News from the world press: “Adnan Oktar has won his struggle against the theory of evolution”

From Italy to Indonesia, Britain to Saudi Arabia, the most prominent newspapers in the world spoke of the success of the anti-evolutionist works of Adnan Oktar (aka Harun Yahya) that he has been carried out in the intellectual sense for the last 30 years. All the news reports concluded that he has won this struggle.

The Daily Telegraph made the headlines, “Turkey to end the teaching of evolution theory in lower school.”

"Adnan Oktar, a prominent Turkish creationist, has led a crusade against the teaching of evolution, saying the theory is a European invention developed as a slight against Islam.”

The news also read; "The Koran, like the Bible, teaches that Adam and Eve were the first humans. God is said to have created Adam from Clay and then formed Eve, also known as Hawwa, from Adam.”

Pikaia, the prominent atheist and communist Internet website based in Italy, had the headline: “Turkey says goodbye to Darwin.” The news report outlines the anti-evolutionist developments which  Adnan Oktar has been instrumental since 2008 -for the last ten years- in Turkey: The ban on Richard Dawkin’s website, distribution of The Atlas of Creation across Europe, the anti-evolutionist conference held in Milano The news report also included  video of Alpaslan Durmuş, the head of curriculum for the Ministry of Education, in which he announced that Darwin’s theory would be removed from lower school programs.

Following the news coverage, Pikaia reported another news item titled "Turkey has excluded evolution from the curriculum."

The report states, "Harun Yahya will be most pleased about this news." It proceeds to mention that your efforts have made it possible for the book "Atlas of Creation" to be distributed to the half of the world, and for the theory of evolution to be excluded from the curriculum. It also mentions that your efforts lead to various pro-evolutionary scientific websites, Richard Dawkins in particular, to be shut down in Turkey.

Skalanews’ [Indonesia] story about the removal of the theory of evolution from the curriculum in Turkey is as follows:

"The Turkish scholar Harun Yahya’s struggle against the theory of evolution has brought results. The Turkish Ministry of Education will no longer include the theory of evolution in the school curriculum. The theory is excluded because it is not scientifically proven and it is against the teachings of Islam.”

In the Saudi Arabia version of Asharq Al Awsat, one of the three major newspapers of the Arabic world published in three continents, there was news report with the headline, “Harun Yahya has won his struggle against the theory of evolution”

The related news is as follows: “ The theory of evolution has been attacked by Adnan Oktar [aka Harun Yahya] who is known to be close to the AK Party and has strong power over the business world and many aspects of media. Adnan Oktar has his shows on A9 TV Channel, with ladies with revealing clothes and make up and a group of young people. Adnan Oktar lives in a luxurious villa and he has many houses and villas in the most prestigious locations of Istanbul.”

The story goes on:

"According to Oktar, Darwin tells a lie and there is not a process called the process of evolution. He says that he will award anyone who brings a proof validating the theory of evolution with three million dollars.

Adnan Oktar has great influence both on the Turkish society and abroad. He seems he has won his struggle by being instrumental in the official removal of the theory of evolution from the curriculum. He says his anti-evolution books such as “The Collapse of the theory of evolution in 20 questions” have been instrumental in this.”

The news article published in Haaretz, one of Israel's oldest daily newspapers whose editorials arguably have significant influence on government leaders,

titled "Compared to the US, creationists are leagues ahead in Turkish schools," writes thusly:

"In 2006, the book titled "Atlas of Creation" printed on prime quality paper came into many Turkish schools with the claim to refute the notion of evolution through natural selection. It bravely called attention to the fossil records to elucidate that creation is the work of God. Moreover, the book argued that evolution is also accountable for anti-Islamic and destructive doctrines such as Nazism and communism."

The article then notes:

"A few years later, Adnan Oktar, an ardent advocate of Islamic creationism and the author of Atlas of Creation writing under the pseudonym 'Harun Yahya', had the websites of well-known evolutionist, Richard Dawkins' being in particular, closed down on the grounds of blasphemous libel.”

The well-known scientific journal WIRED, in its Italian website,

reported a news article titled "What risks are we taking by following Turkey's suit in not teaching evolution?" and

wrote, "Turkey is trying to exclude the theory of evolution from high school programs. This is not the first attempt in disavowing Darwin," while addressing the impact of your books in this regard.

The article also noted, "In 2008, the evolutionist Richard Dawkins' website was closed down after Adnan Oktar, the author of "Atlas of Creation" also known as Harun Yahya, proclaimed that it was committing blasphemous libel. Subsequently, Darwin's picture, which had been planned to be used on the cover, was removed from the cover of a popular scientific magazine."

