Many distinguished figures, including Turkey's spiritual leaders, politicians, artists, diplomats, businessmen and journalists came together at the same iftar (fast-breaking dinner) table in Istanbul's Conrad Hotel on Wednesday night at an event held by the Journalists and Writers Foundation (GYV).
July 27, 2012
Introducing the Gulen Movement: Prophet’s Path in the Twenty-first Century
Muzaffar K. Awan, MD. *
In the contemporary world, the relations between people of the world are becoming more cordial as territorial borders are becoming less important in a globalizing world. Also, the people around the world increasingly share some common universal values such as the importance of genuine democracy, economic justice, human rights, rule of law and freedom in a much more challenging way compared to the past. However, despite the existence of such hopeful developments, our present and early twenty-first century is not genuinely democratic. Our world as a whole still constitutes immature and disorderly global system of neoliberal politics, neoliberal capitalism, sovereign self-centric nation-states, and other forms of social and moral schism is rapidly surging forward, like an immense and stormy ocean, heading toward planetary disaster. We are facing the dead-end. Either we create a truly global democratic renaissance for the twenty-first century by founding a holistic global civilization or we undergo an utter loss – and the immense promise of our common human project may be lost forever on our failed spaceship earth. The choice remains ours still and we must summon the moral courage, genuine political and collective will for immediate action to set up an integrated global legal system and a holistic earthly civil society. [1]
In the contemporary world, the relations between people of the world are becoming more cordial as territorial borders are becoming less important in a globalizing world. Also, the people around the world increasingly share some common universal values such as the importance of genuine democracy, economic justice, human rights, rule of law and freedom in a much more challenging way compared to the past. However, despite the existence of such hopeful developments, our present and early twenty-first century is not genuinely democratic. Our world as a whole still constitutes immature and disorderly global system of neoliberal politics, neoliberal capitalism, sovereign self-centric nation-states, and other forms of social and moral schism is rapidly surging forward, like an immense and stormy ocean, heading toward planetary disaster. We are facing the dead-end. Either we create a truly global democratic renaissance for the twenty-first century by founding a holistic global civilization or we undergo an utter loss – and the immense promise of our common human project may be lost forever on our failed spaceship earth. The choice remains ours still and we must summon the moral courage, genuine political and collective will for immediate action to set up an integrated global legal system and a holistic earthly civil society. [1]
July 26, 2012
Opposition to the Gulen Movement: Who and why? (1)
fgulen.org
Why do some (in Turkey in particular) oppose the Gülen Movement?
For those who have exploited and usurped Turkey’s wealth and resources for years, the altruism of those raised among the Gülen Movement is a challenge to their way of thinking. They have found their logic upset. For they see that while they seek to siphon money and resources illegally from the state and people’s pockets, others have begun instead to construct alternate modes of behavior and generate alternative meanings. This offers a symbolic challenge to the more usual rationality of calculation, established bureaucratic routines, and means–end relationships. The challenge arises from the given-for-nothing nature of the “offering” and the directness of personal commitment. These two features demonstrate that sharing with others is not reducible to instrumental logic. In essence, the Gülen Movement reminds everyone of the limitations of a system’s power over people and events. It calls into question the System’s sway over us and invites us to assume greater responsibility for our choices and actions. In so doing, it becomes a vital component in the renewal of civil society and the reinforcement of social cohesion. For precisely those reasons there is counter-mobilization by vested interests.
Why do some (in Turkey in particular) oppose the Gülen Movement?
For those who have exploited and usurped Turkey’s wealth and resources for years, the altruism of those raised among the Gülen Movement is a challenge to their way of thinking. They have found their logic upset. For they see that while they seek to siphon money and resources illegally from the state and people’s pockets, others have begun instead to construct alternate modes of behavior and generate alternative meanings. This offers a symbolic challenge to the more usual rationality of calculation, established bureaucratic routines, and means–end relationships. The challenge arises from the given-for-nothing nature of the “offering” and the directness of personal commitment. These two features demonstrate that sharing with others is not reducible to instrumental logic. In essence, the Gülen Movement reminds everyone of the limitations of a system’s power over people and events. It calls into question the System’s sway over us and invites us to assume greater responsibility for our choices and actions. In so doing, it becomes a vital component in the renewal of civil society and the reinforcement of social cohesion. For precisely those reasons there is counter-mobilization by vested interests.
