Why Harun Yahya conferences must continue to be held in the U.S. military

The American academic and consultant to the U.S. Army, Dr. Timothy Furnish, recently criticized the conferences on the subjects of “The Collapse of Darwinism, the Fact of Creation” and “Miracles of the Qur’an” held at the Lackland United States Air Force base in Texas by a representative of Mr. Adnan Oktar. He reacted to these important conferences by claiming that non-military personnel should not teach Islam and other religions on U.S. military bases.

In his criticisms, Dr. Furnish suggested that it was wrong for Islam, or any other faith, to be explained by people who are not members of the U.S. military, and that the people to discuss these faiths should only speak in mosques and churches, not on military bases. Dr. Furnish’s reaction in fact represents a restrictive mindset all too familiar across the world and inspired by a number of fears. A mindset that would impose restrictions on the description of Islam or any other faith, that imposes conditions on the free exchange of ideas and that greets a totally peaceful conference that discusses scientific evidence with unnecessary fear and trepidation contravenes the very founding principles of the United States of America, a symbol of freedom and democracy for the entire world.

It first needs to be stated that, as everywhere else, nothing in these conferences was imposed or forced on American military personnel. The representatives of Harun Yahya have held hundreds of conferences in some 40 U.S. states and in all its major universities and academies, and participated in all of them as the result of insistent invitations. The Harun Yahya representative invited to give a two hour presentation on the base had to extend his address to two and a half hours because of the military personnel’s interest and encouragement. The military personnel who attended the conference chose to do so of their own free will, rather than participate in any other activity. Seeing that the conference was very beneficial, the Harun Yahya representative was invited for a second address on the same day.

No sincere Muslim will ever impose his ideas or beliefs on anyone else; that is out of the question in Islam. And that was also the case in these discussions attended by U.S. military personnel on an entirely voluntary basis. A Muslim giving a rational presentation with scientific evidence on a U.S. Air Force base and speaking in a pleasant manner attracted the interest and garnered the approval of American troops.

However, Dr. Timothy Furnish's encouraging the U.S. military to adopt a prejudicial and restrictive approach and to sever relations with reasonable and democratically-minded Muslims entirely opposed to bigotry and terror is not a policy that serves America’s interests. In contrast to ordinary conferences, the Harun Yahya conferences held on the U.S. military base had very important aims and wisdom:

-       One of the major concerns of Dr. Furnish and those who share his views is the belief that these conferences are intended to encourage personnel of Christian origin to convert to Islam. However the fact is that WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF TRYING TO CONVERT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO ISLAM. It is enough for us for the Christian people of the USA to be good Christians. We have no wish to turn them away from the Prophet Jesus (pbuh). On the contrary, WE WISH TO SEE THEM AS TRUE CHRISTIANS AND DEVOUT FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST (pbuh).

-       Our aim was to tell everyone who attended of the “existence and Oneness of Allah,” regardless of their beliefs. Our hope is that the discussions and presentations we give will be instrumental in the attendees being people encouraged TO LOVE ALLAH, TO BE HONEST, TRUE AND FULL OF LOVE AND TO DESIRE PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD AMONGST ALL MEN. It is a terrible mistake to look for any ulterior motive behind this immaculate message.

-       The aim behind our activities across the world, from Australia to Norway and from Russia to France, IS TO SET OUT BELIEF IN ALLAH, THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF LOVE, PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD, WITH FULLY SUPPORTING SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE, and to tell this to as many people as possible.

-       Various religious groups from all faiths may seek to spread their own ideas. But OUR PURPOSE GOES FURTHER THAN THAT: WE ARE OPPOSED TO COMMUNISM AND TO ALL RADICAL TENDENCIES. WE SUPPORT SECULARISM AND DEMOCRACY.We strive to tell people of the erroneous nature of Marxist-Leninist thinking, the erroneous nature of Darwinism and materialism and the ugliness of communism, and to neutralize all systems based on bloodshed.

