Almost every prominent figure has adversaries who do not like him/her and try to degrade her. Innuendo has often been utilized in printed media for the purpose of pointing fingers. But what happens in Turkey is beyond any rationale and journalistic ethics. Fethullah Gulen is portrayed as the man behind curtain for nearly every scandal, political or social. No one can be that powerful or sneaky. It is obvious that, those who are not happy with what Fethullah Gulen inspires in people try to defame him for purely ideological reasons. They used to be subtle and ambiguous in the past, but things are very clear now in the discourse they use.
American sociology Professor Helen Rose Ebaugh, who has written a book analysing the Gulen movement, inspired by the well-respected Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, has said criticism leveled at Gülen is based completely on ideological fears.
Ebaugh, the author of a book titled “The Gülen Movement: A Sociological Analysis of a Civic Movement Rooted in Moderate Islam,” was speaking at a conference organized by the Antalya Intercultural Dialogue Center over the weekend and titled “Gelişen Türkiye’de Sivil Toplum Hareketleri: Hizmet Hareketi” (Civil Society Movements in Developing Turkey: The Hizmet Movement). Stating that recent claims that members of the movement are trying to infiltrate state posts ― including the police force, the military and others ― are groundless, she said she did not encounter such efforts while researching the movement. She said these allegations are based on ideological fears rather than facts.
The Gulen movement is a group of volunteers engaged in interfaith and intercultural dialogue inspired by the ideas of Gülen, a Turkish Islamic scholar well known for his teachings promoting mutual understanding and tolerance between cultures. Now residing in the US, Gülen has pioneered educational activities in a number of countries, along with efforts to promote intercultural and interfaith activities around the world.
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