YNO vs FG / ياشار نوري أوزترك مقابل فتح الله غولن

In my below article titled "Yaşar Nuri Öztürk vs Fethullah Gülen” and published on https://www.munferit.net/2021/10/yasar-nuri-ozturk-vs-fethullah-gulen.html?m=1 

on October 21, 2021 ;

I criticize Fethullah Gülen for failing to transcend classical Sunni tradition, leading to hundreds of thousands of "Hizmet Movement" followers being victimized and oppressed by the Turkish state. 

This article of mine distinguishes between ;

• "RELIGIONISTS" who exploit faith and 
• “RELIGIOUS" people who live it sincerely,
• asserting that Turkish society has suffered from those
• who "DECEIVE WITH GOD” and from those 
• who “DECEIVE WITH ATATURK". 

I kindly request readers to question and understand the difference between 

• the REVEALED religion and 
• the INVENTED/FAKE religion. 

For these and more, please read my below article with the hope and expectation of benefit and enlightenment. 

Abdullah Erdemli

Luzern - Switzerland

*********************

Yaşar Nuri Öztürk versus Fethullah Gülen 

(first posted on 21.10.2021 on https://www.munferit.net/2021/10/yasar-nuri-ozturk-vs-fethullah-gulen.html?m=1 )

My dear brothers and sisters,

I have been reading and listening to the late Prof. Dr. Yaşar Nuri Öztürk since the early 1990s. I still do; I refresh my knowledge and strengthen my perception and understanding of religion through him. 

In Turkey, the number of people who understand religion with his caliber, insight, and wisdom—and who explain it with his brutal honesty and fearlessness—does not exceed the fingers of two hands.

And so, without beating around the bush and with the bluntness of Dâvûd The Truth-teller, that is, a straight-shooter, I am writing my humble opinion here: 

Unfortunately, and most regrettably, Fethullah Gülen could not make it into that small circle of scholars, and to be honest, I am not very hopeful that he ever will...

If Fethullah Gülen had wanted to, he could have very well -and deservedly- taken his place among that handful of distinguished scholars. His background, devotion, and sincerity were more than sufficient for this. 

But alas, he could not carry these merits beyond the bounds of classical Sunni tradition. 

He could not save himself from constantly sanctifying that obsolete, exhausted, decayed, and worthless Sunni tradition and its rote-learned dogmas.

The tragic part is that not only did he fail to save himself, but along with those narrow-minded, visionless, and archaic "big brothers" (abiler) he gathered around him, he threw hundreds of thousands of "Hizmet" followers—who had followed him with heart and soul—to the "political Islamist" scavengers, jackals, and hyenas of this country.

The result is clear:

• Hundreds of thousands of Hizmet-followers are victimized and oppressed.
• Tens of thousands of them were forced to flee the country for dear life, enduring immense hardships and suffering.
• Dozens, perhaps hundreds, lost their lives on the routes of exile.
• Tens of thousands are still in prison back home.
• Tens of thousands are still living in hiding (gaybubet) in the country.

While all this suffering and victimization is out in the open, neither Fethullah Gülen nor the oblivious, visionless, and stagnant "big brothers" or members of the "high consultation council" utter a peep. 

Not one of them lifts a finger to shed light on the July 15, 2016 tragedy. 

Thank God for journalist Ahmed Dönmez; without him, we would have no idea about the dirty schemes going on within the Hizmet Movement.

We must understand very well that we should not confuse "the religionists" with "the religious." 

- A religionist is one thing; 

- a religious person is quite another! 

Using Yaşar Nuri Öztürk’s terminology, the "religionist" faction belongs not to the revealed religion (the religion in the Quran), but to the invented religion—the Umayyad and Muawiyah version of the religion. 

The religionists exploit Islam and everything sacred for their own base interests; they deceive with God. 

The religious, however, live their faith with sincere and pure intentions. 

A religious person does not deceive with God!

There are also those who deceive with Atatürk. 

They hide behind his shadow while committing all sorts of dishonorable acts. 

Because of those who "deceive with God" and those who "deceive with Atatürk," Turkish society has been unable to thrive or find its way for decades. 

And it never will, as long as we cannot save our society from the evil of these two groups.

The late Prof. Dr. Yaşar Nuri Öztürk dedicated his life to this cause. 

He explained religion—true Islam—correctly to society. 

He also presented the true face of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. 

Unfortunately, most religious people in Turkiye, including myself, grew up knowing Mustafa Kemal as a bad person, an enemy of religion, or even an atheist. 

Because that is how we were told, that is how we were taught; in short, we were brainwashed by those filthy RELIGIONIST BIGOTS. 

Meanwhile, those who define themselves as Kemalists or secularists were also being deceived with Atatürk.

Expecting integrity from a religionist is like looking for a knot in a bulrush. 

Just as a calf cannot find a teat to suckle under a bull, it is equally impossible for religionists to be honorable—this is a fact proven by decades of experience!

We must strictly separate the religious from the religionist. 

Unless we grasp this vital distinction, we cannot understand the gravity of the situation. 

It is also crucial to recognize the difference between the "revealed religion" and the "invented religion." 

Just as we distinguish the innocent from the criminal... 

As much as the religious person is innocent, the religionist is CRIMINAL. This is as certain as 2x2=4. 

Of course, there are religious people who have fallen under the influence of religionist bigots without realizing it. 

We must be able to see them too. 

We need to rack our brains over what is invented religion and what is revealed religion.

• We must reflect on the concepts of religionist, religious, revealed religion, and invented religion.
• We must ponder what it means to deceive with God and what it means to deceive with Atatürk.

By "reflecting and pondering," I mean reading, listening, researching, inquiring, and questioning. 

Our opinions and convictions are only as accurate as they are based on correct information. 

If you have free time outside of work and family, I recommend you read, listen, and question.

Regarding our victimized and oppressed brothers in exile, I simply ask ;

• Why haven't they objected from the very beginning?
• Why do they avoid holding people accountable?
• Why don't they question?
• Why do they consent to the persecutions they are put through?
• Why, why, why...?

• Why do Fethullah Gülen, his high consultation councils, and those oblivious "big brothers" violate the rights and take on the spiritual burden of these hundreds of thousands of oppressed people? 
• Why have they never spoken?
• Why do they remain silent now?
• And, why will they likely pass away without ever speaking, leaving hundreds of thousands of followers alone with the persecution they suffered?
• Is there no satisfactory answer to these, oh my brothers and sisters?

Cordially,

Abdullah Erdemli

Switzerland