The Sargasso, a website based in Netherlands, had the following news:

"When the words ‘Turkey’ and ‘evolution’ are told, the name Adnan Oktar comes to one’s mind. Starting as of next year, pupils in high schools will no longer hear about the theory of evolution in Turkey. The name Adnan Oktar is the first word that comes to mind when the words Turkey and Creationism are uttered. In the West, Adnan Oktar is known as the author who, about ten years ago, sent a thick, pleasant anti-evolution book with the name “The Atlas of Creation” to thousands of politicians, schools and prominent names in Europe. Many American Creationists praised this book, stating that it is full of information. Adnan Oktar has a daily three-hours long live broadcast show on A9 TV Channel in which well-groomed ladies called “kittens”, setting a role model for Turkish women, participate. Will the well-groomed ladies of Mr. Oktar be a role model for modern Turkish women? This is highly probable.”

Another news report regarding the exclusion of Darwinism from Turkish schools has come from Norway today. The news titled "They are spreading their ideas in textbooks" featured in Dagsavisen, an Oslo-based Norwegian newspaper known for its affiliation with the Norwegian Workers Party, writes the following:

"The Turkish Muslim creationist known for his anti-Darwinist work gains increasingly wider ground among the immigrants in Europe.

Holding religious discussions on his own TV program, the extent of Adnan Oktar's popularity is not limited to Turkey. His ideas have passed way beyond national borders - Oktar's creationist ideas are particularly cherished by the Middle Eastern immigrants residing in Europe. 10 years ago, him sending out copies of his own work, a textbook titled 'Atlas of Creation', to schools in Europe sparked a debate. Hans Henrik Hjermitslev, a researcher in Southern Denmark University Department of Religion and Science, notes that Oktar still remains the stronghold of Muslim creationism and adds:

"His is a well-financed movement. His views find support among the young and educated people in Europe," says Hjermitslev, masha'Allah.

Another news found coverage on the website of a German radio station named Deutshcland Funk.

The news report, featuring a huge picture of the German edition of your book 'the Atlas of Creation, wrote:

"According to a research conducted by TU Dortmund, 15% of the students from Lehramt reject the theory of evolution.  They are opposed to the theory of evolution doctrine being taught in schools, just as the Muslim writer Adnan Oktar criticizes the theory of evolution in his book 'Atlas of Creation." 

De Standaard, a Flemish Christian Democratic Party-affiliated Belgian daily newspaper reports:

"Harun Yahya's book, 'Atlas of Creation' achieved incredible success and brought about change worldwide. In Turkey, the theory of evolution has been excluded from the curriculum including high schools due to being too complicated for pupils. In Flanders, the Dutch speaking region of Belgium, there is a strong argument prevalent on Facebook that suggests mankind did not descend from apes."

The Dominion Post, based in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, issued a news article titled "When evolutionary theory met radical Islam." The article wrote:

"According to surveys, Darwin's theory is widely embraced in Western countries while the majority in Turkey does not believe in evolution.

Anti-evolutionism takes bizarre forms in Turkey where televangelist Adnan Oktar nightly broadcasts Islamic creationism from his private TV channel." The article also notes, "The slick 61-year-old, designer clothing-suited Adnan Oktar attracts wealthy followers who regard him as the redeemer," and adds that you claim the ladies partaking in your TV program are pious university graduates who speak many languages.

The article remarks how you further spread your creationist message by bombarding schools and scientists round the world with more than 10,000 free copies of your 800-page glossy anti-Darwin book Atlas of Creation, and talks about how you daily discuss Darwin's negative impact on Islamic and moral values and the apparent fact that the Turkish government also shares your views.

In Oumma, one of the well-known Muslim sites of France;

Renowned preacher Harun Yahya who finds approval among francophone circles is undeniably one of the most potent symbols of this movement (Creationism).

In Catholic news site Medias Presse Info published in French;

In the news article titled "Darwin is fired from the schools in Turkey", it is mentioned that this attack against Darwin is nothing new, and Adnan Oktar (Harun Yahya) published the Atlas of Creation in 2006 and the book sold 1.5 million copies. It is also mentioned that Turkey is the only country in the world where rejection of Darwinism is more common than the acceptance of it.

Le Courrier, a Switzerland-based website, criticized the removal of the theory of evolution from the curriculum in Turkey. The news article published under the title "Science in Danger" states that evolutionary biology is not given kind reception in Turkey and that the Islamic Creationist views of the author Harun Yahya (aka Adnan Oktar) are favored.

In the website of the French radio channel RFI, broadcasting in 13 languages, a news article is published with the following title "Turkey: the theory of Darwin is no longer welcome in schools."

"Under the pen name Harun Yahya, Adnan Oktar made history with his book Atlas of Creation, which included rich visuals and was distributed in France and Switzerland. In this book, we see examples proving the invalidity of hundreds of page of evolution such as how a 200-million-year-old fern fossil shows that the plant has not undergone any changes."

In the most visited Spanish-language Israeli newspaper Aurora, a news article was published titled "Turkey has removed the theory of evolution from the curriculum." The article included the following statement:

"In 2006, with its first grade page quality, the book Atlas of Creation entered many Turkish schools with the intention of refuting the idea of ​​evolution through natural selection. It boldly pointed to the fossil records to explain that Creation is the work of God. The book also claimed that evolution was responsible for destructive and anti-Islamic doctrines, such as Nazism and communism.

A news article titled "The Approach of the Turkish Scientific Group to the Darwinism; 'both sides should be explained'" was published in the internet site Uncommon Descent of the Intelligent Designers, who believes that the materialist ideology is an obstacle in the way of the correct examination of biology and science.

Mrs. Denyse O'Leary, who published the article, says for Harun Yahya's book "Evolution Deceit" that, "it's the most concise work I've ever read that destroys Darwin's theory of evolution." In her column, she included Technical Science Research Foundation's press release about the removal of theory of evolution from the curriculum in Turkey.

In the article titled "International Creationism" published in the well-known French magazine L'Express;

The author, Christian Makarian, talks about global creationist movements while devoting half of his article to the worldwide influence Mr. Adnan Oktar had on this issue.

"In this regard, the most ardent actor of this movement in Turkey is Harun Yahya, in other words, Adnan Oktar. He maintains a fierce fight against Darwinism. All the think tanks, internet sites, and all media organizations (including our editorial department of L'Express) are virtually covered with richly illustrated books and propaganda articles. "

In the Huffington Post, one of America's most well-known liberal news sites, an article was published by Erkan Saka, an Assistant Professor from Bilgi University, on the issue of the removal of theory of evolution from the curriculum in Turkey.

In his article, Saka claimed that evolution in Turkish schools was taught only as a theory and that it was not focused on too much, he continued: "Popular and unusual Islamic groups, such as Adnan Oktar, are engaged in anti-evolution activities using Western creationist literature. People like Oktar can easily organize exhibitions in public spaces that deny evolution."

In the famous Knack magazine published in Belgium since 1971;

...In 2007, the Turkish creationist (Harun Yahya) sent the luxury-printed Atlas of Creation, in which he refuted the evolution with scientific evidence, to thousands of universities in Western Europe free of charge. Yahya is the pen name of Adnan Oktar, an interior designer from Istanbul. Yahya is the leader of a think-tank that advocates creation and is making world-wide advances to explain that Islam does not contradict with science. These advances came to fruition in his own country. On June 23rd, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a law that would remove evolution from middle schools on the grounds that "it is difficult and complicated to understand". In 2019, Darwin will disappear from the textbooks at middle schools.

Infobae, one of the biggest internet newspapers of Argentina with monthly visitor traffic of 27 million: 

... "Some societies have been gripped by the "fear of evolution theory" through the impact of commentators on the subject such as Harun Yahya. Richard Dawkins noted that fanatical Muslims are spreading creationism across Europe, while the geneticist Steve Jones stated that Muslim students boycott the classes where the theory of evolution is taught."

Avvenire, one of Italy's most popular newspapers also known as the voice of Italy:

"A few years ago, a perfect Atlas was published, featuring the past forms, that is, the fossils of animals and the examples of their living counterparts. This book was written by Harun Yahya and distributed all across the world... They state that all species came into being through the direct creation of God."

Åbo Underrättelser, one of the oldest daily newspapers of Finland published in Swedish:

The newspaper remarks that Adnan Oktar's Atlas of Creation, consisting of 800 pages and sold 8 million in 1 year, is quite intriguing.

Tageblatt Newspaper issued in Luxembourg:

"Adnan Oktar's 'Atlas of Creation' has made a reputation worldwide. Translated into countless languages and featuring a rich variety of pictures, the book employs the arguments used by the evangelist circles and includes verses from the Qur'an instead of the Bible."

Ticino Today, published in Italian in the Ticino canton, Switzerland:

The newspaper writes about Adnan Oktar's 30 years of scientific struggle against the theory of evolution and how it is the root of all evil from Nazism to fascism and terrorism.  

RSI NEWS, published in Italian in the Ticino canton, Switzerland:

"For over 30 years, Adnan Oktar has been waging a struggle expressing the invalidity of the theory of evolution, the root of all evil."

Aura Avis Newspaper published in Nordmor, Norway:

Quoting from Adnan Oktar's book 'A Historical Lie: the Stone Age', the newspaper writes about how the evolutionists have been deceiving people for over 150 years through false evidence.

Mediapart, a French blog site:

"The Turkish preacher Adnan Oktar, also known under his pen name Harun Yahya, has made a tremendous impact on the subject of evolution. He became quite popular with his book 'Atlas of Creation' embellished with a rich variety of pictures that was distributed in France and Switzerland in 2007. The book features a few hundred pages of basic information to prove the fallacy of evolution; for example, pictures of 200-million-year-old fern fossil are presented in the book as evidence to how ferns did not undergo any evolution."

DetikNews, one of Indonesia's most popular news portals:

"Harun Yahya is also referred to as a Islamic scientist as his scientific efforts hit the weak spots of the theory of evolution. He is considered a pioneer for his works on creationism. I truly have a tremendous admiration for Harun Yahya for his works and efforts."

"Despite all their explanations, my opinion about the fallacy of theory of evolution is definite. And above that, I believe Harun Yahya is an exceptional scientist."