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Eye on the World: protests in Turkey
Monday marked the fourth day of widespread anti-government protests in Turkey, as demonstrators decried what they referred to as Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s authoritarianism. The protests began on Friday when a peaceful demonstration against construction in an Istanbul park square spiraled into violent clashes between protesters and riot police. Erdogan has dismissed the protests as a non-event, and accused those demonstrating — mostly secular-minded Turks — as walking “arm-in-arm with terrorism.”
Prayer is a powerful force for both peace and justice, and it’s a force that doesn’t take sides or marginalize any group. As we pray to perceive the activity of God, divine Principle, at work in Turkey, we can expect to see solutions emerge that address protesters’ concerns, ensure stable government, and maintain peace in the area.
“A call to prayer in Turkey,” written by an author living in the country, explores how we can guard against fear and anger in our thinking, and in the region itself, through prayer. A clearer understanding of God’s laws of freedom and justice allow us to stand up to infringements on human rights, as well as to the fear that legitimate protest can be taken over by panic and violence.
“A spiritual model to guide government” explains how prayer can reveal a more inclusive, just, honest, type of governance, ensuring greater freedom while also quelling violence and concerns about the future. This kind of government, which Jesus spoke of as “the kingdom of heaven,” isn’t the enshrinement of a particular set of political values — it’s the embracing, unifying action of God, which comes to light as public thought shifts to a more spiritual basis.
“Needed: your prayers for the world” provides an example of how we can purify our own thinking. During the Arab Spring of 2011 — a time of widespread protests across much of the Middle East — the author prayed to replace thoughts of discord and unrest with thoughts of harmony and constructive action. He clung to the absolute government of one good God, and affirmed that no other power — not conflicting political visions, or resistance to needed change — could interfere with God’s care.
Our prayers for Turkey can include a quiet, humble insistence that God is truly in charge, in spite of scenes of conflict. God’s government excludes no one, and always provides for the safety and welfare of His children.