Istanbul-Asia

Istanbul, the beautiful exotic city which is over 3000 years old, has a population of more 20 million, of which 2/3rds live on the European side and a third on the Asian side.

Our tour group comprised of two Jamaicans, two Austrians, and a British Couple. It was a friendly group led by Turkish students, Emre who lives on the Asian side and Burrak who lives on the European side.

It was am interesting , wonderful and educational tour.

I didn't find an 'Asian' look as over time, as both sides appear to have integrated totally so look rather similar.

However, I personally prefer the Asian side, as it attracts far fewer tourists, so is less congested.

There are  three distinct sections, Muslim, Christians (mainly people of Armenian descent who were mostly followers of the Roman Catholic faith) and Jews. 

However we were informed that while this was how it was originally, its mostly older Jews and Catholics who remain now.

 The synagogue was recently vandalized due to the Israeli genocide in Gaza, so it is being repaired.

As Turks tend to be mostly Muslims, every square has several elegant mosques. 

This is a modern mosque built by the current government.

In the olden days,  Muslims knew when it was "prayer time" based on the position of the sun. This plaque shows how.

The Bosphorus Strait separates Istanbul's European from the Asian side.

Numerous ferries take residents and visitors across daily. It's about a 20 minute ride.

You get a great view of European and Asian Istanbul from the Strait.

A community garden. You can only reap if you sow!

Fresh sardines. Had only seen tinned ones before😊

Where you wash up before entering a mosque 

The European side behind us.

A Turkish submarine heading to the Black Sea

Six streets converge here

A street of lamps

A Christian church 

REFLECTIONS ON RELIGION

 I HATE RELIGION. 

Every time I say that, I get lots of glares then someone accuses me of being an atheist!

Atheist? Good God, in my book it takes a great deal of arrogance to be an atheist, for just looking around at this planet not to mention the universe of which we know so little, tells me that there has to be a much greater creative force than humans will ever be able to understand.

So yes, I believe in a much greater creative force than humans, and being human, I too have a natural instinct to worship it. 

Nothing wrong with that I suspect.

My dislike for religion therefore has nothing to do with a belief in God by whatever name. It has  to do with the distorted messages religions send  and the chaos and bloodshed they leave behind as they try to confuse people and yes, TO MAKE MONEY.

For with religion comes people who claim that they and they alone know the truth about everything.

I grew up in a Christian home, where Jesus, the bible etc. were everything and could never be doubted. The ritual was, church as many times as possible during the week and up to three times on Sundays. Added to that, there were nightly prayers and it was drummed into our heads that we should pray to God for everything. 

Well I have a friend who grew up in those identical circumstances and some years ago he told me he was an atheist. When I asked why, he told me that when he was a teenager and taking his Senior Cambridge exams (yes, he is close to 80, for that exam was many decades ago!) he prayed to God every night to let him pass. 

WELL HE FAILED,. 😅

So the next year he repeated the exam, did not beg God for anything and studied fiercely.

HE PASSED.

So, he tells me, from then he decided that he had to rely only on himself to succeed and he and his family  have indeed succeeded immensely.

Well I am not going that far, but I too definitely stopped praying to beg for anything for decades now. WHAT I DO EVERYDAY THOUGH, IS TO THANK HER FOR EVERYTHING.  

No begging only gratitude and I really feel good about it!

But back to religion. 

Of all the established religions, I dislike Christianly the most. 

Maybe it's because that is the religion I know the most about or maybe its because just about everyone I know, claims to be a Christian, and I find most Christians to be such despicable people. 

As to white evangelists, they seem to be really terrible people. I say seem, as I am not aware of ever having met any, but when I hear what their leaders say and read what adherents write, I really cringe. 

However, having grown up in the Christian church, I still enjoy Christian music and play it often.

In fact, its listening to this one that motivated me to write this article!

I liked it so much that I even posted it on Facebook, dedicating it to my Christian friends, during holy week.

However, while I love the music, the boring thought of flying around during the after-life, while drinking milk and honey all day, is enough to send me flying! That's almost as unattractive a thought as being one of the 70 virgins waiting around for some devout Muslim man to come and claim me as a prize.😟

The bible too drives me crazy and most times when I hear quotations, my response rangers from laughter to downright anger. A really laughable one is Solomon having 700 wives and an example of the ones that set me off are the misogynistic sections starting from the insult that I was created from a man's rib. 

Over the years, because of my interest in, especially, the after life, I have looked at many religions but the only one I think I could ever get involved with when I reincarnate, is Buddhism.

My attraction to the Buddhists comes from the fact that they are the most peaceful religion, for they certainly don't believe in or practice killing people to convert them!

My only problem, is that they are so peaceful and against shedding blood, that they are vegans.

Having spent so many decades reveling in the delicious meats, I could never at this point, stomach the thought of living without meat in this life.

So every time I see a live animal, I feel so badly that I promise it that I will become a vegan in my next life, for in this one, I am just so far gone that I can't even find the will to change!

Lets see how that pans out!

(169) Joan Williams, author - YouTube