afoul of the law is probably numerically greater than the number of Christians against whom action has been taken.
While I am certainly against the government's decision, and hope it is reversed, one can smoewhat empathize with their mindset. With Muslim radicals running loose and doing random acts of violence, the ingrained fear of minority populations is obviously going to be heightened, and quite likely inflicted upon Christian minorities, whether they pose a threat or not. And one should realize Christians have hardly ever been popular with either the Muslim or secular governments that have controlled Turkey over the years.
If the Turks can't contain their ill will toward infidels, then no Muslim Nation can. It's time to consider strong medicine with Muslims. Drop Daisy Cutters all over the Mideast targeting Mosques. Nuke Mecca.
In 1955 the Turks got rid of their last Christian populations as these historical photos show: The 1955 anti-Greek pogram in Istanbul, Turkey
Patriarch Athenagoras in front of the burned Church of St. Constantine of Psamma
of course the muslims are allowed to broadcast on radio. Of course this is special treatment just for some christians. The article mentioned the armenian orthodox church which is christian. I'm sure this rule won't apply to them either. But you see armenian orthodox church will behave differently. They won't read from bible on the radio. They won't evangelize as these protestants do. It is the style of christianity that is so strongly disliked in many countries.
In greece they've outlawed the methodist church. In many european countries they've outlawed some individual christian denominations. If you talk to others about christianity, then you are on very shaky ground in many countries.
In China/Vietnam they don't allow bibles, you get caught with one and you go to jail. In Russia some christian groups are outlawed.
A few years ago in Indonesia they had large disturbances where many christians were systematically killed, homes burned, etc. right in jakarta the capital. Authorities allowed it to happen. Many christians have been killed in many countries also just in the last few years. They're killed for being christian.
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