According to the daily newspaper Die Welt, a survey financed by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and conducted by the private Bahcesehir University in Istanbul shows that 57% of Turks are in favor of entry into the EU. However, 71% are of the opinion that the highest goal of the EU is to spread Christianity, and to do this in Turkey as well. This is a typical example that the fear of ‘missionary work‘ in Turkey is not based on facts but on disinformation and conspiracy theories. It is not only the case that from a Christian point of view it cannot be the task of the state or of the EU to evangelize. Rather, one has to smile to oneself that of all entities the EU, not even the Vatican, is suspected of having a major strategy for evangelization.
When asked whom they would like to have as neighbors and whom not, 52% said they did not want Christian neighbors and 66% did not want atheists as neighbors. Even if it is naturally too bad, and fortunately something that does not apply to most Turks living in Germany, the rejection of atheism is what would have to be more directed at the EU.
After entry into the EU, Turks will be surprised that the EU does not want to spread Christianity but rather atheism and secularism, or at least that the EU sharply attacks typical Christian positions in ethics or educational science.
Sources: www.welt.de and www.welt.de.
One Comment
Die Türkei muss sich ändern. Die EU ist auch eine Wertegemeinschaft und in manchen Aspekten (Rechte der Kurden und der Frauen) ist die Türkei noch nicht so weit. Sollte sich diese Lage geändert haben sehe ich keinen Grund die Türkei nicht aufzunehmen.