-       It is therefore incorrect to say, “There is your group, and various other groups that talk about religion. And you all have the same aim.” THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR CASE IS OBVIOUS.

-       WE WANT TO STRENGTHEN THE U.S. NATION.The main foundation of that strength is the fact of the American people being religious. The U.S. nation and its military can only be strong if they are also religious.

-       A strong USA is vitally important for the world because THE USA IS A COUNTRY THAT SYMBOLIZES FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY. It is a role model in that respect. A RESTRICTIVE AND RIGID POLICY IS THEREFORE UNFITTING TO IT GIVEN ITS HISTORICAL TRENDS.

-       Proper education, free from all forms of prejudice and bigotry, requires freedom of thought on U.S. military bases, and it is important that U.S. military personnel should be acquainted with and open to all ideas and ways of thinking, and should have a broad general knowledge and culture, and be well educated; indeed, given the important role the U.S. Military plays throughout the world, it is absolutely essential.

-       Like everyone else, the U.S. military need to know what bigotry is, what radicalism is, what love, affection, friendship and compassion are and what the danger of communism is. Restricting such an education will lead to a serious deficiency and weakness.

-       FEARING IDEAS IS WEAKNESS.It is wrong to have fear of Marxist, communist or Darwinist thinking. People need to be told what these ideologies stand for, and why they are wrong. It is also wrong to be afraid of young people being told about religion out of a fear this will radicalize them.

-       Dr. Furnish and those who think like him worry unnecessarily. THE U.S. MILITARY WILL IN ANY CASE REJECT RADICALISM AND BIGOTRY. No rational person anywhere would willingly sign up to such backwardness. That is why it is wrong to impose such bans and restrictions.

-       For that reason IT IS A SIGN OF WEAKNESS TO FEAR THE DISCUSSION OF ISLAM, CHRISTIANITY OR JUDAISM. It would be far more appropriate to trust the free will, intelligence and foresight of the soldiers of the U.S. armed forces.

-       To try to restrict the discussion of religion to churches, mosques and synagogues, and to do this in the name of freedom and secularism, is itself a violation of secularism, democracy and basic freedoms. SECULARISM SERVES AS THE GUARANTOR OF RELIGION. SECULARISM DOES NOT BRING WITH IT BANS OR RESTRICTIONS ON RELIGION; on the contrary, it provides a framework in which everyone can live by and discuss their faith in freedom, equality and comfort.

-       It would not be honest to seek to prevent people from entering particular institutions, simply because they are members of a particular faith or express their ideas on religious matters, and to do so in the name of religious freedom. To tell someone “you cannot express your ideas here,” solely on the basis of his religious identity, clearly conflicts with the fundamental concepts of American freedom, enshrined in the very constitution of the American republic.

-       The USA must be a balancing element for the protection of social justice, peace and democracy. To do that, it must be strong, and to be strong, it has to have religious belief.

-       IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR MUSLIMS TO BE DEVOUT MUSLIMS, CHRISTIANS TO BE DEVOUT CHRISTIANS AND JEWS TO BE DEVOUT JEWS.But they must all be enlightened and sincere believers.

-       There is currently an astonishing climate of terror and savagery astride in the world. To that end, it is important for NEW GENERATIONS THAT ESPOUSE PEACE AND STRIVE AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF WAR AND CONFLICT to be raised among Muslims, Christians and Jews. THIS IS AN EXPLICIT COMMAND OF THE QUR’AN, THE GOSPEL AND THE TORAH.

-       Darwinism has become a tool for shame across the world. It is the worst scientific fraud ever. The fact that not even a single protein can form by mere chance and the absence of a single transitional form among all the more than 350 million fossils that have been unearthed are by themselves enough to demolish the theory.

-        As with just about everywhere in the world, this scientific fraud, evolution, is also imposed and taught in a biased manner in the USA. That being the case, we believe that it is important that U.S. TROOPS OBVIOUSLY NEED TO BE WARNED THAT DARWINISM IS IN FACT AN UNSCIENTIFIC FRAUD.

