Thread by @PioveraEksi

THREAD
1. I want to tell you about Adnan Oktar. Adnan Oktar also known as Adnan Hoca or Harun Yahya is a Turkish religious cult leader, televangelist, creationist and anti-evolutionist. Oktar and his followers describe themselves as the new and modern face of Islam. 😃
#Islam

2. He grew up in a relatively affluent secular family in the 70s, only becoming involved in religious activism after moving to Istanbul to study at what was then the Academy of Fine Arts in 1979. Over the 80s he would build a circle of devotees known as Adnanists. 😎

3. In the early 1980s, Oktar preached his views on Islam to students around him from wealthy Istanbul families. They were joined by newly religious private high school students who were from families with similar higher-class economic backgrounds.

4. The cult members were all well-educated and wealthy people. Oktar always used to say: ''A wrong perception is created as if a Muslim should be poor. A Muslim must be well educated, rich and well dressed. We should show everyone the wealth that Allah has bestowed upon us.'' 😂

5. Oktar has always claimed to represent Islam, but has no formal religious training. In 1979, he enrolled in the Interior Design of Mimar Sinan Fine Art Unv, but didn't graduate. In 1986 he enrolled in the Philosophy Department of Istanbul Unv, but didn't graduate there either.

6. In 1986, Oktar was arrested on charges of making propaganda with the aim of weakening or destroying national sentiments and eventually found himself in the criminal ward at Bakirkoy Hospital, where he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He spent 10 months in the mental hospital.

7. In the 90s, Oktar's group formalised their activities, founding the Science Research Foundation (BAV). In 1998 the BAV, launched its campaign against ''Darwinism'', with Oktar's book ''The Evolution Deceit'', distributing tens of thousands of free copies in Turkey.

8. In 1999, Adnan Oktar was arrested and charged with using threats for personal benefit and creating an organization with the intent to commit a crime. He was sentenced to 9 months in prison.

9. In 2007, Oktar went global with the publication of Atlas of Creation, which purported to scientifically debunk Darwin's theory of evolution. Oktar distributed tens of thousands of copies of the book to schools, researchers and universities across Europe and the US.

10. This and similar books had no scientific significance. However, after being translated into dozens of languages, it was sent to many universities. One of the people the book was sent to was Richard Dawkins. He is talking about Adnan Oktar. 👇

11. In 2008, Adnan Oktar was arrested and charged again with using threats for personal benefit and creating an organization with the intent to commit a crime and sentenced to 3 years in prison, but the verdict was appealed and in May 2010 it was overturned.

12. In 2011, Adnan Oktar founded a TV station, A9, which broadcast both over the internet and on Turkish cable networks. The channel, apart from hosting a number of documentaries based on Oktar's works, would become his main platform for broadcasting.

13. Muslim televangelists had been around for many years and were nothing new, but Oktar's method of presentation certainly was. He has discussed Islamic values and sometimes danced with women he calls 'kittens' and sang with men, who he calls his 'lions.'

14. Oktar repeatedly used Islamic justifications for the unusual appearance of his co-hosts, who seemed dressed for the nightclub rather than a religious sermon. Dispensing with "modest" clothing didn't make them any less Muslim, he said.

15.He claimed at every turn that he'd physical characteristics similar to the Mahdi mentioned in Islamic books.He was shy about proclaiming his self-designation as mahdi.His claim to mahdi-status was persistent but always indirect.When asked if he claimed to be mahdi,he'd deny it

16.Oktar had organized iftar parties many times during the month of Ramadan in the Ciragan Palace,which was built during the Ottoman Empire. Religious leaders belonging to Islam and other religions, as well as ppl from the business/show business world, participated in the parties

17. Adnan Oktar, who loves luxury life, organized a New Year's Eve party in his luxury villa in 2018.

18. When asked about his luxury life, he said: "I want to resemble Prophet Solomon. Prophet Solomon was like this. He used to be well dressed. He liked being well dressed. His palace was beautiful, there were beautiful people around him.''

19. On July 2018, the police detained Oktar and over 160 of his associates on over 30 charges including forming a criminal enterprise, financial fraud, sexual abuse, torture, forgery of official documents, use of violence, violation of privacy+

20...fraud by exploiting religious feelings, illegal recording of personal data, violating the law on the protection of family and women, violating a citizen’s rights to get education, bribery, slander, blackmailing, smuggling etc.

21. The police also focused on Oktar’s luxurious mansion in Kandilli district overlooking the Bosphorus. The mansion sits on 30 acres forest land and has 50 security cameras.

22. 70 pistols, 23 long barelled weapons, 18000 bullets, 2500 hard disks/tablets/computers/mobile phones and 16 armored/luxury cars were seized in the mansion.

23. Adnan Oktar tried with 235 other defendants in an Istanbul court and received a total of 1075 years and 3 months in prison in Jan 2021.
The End