tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10038924.post313737390933612237..comments2024-03-15T19:18:22.881-05:00Comments on Servant and Steward: More on the Grand Mufti's wordsRev. Daren J. Zehnle, J.C.L., K.C.H.S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12695652221601203187noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10038924.post-12791249121347775912012-03-20T12:58:40.893-05:002012-03-20T12:58:40.893-05:00I'd love to return to Turkey. I miss their ho...I'd love to return to Turkey. I miss their hospitality, the beauty of their land, the history of the country, and their apple tea!Rev. Daren J. Zehnle, J.C.L., K.C.H.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12695652221601203187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10038924.post-22263383593622313302012-03-20T11:20:03.979-05:002012-03-20T11:20:03.979-05:00I just read the most recent State Department relig...I just read the most recent State Department religious freedom report in Turkey, and the situation is improving. Turkey's nationalists, as all nationalists are to some extent, are obsessed with unity and homogeneity. Christians there should be glad they're not Kurds. I'm going there in May, and it's one of the things I'm curious about.Brian Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06986631330360998134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10038924.post-38144628058707250012012-03-20T11:07:43.276-05:002012-03-20T11:07:43.276-05:00When I was in Turkey in 2003, the Christians there...When I was in Turkey in 2003, the Christians there told us it was because of legality, and our Muslim tour guide confirmed this. To his credit, he was rather sympathetic toward the Christians and was very good to fellow seminarians and I.Rev. Daren J. Zehnle, J.C.L., K.C.H.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12695652221601203187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10038924.post-37917861897302189282012-03-20T11:06:04.248-05:002012-03-20T11:06:04.248-05:00You're right that conversion and proselytizati...You're right that conversion and proselytization are the biggest issues facing religious freedom throughout the Muslim world. I wonder if the situation in Turkey is one of legality or social pressure. I know that that in that country, persecutors of Christians have tended to be secular nationalists rather than Islamists. The current prime minister has actually done stuff to improve church/state relations in that country.Brian Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06986631330360998134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10038924.post-71641402877838712892012-03-20T10:58:41.075-05:002012-03-20T10:58:41.075-05:00Here's a summary sketch from Aid to the Church...Here's a summary sketch from Aid to the Church in Need:<br /><br />"In Kuwait, Muslims account for 85% of the population (of which 70% are Sunni and 30% are Shiite) while Christians, Hindus and Parsis make up the remaining 15%. Similar to other Muslim countries, Islam is the religion of the state and legislation is based on Sharia law. Religious freedom is guaranteed, but religious instruction for non-Muslim confessions forbidden, as is attempting to convert Muslims. Conversion from Islam is considered a crime punishable by death, and in 1993-94 a convert to Christianity was condemned to be executed and fled the country, while his wife was kidnapped, raped, and forced to divorce him."<br /><br />Source: http://www.churchinneed.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AU_The_Suffering_Church_Worldwide_The_Middle_East<br /><br />There is also this bit from U.S. Embassy to Kuwait:<br /><br />"There are laws against blasphemy, apostasy, and proselytizing. While the number of situations to which these laws applied was extremely limited, the government actively enforced them, particularly the prohibition on non-Muslim proselytizing of Muslims.<br /><br />...<br /><br />The law prohibits organized religious education for faiths other than Islam, although this law was not enforced rigidly.<br /><br />...<br /><br />There is no specific law banning the establishment of non-Muslim places of worship; however, the small number of groups that applied for licenses to build new places of worship were denied permission and have been waiting for approval for years. <br /><br />...<br /><br />Churches of the unrecognized denominations were prohibited from displaying exterior signs including a cross or the congregation's name, and also from engaging in public activities such as ringing bells. These congregations had sought to register in the past and were previously denied. "<br /><br />Source: http://kuwait.usembassy.gov/policy-news/irfr.htmlRev. Daren J. Zehnle, J.C.L., K.C.H.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12695652221601203187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10038924.post-27576691136464394982012-03-20T10:50:38.197-05:002012-03-20T10:50:38.197-05:00I read that somewhere about Kuwait; let me see if ...I read that somewhere about Kuwait; let me see if I can't track that source down.<br /><br />When I was in Turkey, we saw clearly that Christians were allowed to practice their faith _within_ their church buildings, but could not demonstrate their faith _outside_ their church buildings, either in the way of processions or speaking of Jesus to Muslims. This isn't religious freedom (I know Turkey hadn't yet entered the discussion, but my impression - from the elusive piece I read - was that Kuwait is similar to this).Rev. Daren J. Zehnle, J.C.L., K.C.H.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12695652221601203187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10038924.post-61072878239760846132012-03-20T10:07:50.623-05:002012-03-20T10:07:50.623-05:00Though upon brief reflection, you could definitely...Though upon brief reflection, you could definitely make the case that no one complains about unlicensed mosques the way some do about unlicensed churches.Brian Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06986631330360998134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10038924.post-86439365316893696732012-03-20T09:58:40.184-05:002012-03-20T09:58:40.184-05:00Where are you getting that Christianity can't ...Where are you getting that Christianity can't be practiced in Kuwait? Buildings require permits from the government in lots of countries. Mosques also have to have such permission.<br /><br />I'm not denying there is discrimination, but the only place I know where it's actually not allowed is Saudi Arabia.Brian Ulrichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06986631330360998134noreply@blogger.com