Rapture and End Times

A series of alarming developments are happening right now in Turkey, and with President, Recep Erdogan:

Triumphant Erdogan swats away Western criticism of referendum / Reuters, April 18, 2017

Sunday’s vote ended all debate on forging a stronger presidency, said Erdogan, who argues that concentration of power is needed to prevent instability.

Opponents accuse him of leading a drive toward one-man rule in Turkey, a NATO member that borders Iran, Iraq and Syria and whose stability is of vital importance to the United States and European Union.

Erdogan, a populist with a background in once-banned Islamist parties, has ruled since 2003 with no real rival, while his country emerged as one of the fastest-growing industrial powers in both Europe and the Middle East.

He has also been at the center of global affairs, commanding NATO’s second-biggest military on the border of Middle East war zones, taking in millions of Syrian refugees and controlling their further flow into Europe.

Erdogan Is Popular For The Same Reason Duterte, Modi And Putin Are Popular / The Huffington Post. April 13, 2017

Turkey represents one of the most fascinating ― and disheartening – cases of a reverse fairytale. A Muslim-majority country, Turkey kicked off this decade as a role model for the Middle East and beyond, combining the virtues of a booming market economy with the appeal of a vibrant Islamist democracy…

Under Erdogan’s watch, during the first decade of the 21st century, Turkey experienced an unprecedented period of economic prosperity and political stability. Relishing organizational coherence, a grassroots support base, a progressive political agenda and successive landslide electoral victories, the AKP was broadly seen ― even across the Western world ― as a harbinger of a new era of hope and freedom in Turkey…

Though Turkey seems to have left behind its best days under Erdogan, the charismatic president, by all indications, is set to win the upcoming referendum, which will decide the fate of the country’s democracy for decades to come. If victorious, the Turkish leader will likely join Putin as among the most powerful and durable populist-authoritarian leaders of our time.

Will Islamic world accept Turkey’s leadership? / Al-Monitor, April 19, 2016

Turkish President Erdogan’s ambition was not subtle as he stumped for himself at the Organization of Islamic States summit.

Ozturk, a columnist for daily Yeni Safak, which supports Erdogan, pointed to the collective assets of Islamic countries that could be harnessed under strong leadership and indicated that this is a task for Turkey to fulfill.

“We must not forget that Turkey is the largest OIC country, its natural leader and older brother. Therefore, the task of reviving the unity of this organization and strengthening it falls foremost on Turkey,” Ozturk wrote.

Germany bows to ’emerging Adolf Hitler of the Middle East’ / WND, April 23, 2016

The New York Times slammed Merkel for legitimizing what it called Erdogan’s “authoritarian drive.”

Yet even as Erdogan struggles to maintain his position at home, he’s flaunting his strength abroad. The Turkish president contemptuously dismissed criticism from the European Union earlier this week, denouncing a European Parliament report criticizing him as “provocative.”

“The European Union needs Turkey more than Turkey needs the European Union,” he said scornfully.

NATO Secretary General thanks Turkey for long-standing contribution to the Alliance / NATO, April 21, 2016

Mentioning the NATO Summit in Warsaw in July, the Secretary General said that the Alliance must step up support to regional partners to build up their forces and “project stability”.  “We are grateful for Turkey’s long-standing contribution to our Alliance in so many ways”, he said.

Erdogan suggests name change for Arab League / Al-Monitor, May 3, 2016

The remarks of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the recent summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul, where he urged unity among Islamic nations against what he considers to be a perfidious West, and the threat of terrorism from radical Islamic groups, left many with the impression that he was vying for the leadership of the Islamic world.

A dictatorship in the making? / Jerusalem Post, May 6, 2016

‘Erdogan is the most powerful leader in Turkish history,’ former lawmaker tells ‘Post.’

Recep Tayyip Erdogan maneuvered to force out Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, demonstrating that the powerful president does not need the strong executive presidency he seeks since he already wields almost absolute power.

How Recep Erdogan became the most powerful man in Europe / The Spectator, May 7, 2016

In private, Erdogan must be amazed at just how much he can wrangle. The worse his behaviour, the greater his clout in Europe. He can send German police to arrest German comedians whose jokes he dislikes. He can instruct the EU to delay its ‘progress reports’ on Turkey to a time that better suits his electoral purposes. A few weeks ago, a leaked transcript of a conversation showed Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, pleading Erdogan to consider that ‘we have treated you like a prince in Brussels’.

