By Jared Jones
Current tension between religion and politics in Turkey was the focus of a lecture given by BYU professor Donna Lee Bowen, in the Museum of Art on Oct. 18.
Bowen''s lecture is part of a series highlighting the Ottoman art collection, 'Empire of the Sultans,' located at the Museum of Art.
'Turkey has continually had an interweaved motif of religion and politics,' said Bowen, professor of political science. 'Its history is full of conflict between religious and state leaders.'
Turkey became its own entity after World War I, Bowen said. The republic was formed in 1923 from the remains of the Ottoman Empire.
Mustafa Kemal Atit?rk, the first Turkish president, wanted a complete separation of Islam from politics, despite the republic''s Islamic history, Bowen said.
Atit?rk believed Islam was the enemy of all reason. 'He wanted all religions at the bottom of the sea,' Bowen said.
Atit?rk wanted to take Muslims on a path towards civilization, she said. For that reason, Atit?rk insisted the Turkish people dress like westerners. For example, Atit?rk believed women should not wear veils.
Most Turks believe politicians are corrupt, Bowen said. In recent years, the Turkish government has tried to return to its Islamic past in an attempt to bring balance to politics.
1987 marked the year when politics and religion were re-united in Turkey, Bowen said. During that year, a new political party, the Welfare party, was formed in order to unite Islam and government.
In the 1995 election, the Welfare party gained one-third of all seats in Parliament, showing the Muslims'' desire for political change, Bowen said.
The Welfare party was banned later because its leader enforced Muslim ideals upon the people, Bowen said.
Despite problems with the Welfare party, Bowen said Turks prefer Islamic parties because they are less corrupt than the political parties that have governed the republic during the past 30 years.
The Turks stand with the United States in Afghanistan, saying the war is against terrorism, not Islam, Bowen said.
Since Sept. 11, Turkey has tried to show its support to the United States by sending troops into Afghanistan, Bowen said.
'With the threat of war in the Middle East and with terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, the people of Turkey want a better source of government; they want Islam,' Bowen said.