-       There may be those who think along the lines of, “The U.S. military should not hear these things, otherwise Darwinism will collapse.” But the fact is that both military personnel and civilians have the opportunity to access accurate information at any time over the internet. So such prohibitions are utterly inappropriate and meaningless.

-       The USA seeks to be an ideal nation. It must be above all forms of backwardness and fanaticism. IT NEEDS TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AGAINST BACWARDNESS AND FANATICISM.

-       It is therefore very important to encourage troops from whatever faith to believe in the Oneness of Allah and to be peaceful, devout and loving. AMONG MUSLIMS, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF HARUN YAHYA ARE IDEALLY QUALIFIED TO DO THIS, and the U.S. military clearly needs to work with rational, enlightened, secular and loving Muslims.

-       It goes without saying that the USA is in the vanguard of democracy. Following these discussions we have held on U.S. bases, this U.S. attitude of openness to listening to Muslims’ ideas has been raised in many places. EVEN THE IRANIAN PRESS GREETED THESE DEVLOPMENTS WITH AMAZEMENT AND SURPRISE; REPORTS APPEARED IN A GREAT MANY PLACES.

-       VATAN, one of Turkey’s best-selling dailies, MADE THE REPORT A HEADLINE STORY.Vatan is a highly conservative paper in terms of following an anti-religious line, while the Iranian press is highly supportive of religion. Although these publications represent diametrically opposed views, THEY HAVE ALL COVERED THE STORY WITH GREAT ADMIRATION because the USA has taken a major step forward. The fact that the USA is leading the way in democracy and freedom of ideas and belief is something that should also be appreciated by American men of ideas.

Our aim is to raise new generations of believers, by showing the love and beauty to which faith in Allah as the One and Only gives rise to, and exposing the dangers of Darwinism and communism. But on the other hand, THERE IS ALSO A PLAN UNDERWAY TO INSTIL IRRELIGION IN THE U.S. MILITARY. That is why covert Russian and Chinese agents are being used in the U.S. military. By doing this, they hope to cause the USA to collapse from the inside. They know that spreading irreligion in the military will greatly accelerate that collapse. That is the reason for this destructive plan and their efforts to disseminate atheist propaganda by devious means and the use of agents provocateur. And thus, it is a huge error for Christians, known for their religious devotion, to criticize discussion of belief in Allah at a time when these people already represent such a grave threat. All devout Christians, including Dr. Furnish, should back this essential activity and support the excellent outcomes which this activity will doubtlessly engender.

We want to see the U.S. military made up of devout Christians, Jews and Muslims. We want them to love Allah. We want them to love the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and await his coming with fervor and joy, and to make ready for that coming. We want to see new, secular, rational and enlightened generations filled with love of Allah, standing shoulder to shoulder in support of peace and friendship.

For that reason, SPECIAL PERMISSION MUST BE GIVEN FOR THE HARUN YAHYA CONFERENCES TO GO AHEAD. In the terms we have discussed here, the works of Harun Yahya ARE CLEARLY HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND OF A BENEFICIAL NATURE. This is no ordinary activity. WE HARBOR NO FANATICISM OR EXTREMISM. WHAT WE PROVIDE IS THE MEETING OF A NEED THAT WILL STRENGTHEN ALL MILITARY PERSONNEL, THE U.S. MILITARY AND THE USA ITSELF.

THE ONLY PATHto strength, development, raising generations filled with love, freeing ourselves from terror and slaughter, eliminating movements that encourage irreligion and bringing love and peace to the whole world IS RELIGIOUS DEVOTION. Everyone knows that Harun Yahya conferences perform these tasks to the letter. It is amazing that religious believers should personally be trying to halt these initiatives of ours that will also serve to make Christians and Jews in the U.S. military more devout.

As a Christian and an American, Dr. Furnish needs to see and understand that Harun Yahya conferences have a 100% positive impact on Christians and should personally encourage the pure aims behind these activities.