Erdogan reaffirms EU membership as Turkey’s ‘strategic goal’ / Reuters, May 9, 2016

“EU membership, a strategic goal for Turkey, will be a source of stability and inspiration for the region,” Erdogan said in the statement, released to coincide with Europe Day.

In 1517 the Ottoman Turks conquered Jerusalem and ruled the Holy City for 400 years. The Turks reigned over Jerusalem until the British General Edmund Allenby defeated them in 1917.

Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of the defeated Ottoman Empire. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a member of NATO.

Turkey has made great efforts to be perceived as a neutral power, a democracy with basically a secular government. They have tried to be a partner in peace with the United States and have done the same with Israel. This has been done in an effort to be economically sound and have not allowed religion to play a role in the political structure of the nation. However the other Islamic Countries have been dismayed by their policy.

In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the European Community. Over the past decade, it has undertaken many reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy; it began accession membership talks with the European Union in 2005.

Note from our previous messages that with fiscal and political union, we see the current European Union as the beginnings of the imperial power of a revived Roman Empire. The geographical area of Turkey was an integral part of the Roman Empire.

The point of this history is that Turkey has always played a central role in the world, and is now in center stage in the Middle East conflict. Turkey is currently the seventeenth-largest economy in the world. Historically, when a major Islamic empire has emerged, it has been dominated by the Turks. Turkey is a stable platform in the midst of chaos. The Balkans, the Caucasus, and the Arab world to the south are all unstable. As Turkey’s power grows-and its economy and military are already the most powerful in the region-so will Turkish influence…

The following is a press release from Turkish religious figure Adnan Oktar, who recently hosted a number of Israeli Jewish officials during Ramadan and very interestingly expressed his anticipation for the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Mr. Adnan Oktar, prominent Muslim opinion leader from Turkey, welcomed a delegation of rabbis and politicians from Israel for the iftar dinner he hosted in Istanbul on June 22, 2016. Rabbi Dov Lipman, a top officer from the World Zionist Organization, was among those attending the dinner, along with many Muslim, Jewish and Christian representatives. Following his visit to Istanbul, Rabbi Lipman noted that he was very pleased with the friendship and goodwill blessings he received in Turkey, and the previous negative image about Turkey in his mind had completely changed.

Mr. Oktar’s guests from Israel also appeared on his live program on the A9 television channel, and applauded Mr. Oktar’s unwavering efforts to end anti-Jewish sentiment in Turkey. The program saw important statements on relations between Israel and Turkey, peace in the region and the world, and in particular on the friendship between Muslims and Jews.

Mr. Adnan Oktar explained that the days when the Prophet Solomon’s Masjid and Palace (Solomon’s Temple) will be rebuilt in an atmosphere of global peace and tranquility are at hand. Rabbi Ben Abrahamson, who is a historian and consultant to the Sanhedrin regarding issues related to Islam, emphasized that the rebuilding of the Temple is a very good development for all mankind.

Mr. Oktar said that Muslims, Jews and Christians share many common values and the current opposition was a ploy of satan. He said people of reason who are full of love should come together and enourage peace and love.

When Mr. Adnan Oktar was asked what should be done to dispel the tension between Muslims and Jews, he urged the Israeli and Turkish governments to be more courageous, and not be influenced by loveless articles published in the media or be concerned with loss of votes.

Could it be that a great leader will emerge in Turkey who, with the help of mysterious Islamic spirit beings, will convince the world’s Christians to become Muslim?

That’s exactly what a popular Turkish intellectual is teaching his millions of television viewers, according to a new documentary produced by WND Films and directed by Joel Richardson, author of “The Islamic Antichrist” and “Mideast Beast.”

Oktar goes on to explain that the Mahdi will rule for seven years, which eerily resembles the reign of another character that the Bible warns Christians to beware of in the last days.

Richardson believes the Mahdi and the Muslim Jesus line up perfectly with the biblical description of the antichrist and false prophet, who will arise in the last days, the Bible says, to “deceive many.”

Oktar, a Sunni Muslim, said even prominent Shiite leaders in Iran have said they expect the Mahdi to appear in Istanbul.While all of this may sound quaint to the average American Christian, Richardson says it’s important to remember that Oktar is a man with a huge audience, literally millions of viewers not only within Turkey but throughout Central Asia, the Arab world and into parts of Russia and Eastern Europe. He has published some 300 books, has a popular TV show and claims to have a close relationship with Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

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