A patience trial of God or movement of Earth?
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Doğan News Agency
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 08, 2009 00:00
MUĞLA - As part of the "Organizing Leaders of the Public" project, a seminar for imams and women religious leaders was held in Muğla in order to promote earthquake awareness and preparedness.
Speaking at the seminar, assistant professor and supervisor of the Department of Religious Affairs, İsmail Karagöz said that earthquakes are God’s tests of people’s patience. While the other speaker, Professor Ahmet Mete Işıkara, who is known for his earthquake awareness efforts, replied to Karagöz’s statement saying earthquakes are only movement of the earth.
The seminar is under the framework of a 2007 protocol signed by the Turkish Red Crescent and the Department of Religious Affairs that agreed to provide earthquake awareness lectures and organize workshops around Turkey.
The goal of the seminars is for the religious leaders to share their knowledge with their religious communities.
The first seminar in Muğla was held Wednesday at Nail Çakırhan Hall. In addition to Karagöz and Işıkara, the Turkish Red Crescent Muğla branch manager Bülent Karakuş was also a speaker. Some 15 women and 60 men who are county religious officials attended the seminar. Describing earthquakes as unfortunate, Karagöz said: "God always tests people. People who are patient during these tests receive God’s blessing."
Completely disagreeing with Karagöz’s declaration, Işıkara said earthquakes are a result of tectonic movements and shifting. God has mercy and is forgiving. " I see earthquakes as a lesson," Işıkara said.
The seminar is under the framework of a 2007 protocol signed by the Turkish Red Crescent and the Department of Religious Affairs that agreed to provide earthquake awareness lectures and organize workshops around Turkey.
The goal of the seminars is for the religious leaders to share their knowledge with their religious communities.
The first seminar in Muğla was held Wednesday at Nail Çakırhan Hall. In addition to Karagöz and Işıkara, the Turkish Red Crescent Muğla branch manager Bülent Karakuş was also a speaker. Some 15 women and 60 men who are county religious officials attended the seminar. Describing earthquakes as unfortunate, Karagöz said: "God always tests people. People who are patient during these tests receive God’s blessing."
Completely disagreeing with Karagöz’s declaration, Işıkara said earthquakes are a result of tectonic movements and shifting. God has mercy and is forgiving. " I see earthquakes as a lesson," Işıkara said.