July 25, 2012
Gülen Movement and Politics (2)
fgulen.org
Does the Gülen Movement engage in political rhetoric or partisan politics?
The character of the services (that the participants are engaged in providing) keeps them away from the everyday and largely pointless partisan fights and rhetoric of political parties; participants do not divert or exhaust their energies in political skirmishes. The effectiveness of the Gülen Movement’s activities arises from its openness and receptiveness, and the efficiency of available forms of representation. This quality of the Gülen Movement contradicts the dominant understanding of social movements in the West, which sees movements as always contentious and conflictual.
Does the Gülen Movement engage in political rhetoric or partisan politics?
The character of the services (that the participants are engaged in providing) keeps them away from the everyday and largely pointless partisan fights and rhetoric of political parties; participants do not divert or exhaust their energies in political skirmishes. The effectiveness of the Gülen Movement’s activities arises from its openness and receptiveness, and the efficiency of available forms of representation. This quality of the Gülen Movement contradicts the dominant understanding of social movements in the West, which sees movements as always contentious and conflictual.
July 24, 2012
Gülen Movement and Politics (1)
fgulen.org
Is the Gülen Movement a political movement, action or actor?
No. A political movement presses for a different distribution of roles, rewards or resources in society and therefore clashes with the power which imposes rules within the structural organization of the state; a non-political movement strives for a more efficient functioning of the system or apparatus of society or, in fact, for that system’s more successful outcomes. It does not pass the established limits of the system or its written and unwritten rules, regulations and norms. The Gülen Movement fits the description of a non-political movement, so despite being a collective action or mobilization, it cannot be said to be a political movement.
Is the Gülen Movement a political movement, action or actor?
No. A political movement presses for a different distribution of roles, rewards or resources in society and therefore clashes with the power which imposes rules within the structural organization of the state; a non-political movement strives for a more efficient functioning of the system or apparatus of society or, in fact, for that system’s more successful outcomes. It does not pass the established limits of the system or its written and unwritten rules, regulations and norms. The Gülen Movement fits the description of a non-political movement, so despite being a collective action or mobilization, it cannot be said to be a political movement.
July 23, 2012
Gülen schools or Gülen-inspired schools?
fgulen.org
What kind of schools does Gülen advocate?
The schools inspired by Fethullah Gülen's educational understanding are not religious or Islamic.
Instead, they are secular private schools inspected by state authorities and sponsored by parents and entrepreneurs. They follow secular, state-prescribed curricula and internationally recognized programs.
What kind of schools does Gülen advocate?
The schools inspired by Fethullah Gülen's educational understanding are not religious or Islamic.
Instead, they are secular private schools inspected by state authorities and sponsored by parents and entrepreneurs. They follow secular, state-prescribed curricula and internationally recognized programs.
July 22, 2012
’60 Minutes’ segment on Gulen Movement highly speculative
Ahmed Rehab
By most objective standards, Fethullah Gulen is a hero of the modern age. While religious polarization has emerged as one of the most nagging problems our time, stumping educators and causing politicians to loose sleep, the Turkish Muslim scholar has inspired millions around the world to rise above petty ideological differences that only work to divide people and instead to embrace all human beings as God’s creation regardless of their faith, national identity, or ideological affiliation.
For Gulen, Jews, Christians, Muslims, atheists, secular nationalists and others have shed too much blood and exhausted too many centuries declaring each other enemies; Instead, he sees ignorance as the common enemy of all people.
 |
| Ahmed Rehab |
For Gulen, Jews, Christians, Muslims, atheists, secular nationalists and others have shed too much blood and exhausted too many centuries declaring each other enemies; Instead, he sees ignorance as the common enemy of all people.
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