What Is Turkey All About? Or, Turkish Flies Fly Fast

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Turkish Flies Fly Fast

We stayed for two nights in a five star Turkish hotel on the Agean Sea.  One afternoon prior to dinner I was trying to use their wireless internet connection in the lobby. (Technology failed again.)  The doors of the hotel were wide open to the sea as it was a beautiful  and warm day.  But flies were everywhere.  I pride myself on my ability to kill  flies bare handed but I kept missing.  I focused more on the task and mostly kept missing the flies, and had to come to the conclusion that Turkish Flies Fly Fast.  Some things you just have to observe for yourself.

What is Turkey all about?  Some things you just have to observe for yourself.  Many people in the states have fear-based impressions of Turkey .  Our understanding of Turkey, past and present, is grounded on very limited experiences and knowledge and impressions that make Turkey an unattractive destination and an undependable ally and a spiritual protagonist.  Personally, I was most interested in the possible role of Turkey, very much a Muslim AND democratic nation, as an alternative to Islamic States where Islamic law (sharia)  is enforced, often oppressively, on everyone. 

Conclusion, thus far:  Turkey is a modern, secular, democratic, and economically prosperous country that may, we can hope, be a powerful example to other Moslem countries about how Islam can be both vibrant  and democratic.  Turkey, at least the western half of the country where most tourists go, is safe and has an exciting history and is historically a unique meeting place of cultures and religions.  In the midst of the current global economic  crisis, Turkey has the second fastest growing economy in the world.  It’s commitment to democracy and to religious freedom is intense among most of the people.  That commitment has a symbol, in the founder of the modern Turkish nation, Ataturk (Father of the Turks), who reminds the Turks how important mutual respect and tolerance are.    There are definitely forces that would subvert the country’s commitment to democracy but over and over again I have spoken to people who are determined that their country will remain free of dogmatic religious influence.  By being a strong ally to Turkey, by visiting and making friends,  by letting go of fear, we can support the forces for freedom.

We ran into some amazing symbols of religious tolerance and mutual respect in Turkey.  A few days ago we visited the site of the ancient city of Sardis, one of the twelve cities mentioned in Revelation.   One of the buildings, a treasury, had fallen into ruin as the result of an earthquake.  In 200 A.D., when persecution was still severe against the Christians and Jews.Someone had carved a series of symbols into one column.  These symbols may be hard to see in the photo but they were very clear  in person.  Growing out of a Jewish Menorah was a Christian Cross and beside these on the left side was an olive branch, then as now a symbol of peace.  In a Roman City, 170 years  after the crucifixion of Jesusmsomeone seemed to be saying the known world, “Peace requires tolerance and respect.”  Our faiths grow out of each other and we must respect our common origins and shared beliefs.

Islam and Christianity and Judaism grow from the same tree.  That tree is Abraham who taught us all to believe in One God, Maker of Heaven and Earth, the Merciful One, Giver of every good and perfect gift.

Let there be peace on earth among all of God's chldren, nations and peoples.

Beautiful, Stunnning, ,And Once Again, Frightening

 Hello World!  This is easily the most beautiful day of our  trip thus far,. but I only have a few minutes to tell you about it. We are sitting atop the Greek Island of Santorini and Kathy is out and about spending our money of gifts for the grandchildren.    She has great tastes.  In 15 minutes I am hoping to SKYPE my church.  (After ten days of technology failures, we finally did connect to the church in Springfeld by way of the gracious offer of a cafe owner in Santorini.  The way it worked out was quite miraculous.)

And Kathy put God's care to the test again by agreeing to ride mules with me up the incredible steep slope of this gorgeous village.  At one point she fearfully took her right hand off the "handle" that kept her on her mule, reaching out for me.  She started falling off!!!  Fortunately I was in a position to push her back on.  She tells me she has no memory of the whole event.That's what fear does to  you--though I was very proud of Kathy just getting on the mule, after her last experience riding in the Grand Canyon.

Kathy hopes we can return to Santorini some day on a vacation.

The Terrifying Taxi Ride Through Istanbul

I will let Kathy tell you most of the details when we return from Turkey.  Suffice it to say for the purposes of this  blog that my hand will be permanently scarred from where Kathy dug in as our driver played bumber cars with dozens of other vehicles and pedestrians.  I, on the other hand, thought the whole situation was very funny and I gloated at Kathy’s weakness—until one of my own was revealed.  After 15 minutes on the Taxi roller coaster I began to get car sick and then sick of being in the car and I barely held on until we stopped.  I just wanted out of that taxi and I did not care that neither Kathy nor I were certain we were anywhere near our destination.

