If Turkey is a secular country then why does the flag have a crescent moon (which symbolizes Islam) on it?

Show all answers

genç türk

Take a look at the banner of Christian Constantinople (330-1453):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Constantinople-Banner.svg

José Ferreira

let me ask you like this:
If - Greece, Great Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland - are secular countries then why do the flags have a cross (which symbolizes christianity) on they?

fanciullo

If Greece is a secular country then why does the flag have a cross (which symbolizes Christianity) on it?

porsche928s4

why u answering your own question.

Keyser

Wow...he asks a NORMAL question for once.ok big boy,even though (again) ur trying to be a smart alec and 'islamify' everything turkish,let me correct you.

Due to the 1,000 year fight of the Turks and Christian Europe, the symbols have come to be mistakingly representative of Islam by Europeans and now the world.Its origins are not Arabic or Persian and not Islamic due to the strict, religious doctrines forbiding the usage of any symbols or the painting/drawing/sclupting of human faces... these very important religious facts are disregarded today by those trying to claim the Moon & Star as their own.

The origins of the Crescent & Sun/star are Turkish from ancient times, pre-Islamic. The Turks believed in Shamanisim and more importantly the one supreme Sky God (Tanri) along side others gods like that of the Moon & Sun.

In the 10th century, the Turks accepted Islam or were forceably converted by the arabs and soon conquered the Middle East. Witin a few centuries, the Turks became extremely powerful and strected an empire from the gates of Vienna, Austria, Russia all the way to Spain in the west. They brought into Islam their own free spirit, dynamizm, Turkish culture, superstitions and serious beliefs as well. This is the origin of how the Crescent Moon & Star came into the Islamic world.

For a 1000 years Turks were the warriors, and the leaders of Islam so it is not unusual that Turkish symbols have been adopted by many present-day countries that are by a majority muslim.

Unfortunately, this confusion will most likely never be cleared up. It is very deep in the minds of the world, even the Muslim world.

Medellín

Switzerland's flag is a christian version of Turkey's flag : A white cross, in place of the white crescent/star. Same colors...And both are secular countries...

Lady S

I agree with "Fanciullo Turco" and "Jose Ferreira". I was going to answer the same thing, but they were faster.

EDIT 1: As usually, I agree with Trotsky more than anyone else; just because Turkey is secular doesn't mean that religious is forbidden. You do know that majority of Turks are Muslims, so what's the problem?

EDIT 2: About Greece being secular or not, I have seen many questions on here about that, and since I was really interested, I wrote an e-mail to Elaine, because she, as a Greek and a law student, knows something more about that subject, and she explained to me that there are many different degrees of secularism and that Greece is somewhere in between. But yes, I have to agree that religion plays a very important role in the Greek society.

olgafuriosa

Even if the crescent moon is a definitively Islamic symbol (which it isn't), each and every country considered to be secular has religious roots in its history which appear as symbols of their governments, without affecting their "secular-ness".

xanthochroi

Greece is not a Secular country Religion in greece always played an important role church's interfered with politics many times even though not everybody is orthodox government don't want to keep separate state and religion
i agree with keyser

Trotsky vs Kerensky-дахэ дэи

Because secularism does not mean a country's people cannot be associated with any kind of religion. Most of the Turks ARE Muslim, is this fact unknown to you? Other than that, look at this coins from the Gokturks, our ancestors from central asia who were obviously not Muslims, what do you see? http://img434.imageshack.us/img434/4466/islam13tj.jpg

luckyman

dont be jaleous fu kk

mangolover

It is a Turkic symbol, other than that: what is on my flag doesnot play an important role in citizens' right.

at funciolli: Greece is not a secular country. It is Orthodox. Furthermore: it is the only one that is not secular in European Union .

Buket D

Thats an interesting question.

The main reason for why we have a moon and a star is that; in World war 1, Turkiye fought really well and which we are really proud of. Then by our leader Ataturk, we didn't let the enemy pass through Gelibolu. Turkish soldier's blood droped down to the land then at night moon and the star came together and reflected on the blood by the moon light.

And thats why its red and has a star and a moon on it.
and yes we are a secular country thousands of thanks to Ataturk!!

Proud to be Turkish!! :)
Hope this helps!

haydarch

That's not the same crescent.

Totally Blunt

We believe in the the Holy Flying Spaghetti Monster, which came to us from the moon on a crescent-mooned night, hence the flag. And the red in the flag represents the tomato sauce of the spaghetti.

nakis

greece is not a clear secular country. greece and greek church is one. greek church playing a big role to greek political scene. and the most of the greeks agree with that me too. also we are proud of our flag. also turkey is a secular country.

Are you talkin' to me?

I think because of your mum.

Rubes

Buket D has the correct answer

Augustus

The star/crescent moon symbol was a turkic symbol, even earlier than Islam appeared.
In this context, it is therefore more related to the Turkic roots rather than the islamic faith (even if the coincidence is actually accurate).

PS : By the way, you are hot, I love you, but may I ask you to quit trolling?...

Vasiliki-Βασιλική

The flag has nothing to do with the way people are country are acting.

On the other hand I m suprised that anyone writes about Greece and the cross.

I though the question was about Turkey and not about Greece....
Why you always trying to compare these two countries?

Moonlight Turkish Muslim ☪

Becose Turkiye Muslim country.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: