The Gulen Movement teaches providing service and being tolerant


Date posted: February 28, 2012

Shad Engkilterra, Salt Lake City

On Feb. 25, 2012, James Harrington, director of the Texas Civil Rights Project, spoke about the Gulen Movement and how to build civil society at the Pacifica Institute for the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable’s Interfaith Month celebrations.

Fethullah Gulen started the movement in Turkey in the 1980s as an education and service movement.  He created schools that served as alternatives to the Madrassa schools and allowed girls to get an education.

“It [education] is the great leveler in the United States,” says Harrington.  Teachers have the most important job in our society.

Gulen schools are tolerant, ecumenical and interfaith.  They use the examples of their teachers to teach children how to be good people regardless of the children’s faith.

“The greatest effect that the movement has had in Turkey is democracy,” says Harrington.

Harrington says that the United States could learn from the Gulen Movement to engage in dialogue again.

“We are not engaged right now as a society in dialogue,” says Harrington.  “It is awful what is going on.” It may be hard to engage in dialogue, but we need to compromise.

Harrington also says that the United States needs to develop and teach narratives about the country’s values and leaders.

Stories focus on one detail of a person’s life and philosophy and miss the rest of what that person did to get there and what they believed in beyond that one point.

On Martin Luther King Day, the U.S. focuses on the “I Have a Dream Speech” and doesn’t talk about his stand for peace or his Beloved Community ideal.  Talks about Christ tend to focus on His time on the cross and not his healing and caring that He did during His ministry.

Harrington also talked about spirituality, speaking out against justice and dedicating a specific portion of money and time to charity.

To see Harington talk about Turkey and what the U.S. can learn, click: Video 1 (1 min), Video 2 (3 min).

Source: Examiner.COM , February 25, 2012

Tags: | | | |


Related News

Public ad budget unfairly allocated to pro-gov’t media

Separate sources have suggested that several public institutions prefer pro-government dailies and TV stations over other media, an initiative that follows Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s statements about “the opposition that cooperates with an international conspiracy seeking to topple the government.”

Gülen’s Dialogue on Education: A Caravanserai of Ideas

Professor Tom Gage portrays eight modern educators and the development of their theories viewed from personal, cultural, and historical perspectives. He links their ideas to those of Fethullah Gülen, a highly influential educator of today who draws on an entirely different tradition.

Interfaith Conference – Peace Islands Institute in Connecticut

We appreciated the beauty of spring better than ever and this was one of those time “when beauty whispers to the heart.” It was the motto of a very meaningful interfaith conference organized by Peace Island Institute in Connecticut, Sacred Heart University and Fountain Magazine. Our distinguished speakers discussed the concept and expression of “Beauty” in Abrahamic traditions from two perspectives: nature and art.

Court accepts indictment against 9 officers in case seen as political witch hunt

The investigation into the nine police officers is being carried out by Adana Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Ali Doğan. The investigation drew strong criticism, as they were based on claims made in government media outlets’ news reports. This raised suspicions as to whether the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) had kicked off a witch hunt against the Hizmet movement, which the prime minister recently threatened to “punish with a large-scale operation.

East Indian Activist Supports Inter-cultural Dialog and Gulen Movement

Swami Agnivesh, 72, a Hindu social activist best known for his work against bonded labor said on a recent visit to Istanbul that he believed in intercultural dialog and Fethullah Gulen’s liberal ideas. Agnives said he was impressed with the Fethullah Gulen Movement’s work to find fellowship between cultures. Agnives came to know Fethullah Gulen through the […]

Foreign students express bewilderment over gov’t bid to close Turkish schools

Foreign students who are graduates of schools opened by Turkish entrepreneurs affiliated with the Hizmet movement all around the world, have expressed bewilderment over the government’s plan to shut down the schools, saying that the Turkish government is making a grave mistake in targeting these schools as they are renowned and praised for their high-quality education by foreigners.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

ARO’s healthcare alliance with Cambodian Government agencies

Fethullah Gülen: Turkey coup may have been ‘staged’ by Erdoğan regime

D-8’s Alam calls on everyone to support Turkish schools

Turkish school in Pakistan produces math world champion

Terrorist Bahoz Erdal calls on families to protect their children from the Gulen Movement!

International Conference on Hizmet Movement in Taiwan

Erdoğan government opposes democratic values: detained Turkish journalist

Copyright 2025 Insightful Neighbor