Being Christian in a country that is 99.5% Muslim (Jesus, church)

[Djamila]

Meyra is something of an oxymoron. She's an Anatolian Turk, a famous Turkish singer, and a vehement Turkish nationalist.

She's also, unlike 99.5% of her peers, a non-Muslim. Meyra is a Christian, and isn't ashamed of it to say the least. Her famous catch phrase, one she's repeated at many concerts, is "Jesus is the way, Turkey is the place! For Turks!"

Here is a sample of the beauty that is Meyra. Her song Adagio-Elveda, filmed at the monumental St. Irene Church in Istanbul.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8l5BoFjfR0

[Djamila]

By the way, to give our fellow Christian RF'ers the shivers.

This was probably the first time a Christian hymn echoed through St. Irene's in centuries. Remember that as you watch it.

[Djamila]

A few other songs by Meyra.

The beautiful ballad Hersey eskir.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkVz1vzIXuU

The addictive dance song Efendim.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akOZclEsPCU

[robtex]

Djamilia that is amazing considering how Turkey practices religion. I couldn't imagine a christian living over there. I mean the goverment is secular but like you said, the islamic culture is so strong over there being Christian must be really tough. I mean families will be less apt to arrange a marriage with her, her holidays mean jack and squat to the locals, a cross as a necklace or ring would bring odd stares. That is just wild. Wow you find such interesting stuff to post on here.

footnotes
http://i-cias.com/e.o/turkey_4.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_in_Turkey

[Djamila]

Well, the backlash against Christianity in Turkey has more to do with the fact most Turkish Christians consider themselves to be Armenians. Armenians have tried to topple Turkey from within several times throughout Turkey's history. They were even deported in the 1900s, like the Chechens were deported by Russia, and suffered casualties that some say amount to genocide.

So when you have a Christian who says - I'm Turkish, and I'm proud to be Turkish. It's no wonder she's embraced.

Roman Catholics in Kraljeva Sutjeska, in central Bosnia, consider themselves Bosniaks - a term almost exclusively associated with Muslims. Because they consider themselves Bosniaks, they're embraced by Bosnian Muslims to a much more significant degree than other Roman Catholics, who consider themselves Bosnian Croats.

Meyra is just... exactly what Turkey needs to reduce it's defensive response to basic Christianity.