Turkey
Turkey is really tasty.... but the political "coup" going on in Turkey right now, is not so much. I really think that Turkey in the country to watch in terms of Arab relations right now. They have a large culture conflict between the secular and non-secular Arab, those who want to be more a part of the EU and it's happenings and those who want to be more standoffish and want less western influence. Largely, I think that this is the entire conflict in the middle east, between tradition and "progress"/westernization.
Largely Turkey has been free from the violence that other countries with this same problem have. Though I definitely think that the latest political outcries about allowing women in university to wear their head scarfs has the potential to spawn violent protests. Usually when there is protest involving Islamic women and head scarfs it is because the women do not want to wear them, but must. It is very interesting that this is the opposite, women wanting to wear them, but not being able to.
It's very hard for me to really understand all of the political unrest due to different religious beliefs. I grew up in a fairly religious environment; but never really adapted to it. I guess I just always felt that it was my choice to decide what to believe or not. So far I've just avoided believing in anything. It is very difficult for me to understand any type of religious fervor; especially in the US where our political system has no ties to any particular religion. (That's a lie - the US is completely grounded in the Christian traditions.) The problem with people who are super religious; is that they can not generally think from another person's perspective other than their own, and could not well explain to me why someone would get so caught up in religion. Maybe I need to make friends with a priest or something...
Blindly religious people, who memorize bible verses, but don't really think about their context in terms of the time it was written and the socioeconomic and political climate at that time, seem to be the norm for the crazy religious people that I have met. They are more interested in getting you to join their church or group, but have no real understanding of the underlying meaning and message that they are trying to preach to everyone else. (Can we say those people I met in Harvard Square who were "Dancing for Jesus." WTF?)
On a completely unrelated topic, I've recently realized how unimportant work is to me. I thought that having a career was what I was trying to achieve with my life, but I've realized that it doesn't really matter all that much, and that all the other stuff in life that is not work, is much more fun and much better to think about/deal with. It's really made me gain new perspective on life - not making my life centered on work.
Largely Turkey has been free from the violence that other countries with this same problem have. Though I definitely think that the latest political outcries about allowing women in university to wear their head scarfs has the potential to spawn violent protests. Usually when there is protest involving Islamic women and head scarfs it is because the women do not want to wear them, but must. It is very interesting that this is the opposite, women wanting to wear them, but not being able to.
It's very hard for me to really understand all of the political unrest due to different religious beliefs. I grew up in a fairly religious environment; but never really adapted to it. I guess I just always felt that it was my choice to decide what to believe or not. So far I've just avoided believing in anything. It is very difficult for me to understand any type of religious fervor; especially in the US where our political system has no ties to any particular religion. (That's a lie - the US is completely grounded in the Christian traditions.) The problem with people who are super religious; is that they can not generally think from another person's perspective other than their own, and could not well explain to me why someone would get so caught up in religion. Maybe I need to make friends with a priest or something...
Blindly religious people, who memorize bible verses, but don't really think about their context in terms of the time it was written and the socioeconomic and political climate at that time, seem to be the norm for the crazy religious people that I have met. They are more interested in getting you to join their church or group, but have no real understanding of the underlying meaning and message that they are trying to preach to everyone else. (Can we say those people I met in Harvard Square who were "Dancing for Jesus." WTF?)
On a completely unrelated topic, I've recently realized how unimportant work is to me. I thought that having a career was what I was trying to achieve with my life, but I've realized that it doesn't really matter all that much, and that all the other stuff in life that is not work, is much more fun and much better to think about/deal with. It's really made me gain new perspective on life - not making my life centered on work.
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