KeghartJohn Shindeldecker, the author is a long-time resident of Turkey. He has degrees in history (BA, MAT) and languageteaching (MA). He has taught seminars on comparative religion at the Alevi Bektashi Sahkulu Sultan Foundation in Istanbul. He has also appeared on Alevi radio programs and has published a series of articles in the Alevi-Bektashi magazines, Nefes and Cem.
The below excerpt is only the introduction of Shindeldecker's work. Please visit Turkish Alevis Today to read the entire text. Keghart.com will present an abridged version to its readers shortly."For centuries, Alevis have practiced there religious rituals in secret. Sunni-Islamic Sharia imposes a blockade and pressures them not to practice their religious rituals."
teaching (MA). He has taught seminars on comparative religion at the Alevi Bektashi Sahkulu Sultan Foundation in Istanbul. He has also appeared on Alevi radio programs and has published a series of articles in the Alevi-Bektashi magazines, Nefes and Cem.
John Shindeldecker's Interview via Skype
(The quality gets better after 2 minutes)
John Shindeldecker, the author is a long-time resident of Turkey. He has degrees in history (BA, MAT) and languageThe below excerpt is only the introduction of Shindeldecker's work. Please visit Turkish Alevis Today to read the entire text. Keghart.com will present an abridged version to its readers shortly."For centuries, Alevis have practiced there religious rituals in secret. Sunni-Islamic Sharia imposes a blockade and pressures them not to practice their religious rituals."
John Shindeldecker's Interview via Skype
(The quality gets better after 2 minutes)
The foreign tourist coming to Turkey for the first time is overwhelmed when he encounters the richness and variety of Turkish cuisine. No matter how much he wants to, he cannot eat everything at his first meal. So tour guides often make suggestions for him to choose from the delicious appetizers, salads, soups, kebabs, and sweets of the Turkish kitchen. Like a tour guide, I have chosen representative topics and amount of detail I think the foreign reader can easily digest for his first encounter with Alevism. My hope is that the reader will have a tasty, balanced meal and the appetite to come back for more.
Keghart
Keghart
Keghart
2 comments
Alevis…!!!!
Well dear, this might be a "great" subject for the world out of the Middle East but we may need such info just for educational reasons but never 'practical' because in the area such religious nominations are considered as "political assignments" and not sects….
Myself an honest and strictly loyal National, I suppose we do never require discussions on any sects because our present "hard" experiences with almost all, will never encourage us to go back to their origins for educational purpose…
Religion is from your heart and your mind directly to Heavens…
It can never be a matter of discussions or political directives….
Sorry for the interruption dear Mr. Dikran but we are almost fed up of listening or reading "religious nominations" but never religions as should be…
Thanks dear.
Alevis
As a three-time visitor to Historic Armenia (now under Turkish rule), in numerous provinces we came across the Alevi people, who we were told are related to the Armenian people. Armenians are European/Caucasian and are not related to the Seljuk, Mongol or Ottoman Turks who came from Mongolia starting in the 10th century and created a huge empire as they massacred Christians or forced Christians and others to become Moslem. John Shindelkecker does not mention the tie-in of the Alevis to the Armenian people which must be brought out as a historic truth.
Comments are closed.