But the real point of this illustration—besides getting your attention—is that in the first two days of our visit to Istanbul, Turkey, twice, in order to find exciting and inspiring destinations that  were not on our itinerary—Kathy had researched them on the internet—twice we had to escape the relative security of our tour group to find our own way around in a strange city.

Altogether, what great experiences these were!   We did take some risks—ask us about more of the details—but we had amazing experiences and met equally amazing people.

You may recall from other blog posts that one of my goals for this journey was to be a traveler rather than a tourist, especially to meet people along the way with whom, in our diversity, we could become friends and learn how Christians and Moslems can be brothers and sisters.  We were standing in line to buy tickets for one of the incredible sights of Istanbul, an underground cistern built in the 6^th century.  On top of the cistern still stands a sultan’s palace

Anyway, we  were in line and began a conversation with a young couple.  One thing led to another, as they always do in the Kingdom of God.  As I got to the ticket booth I knew I was supposed to buy their tickets.  So I did and I handed them their tickets and they protested strongly.  But we worked it out and agreed they would host us for coffee plus after our underground excursion.  We began a friendship that has potential to continue and talked about many of the important issues—tough questions of theology and politics-- we had come to Turkey to learn about.  Actually, I was pretty much awed by the depth of this encounter and also the fact that it happened so quickly after our arrival.  Knowing now that Mustafa was of one mind with me on the importance of building  respect among our religious traditions, I gave him one of the five COEXIST necklaces I had brought to Turkey to share with soul mates I met along the way.

(Please pardon the delay in beginning to publish this blog from
Turkey.  Severe technical difficulties had to be overcome.  I think we are now full speed ahead.  KCW)

The Next Step Beyond fear

     As a parent and as a pastor I have watched many people take their next step beyond fear.  In one of our recent Baptism services I baptized a young man who, unknown to me, was terrified of going under the water. He wanted to be baptized in the "best way" and so was willing to take the next step beyond his fear.  By the way, even as he surrendered in Baptism to God he fought me with all his physical strength.  I barely got him under the water.  I came perilously close to losing my grip on him.  What have you wanted so much that you were willing to take the next step beyond your fear?  Is there someone you trust enough to know they will not lose their grip on you?
     Over the past weekend, and with much help from my wife Kathy and daughter Lauren, I took my five grandchildren on an exciting outing.  We stayed two nights at the indoor water slide park, Fort Rapids, in Columbus.  One deeply rewarding facet of this experience was watching my granddaughter Elaina, age 4, take her next step beyond fear.  A couple of us tried to get Elaina to play under the water falls and go down the children's slides.  But she kept telling us that she didn't like getting water in her eyes.  We pushed her a bit.  She resisted more until finally all Elaina would do was to sit in a chair by the pool watching all of the other children delightfully playing.  This went on for about an hour and I finally acknowledged that Elaina would have to overcome her fear in her own way and time.
     Suddenly Elaina darted from her chair.  She is a runner and can disappear faster than ice cream on a hot summer day.  I chased her--but kept my distance.  She played near some other children in the shallow pool.  Gradually her play became more joyful.  Soon it was time for supper.
     We came back the next morning and Elaina headed for the same quiet pool, with one alert adult or the other always ready to pursue her at a moments notice.  Then, in the fullness of her own time, Elaina was ready and she darted towards the falls and the smaller slides.  Her delight and self-confidence grew.  Elaina took her next step beyond fear.
     What about you and me?  Do we take our next steps beyond fear because someone pushes usor because our eyes are on some kind of prize, like freedom, or adventure or joy or love, and we finally decide that the reward is worth the risk?
     Perfect love casts out fear.  What kinds of love?  Love for oneself.  Love for family.  Love for God.  Love for all of God's Children.

