Bingöl University vice Rector and Dean of Faculty of Theology Prof. Dr. Hakan Olgun in the given conference; stated that Jesus has been given the meaning in the West’s thinking system, the West defined Jesus within the framework of their cultural objectives and social norms.

First meeting of the 6th series Wednesday Speech was held in Bingöl University Faculty of Theology which it started in 2011-2012 academic year and became like a tradition.

In the program where lecturers and students have attended, Bingöl University vice Rector and Dean of Theology Faculty Prof. Dr. Hakan Olgun has given a conference on ‘the message of Jesus: Being salt and shine’.

In the conference Prof. Dr. Olgun remarked that the Christian world defined Jesus different than He was, “We mention about believing in angels, believing in holy books and believing in prophets when we read credo article. We say that we put no difference between prophets. Well, what does Jesus mean to us along with Prophet Mohammed? Which religion’s prophet he is, which nation he sent for and what is his message? Unfortunately we usually discuss Jesus in the Islamic custom that he raised to the sky and will come back on the earth in the last era. When it comes to Jesus, we spend our energies on those issues; did he raised or not, did he come on the earth or when will he, are those hadiths precise or not. Actually, what did Jesus tell, what did he say to his nation, what kind of advice He gave to, those kind of questions are always beyond of the those questions I mentioned before.”

Olgun continued his speech: “There is a second issue I want you give your attention: Of course the Quran give us some information Jesus. About how He did come to the world, about his miracles, gives information about Him that He wasn’t crucified. Interesting sources apart from Quran are those, articles of Bible, it is an interesting source that give us information about messages of Jesus. Maybe those information belong to ancient religions are not sources for us for faith but at least they are source for information.”

Christians in this time are not even remotely close to Jesus

Prof. Dr. Olgun leaned the issue of the conference to his ‘Salt and shine the mountain preach of Jesus’ book, “All of us actually as a Muslim, we are aware of that we should be like apostles of Jesus who carried out the mission of salt and shine. Jesus told His apostles: ‘you are salt and shine of the earth’. You know if the salt start to smell, then it is impossible to save anything. Salt: make it stay fresh, renovates and protects. As you know shine is light. Christians in this time are not even remotely close to Jesus. Jesus was used by West world according to their benefits. You can see that from the pictures drew on the church’s walls. In those pictures, Jesus was drew like He is European, not like He is Middle Eastern. They drew him like he play sports every day, they drew Him like a pop star with a fit body. Recently genetic biologists claimed that they achieved the historical picture of Jesus. There is not even close to those pictures drew on churches.”

We must save Jesus from those disable thoughts

Prof. Dr. Olgun assessed that the instance that shows Jesus Westernized is defined in West thinking system, “We don’t know what Jesus’s job in Islam and Quran sources was. Not even mention exactly in the Bible sources. His look was more of a half-naked body walking in vineyards and orchards. They needed to make Him look capitalist to take place in Western capitalist system. And a thesis put forward as follows. Jesus wasn’t someone with a half-naked body who walk around from village to village, from town to town, He was a real estate salesman in small scale. The thing I want to say that Jesus we as we perceive a prophet was redefined in the framework of cultural objectives and social norms of Western world. That’s why, the important duty for Muslims to save Jesus from those disables thoughts and give the honor and value that Islam gives to all prophets. To save Jesus from the pictures drew on the churches that we left Him there.” (ILKHA)