Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin – No. 246 – Wed 12 Nov 2003

—————————————– TURKEY: EVANGELISTS BEATEN AS ISLAM RISES —————————————–

On 23 October, Yakup Cindilli (32), a Turkish convert to Christianity, was hospitalised after being savagely beaten for distributing New Testaments in his hometown of Orhangazi in northwestern Turkey. His condition is now critical as he has slipped into a coma, with a blood clot formed in his brain due to his injuries. Cindilli’s companion, Tufan Orhan, was also savagely beaten. Turkish media reported the incident as ‘Two Youths Beaten for Doing Missionary Work’ or ‘missionary propaganda’. Local police have identified and detained three suspects in the crime, but as yet no date has been set for a hearing.

Compass Direct reports, ‘Yakup Cindilli first expressed interest in Christianity about two years ago when he made a telephone call to “Alo Dua”, a prayer hotline ministry begun by local Protestant Christians after Turkey’s devastating 1999 earthquake. After reading the New Testament and coming to faith in Christ, Cindilli began writing poems and songs. He occasionally travelled to Bursa, about 30 miles from Orhangazi, to visit the Protestant fellowship there. His family was opposed to his new faith, throwing out all his Christian books and warning him that he must give up his new beliefs.’

Turkey is very strategic as a bridge between Europe and the Muslim world, yet it is also the world’s largest unreached nation (Operation World: 21st Century Edition). Turkey was once a bastion of Christianity, then a bastion of expanding Islam. Today Turkey is torn between secular Europe and the Islamic world. To be Muslim (no matter how nominal) is an essential part of Turkish identity, hence Christians have always been subject to a degree of social hostility and contempt. A legalistic drive for secularisation is actually causing more contempt towards non-Muslims. This problem is escalating as Islamist fervour rises in response to the ‘War on Terror’ and the war in Iraq.

The surge in Islamist sentiment and identification was clearly demonstrated by the November 2002 landslide election win to the Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP), which has its roots in a banned Islamist movement. The AKP defeated the staunchly secular, ruling Republican People’s Party (CHP). AKP leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (48), had been banned from being Prime Minister, due to a 1998 conviction for ‘Islamist sedition’. (He had publicly recited a poem the courts concluded incited religious hatred.) Political manoeuvring after the AKP election victory saw the constitution changed to allow Erdogan to become Prime Minister, in March 2003. There is much debate about the directions and intentions of the AKP. However, two things are certain: whilst the ‘war on terror’ and war in Iraq have boosted Islamist zeal in Turkey, there is also a great hunger for the gospel as many are searching for spiritual truth.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:

* Yakup Cindilli and Tufan Orhan, that they will be healed and restored as shining lights in Turkey, and for their families to have their eyes opened and their hearts softened to the truth of the gospel for which these men are willing to risk their lives. ‘I know you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.’ Rev 3:8 NIV

* justice to be done in the case of those charged with assaulting Yakup Cindilli and Tufan Orhan, so a clear message will be sent that violence against Christians will not be tolerated.

* the prayer ministry of Alo Dua, the Turkish Bible Society, the churches and all evangelistic ministries in Turkey, that they will be united, strengthened, empowered and blessed by the Holy Spirit; may their witness be effective beyond what we could ever dare ask or even hope (Ephesians 3:20).

* God to protect Turkey from militant Islam and hardline Islamist politics, and direct the hearts of its leaders, particularly PM Erdogan, towards openness and complete religious freedom.

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SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE: ————————————————————

EVANGELISTS BEATEN AS ISLAM RISES IN TURKEY

The War on Terror and the war in Iraq have caused Islamist zeal to rise across Turkey. On 23 October, Yakup Cindilli and Tufan Orhan were savagely beaten for handing out New Testaments in Yakup’s home village of Orhangazi in northwestern Turkey. Yakup was hospitalised but has since slipped into a coma and is in a critical condition. He has only been a Christian for a couple of years and whilst he has suffered much rejection and persecution, he is a courageous and passionate witness for Christ. Please pray for Yakup and Tufan’s healing and restoration, for their families to know Christ, for the Spirit to empower and bless Christian witness throughout the nation, and for God to direct the hearts of Turkey’s leaders towards complete religious freedom.

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The WEA Religious Liberty Commission sponsors this RL Prayer List to help individuals and groups pray specifically and regularly for religious liberty issues, and in particular to uphold the Church where it is suffering persecution.

RL Prayer is moderated by Ron Clough, a commissioner of the WEA RLC and convenor of the Australian EA RLC.

Elizabeth Kendal researched and authored this message.

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