     Lots of Americans are afraid of Moslems and their real and imagined connections to terrorism.  Americans and Moslems are, in actual fact, a threat to each others perceived self-interest.  We are afraid of each other's religions because Islam and Christianity have committed atrocities against each other.  For me, what I must do to transcend this fear is to remember prayerfully that we are all children of God and God longs for us to COEXIST and RESPECT and LOVE each other.  Even my imperfect love for God casts out fear.  As I look forward to being in Turkey for almost a month my fear is not that harm will come to me.  My fear is that nothing deeply meaningful will come of this, especially that no life changing relationships will be birthed.  I journey in search of other faces of God seen especially in the faces of the Children of god.
     May we all follow the example of my granddaughter Elaina in learning to let go of fear.  Love, Ken

My Opinion--A Few Days Delayed

     A few friends have asked me how I "feel" about traveling to Turkey in the wake of the world's reactions to the assassination of Osama Bin Laden.  They know that my prayer is that I will not be in Turkey just as a tourist but that I will be a traveler among potential friends and dedicated experiences--experiences dedicated to brotherhood/sisterhood, just like all the experiences with all of God's children are supposed to be for Christians--and I believe for Moslems too.
     Many friends and family members have sent me their responses to the death of Al Queda's truly vile and violent ruler.  I have watched as many news reports and read as much as I could about both the Special Forces Operation and the reactions of people near at hand and far away.  And I am finally ready to add my thoughts to the ongoing conversation.
      All nations, influenced by the principalities and powers of the world, are ambiguous when it comes to good and evil.  Some, like Hitler's Germany and the Grand Inquisitor's Spain, seem to have been swallowed up by monstrous evil.  But no nation-state, people, empire, or confederacy is a perfect reflection of God's perfect Kingdom, which exists fully only in Heaven.  This Kingdom of God is a reign of perfect justice, peace and love. We pray for this Kingdom to come on Earth as it is in Heaven..  No effort of Christians is more important that striving for the advancement of this Kingdom.  But no decision of any political people unambiguously builds the Kingdom of God. Some decisions and policies and even some acts of violence are less imperfect than others and Christians who are good citizens try to influence their countries to do the maximum good possible in any situation.  
     The assassination of Osama Bin Ladin was an imperfect good.  Most of us feel better because he is dead. Citizens of many countries and even many Moslems feel better because he is dead.  We have a feeling of satisfaction; a feeling that a horrible wrong has been made right.  I read a story about a ten year old boy who lost his adoring father in the 9/11 inferno.  Hearing the news report on Bin Ladin's death, he went to his mother and they wept together.  Together they felt relief that the mass-murderer had been brought to justice.  Justice for them included closure.
     Yet, almost immediately we begin to ask questions that point out the ambiguity of this justice.  For example, some information used in tracking down Osama Bin Ladin came from the victims of torture at the hands of their American captors.  Many of these tortured captives knew nothing useful.   What policies on torture and assassination should guide the foreign policy of our country?  Do you and I have different answers to this question when we are seeking to be good citizens than when we are seeking to be radical followers of Jesus?
     When are most Christians in the United States of America going to take seriously the clear and dramatic and consistent and persistent teaching of Jesus that we are to love our enemies and do good to those who persecute us?  Jesus never instructed his followers to be people of violence.  We are always to be people of peace.  For the First Three Hundred years the church of Jesus Christ followed this practice to the letter.  Today most Christians say  this practice of non-violence is impractical.  Impractical!  Egypt is not even a Christian nation and they just practiced non-violence to overthrow an oppressive government.  If the Egyptians, and many others, can do this, when are Christians going to believe again?

This photo was taken today towards the end of our Celebration Dinner.  We welcomed Allison Vorhees as our Sabbatical Interim and celebrated the beginning of the Sabbatical Season.  Today, according to our plan, was my last Sunday in the pulpit until after the Sabbatical, on August 14.  On the left side of this photo is my friend and new church moderator, Curtis Fett.  Curtis will have the major role in making sure that Alli is supported in her ministry with First Baptist and that we help her grow in her vocation of Christian Ministry.

Next Sunday is the first day of the Sabbatical--it is really here!!!  Many many preparations have been made.  Plans have been carefully thought through.  But now it falls to all of us to watch and see how God is active in this time and how we each are called to follow God's lead.  The first few day of the sabbatical will actually be spent with other members of the church as we learn together how to use a software program entitled, "Media Shout" which runs the media "show" every Sunday at our church.  We have a consultant coming to teach us and will also use a program called, "Media Shout University."  The first significant event of the sabbatical is the weekend of May 13 when my five grandchildren and I will stay at an indoor water park called, Fort Rapids.  I can hardly wait.  Five days later we fly to Istanbul, Turkey.  During that time you may want to check this blog often.  There are sure to be a lot of postings.

Looking forward...