Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Turkey State Minister Claims Missionary Activities Impose on Freedoms

"According the 28th March edition of the Turkish Daily News, the State Minister overseeing Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate has openly accused the activities of foreign missionaries in the predominantly Muslim nation of stirring political turmoil, thus damaging social peace and unity."

"Aydin therefore urged the Religious Affairs Directorate to "enlighten the Turkish people, eradicate ignorance, and uphold the moral principles and beliefs of Islam" in order to counteract the widespread missionary propaganda that "have a historic background and are carried out in a well-planned manner with political motives". "

"The State Minister in fact did not provide any evidence of political involvement by missionaries."

"Turkey is officially a secular state. Despite it once being the geographical centre of Apostle Paul’s mission for the early Christian Church, the establishment of the Ottoman Empire has changed it into a powerful Islam country in the predominately Christian Europe. Nowadays, 99 percent of the 67 million-strong population are Muslim and most people have never heard of the gospel. In addition a small minority of Christians often faces persecution in the country."
Christian Today > Turkey State Minister Claims Missionary Activities Impose on Freedoms

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