To Richard: The Ottoman model of tolerance

Submitted by Nuray (Portugal), Feb 9, 2006 at 18:18

I have never seen such a historical distortion by writing " two million Armenian Christians were massacred by the Turks for no other reason than being Christians " Armenians claim that 1.5 million people died. Did you add 500.000 more in front of your computer? Armenians sell their fabricated story almost 100 years. Next century that number could raise to 5 millions.
But Turkish authorities say that only 10000 Armenian died but they killed 500000 Turks and Kurds during the 1stWW. Ottoman Empire fought against Russian backed Armenian militia. It was not related to the religious dispute.

I saw an Armenian movie about their fabricated story. It was disgusting and exaggerated. They insulted their nation for the sake of criticizing Ottoman Empire. At least movies of Jews have some sort of art, not so cheap. During World War II, Jews were killed by Christians Nazis, but tens of thousands of people, fleeing the Nazi and Fascist regimes,sought refuge in Turkey.

At 15th century Jews from Spain escaped the inquisition and were sheltered by Ottomans. Ottoman Sultan Beyazit the Second sent Ottoman ships to Spain to evacuate almost 300,000 Jews. This is the best proof of religious tolerance of the Muslim Ottoman Empire.

In his book 'Constantinople (Istanbul)', Philip Mansel quotes a rabbi

"Here in the land of the Turks we have nothing to complain of. We possess great fortunes; much gold and silver are in our hands. We are not oppressed by heavy taxes and our commerce is free and unhindered. Rich are the fruits of the earth. Everything is cheap and each one of us lives in freedom. Here a Jew is not compelled to wear a yellow star as a badge of shame as is the case in Germany where even wealth and great fortune is a curse for a Jew because he therewith arouses jealousy among the Christians and they devise all kinds of slander against him to rob him of his gold. Arise my brethren, gird up your loins, collect up your forces and come to us."

Ottoman Empire had a multi national and multi religious system. Istanbul, which was the capital of the Empire, is still good example for the tolerance of Islam.

Nuray

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