Emptying the content of religion

Defending the freedom of religion, conscience, and the right of the pious to live an honorable life is completely different from turning religion into a tool for political and economic power. The latter is a shame and a sin.   

Theologian Faruk Be?er explained the current situation we have in Turkey as follows: "On the one hand people opt for religion, but on the other hand the content of religion is emptied out and consumed as a commodity for earthly affairs." 

A December 2014 survey conducted by Kadir Has University revealed that the conservative trend in Turkish society is increasing, as well as the "perception of corruption." Of course, among religious values there are virtues such as not trying to obtain undeserved benefits, fairness, and honesty. If politics and commercial activities suppress these virtues, then the result is "emptying the content of religion."

Negativities such as corruption and the thirst for power that we see during today's conservative rule were also seen during the one-party era in the early years of the republic. What's more, back then today's level of trade and profit did not exist. 

Columnist ?evket Eygi wrote this about the current situation: "Some of our former allies have become new contractors, collecting immense value from Muslims. They have rigged official bids. They have converted non-buildable land for development, receiving huge commissions."

Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) head Mehmet Görmez has also spoken of negative examples and expressed his concern, saying, "What if young people start saying, 'If this is religion, don't count us in'?"

The moral content of religion 

Fights for the throne, ambition for wealth, corruption? These have been experienced...