| REFLECTIONS IN SOCIETY OF THE TURNING TO GOD We have frequently seen headlines such as "I believe in God," "I pray every night," "Not a day goes by without my giving thanks to God," "may God protect you and our country," and "I give thanks to God," in the media in recent years. However, the point that needs to be concentrated on here is the people who say those words. These words belong to artists whom millions of people follow with great pleasure, the words of whose songs young people know by heart, sportsmen whom millions watch at games, or the leaders of countries which shape world politics. These foremost figures in society are the most concrete examples of the rapidly increasing turning to god in the world. These people have no hesitation about expressing their belief in god, and state their love of and dependence on Him at every available opportunity. Artists relate their feelings of dependence on God in interviews, on album covers, in the films they make, in the words of their songs and at award ceremonies; in short everywhere they can. The leaders of Great Britain and the United States, some of the most developed nations in the world, insist on the importance for humanity of turning to God and spiritual values in their speeches. For example, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is known for his religious nature, said at a meeting in January 2001 that he was deeply impressed by the Islamic concept of social justice. He also hoped that the practice of giving alms, which appears in the Qur'an, would become more widespread. These words of Tony Blair's show that there is a great need in the world for a turn to Qur'anic morality, and that the process has begun to accelerate. The situation in Great Britain is no different in the United States, one of the most influential nations on Earth. In 1997, former President Bill Clinton issued a decree on freedom of belief which allowed all parts of society to carry out their religious devotions in peace and security. Alongside this, he has frequently expressed his admiration for Islam, invited people to pray to God for world peace and encouraged them to turn to religion by giving examples of Qur'anic holy verses. Furthermore, in a speech addressed to the whole world following the revealing of the Human Genome Project, one of the most important discoveries in history, Bill Clinton began by saying "Today, we are learning the language in which God created life," and continued "we are gaining ever more awe for the complexity, the beauty, the wonder of God's most divine and sacred gift."1 Clinton thus expressed the rapid return to God and the fact of creation. In his farewell address to the American people on January 19, 2001, he ended with these words, "God bless you, God bless America." The new President George W. Bush stressed before the presidential elections the need for creation to be taught in state schools, and that importance should be attached to religious and moral education. Lastly, the January 2001 edition of Newsweek wrote in one article that the new Mexican President Vicente Fox was the most openly religious leader in the last 100 years of the country's history. All this clearly demonstrates that the new leaders of the western world have seen the importance of turning to God. There are also clear traces of a turning to God in the art world, parallel to that among world leaders. All world-famous film stars are also stressing their belief in God. For instance, the Oscar-winning film star Denzel Washington said during an interview in reference to something that had happened to him "I believe in God… I think every event in my life has been touched by God. I mean, I'm here"2 thus confirming his belief in God and his trust in Him, together with the fact that he had raised his children to have faith in God. 3
The famous comedian Jim Carrey expressed his thanks to God for the talent he possessed during an interview. Alongside these, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mel Gibson, Sharon Stone and Jean-Claude van Damme are amongst the famous celebrities who have realized that their splendid lifestyles are only transitory and have turned to God. As well as this striking rise in film stars turning to God, the recent making of films in Hollywood with religious themes is also important from this point of view. Films such as "Armageddon," "End of Days," "Resurrection," and "Devil's Advocate," with their budgets of millions of dollars, were all based on subjects such as belief in God, the day of judgment, angels, the Devil and destiny.
Still in the art world, it is also possible to see examples of a return to belief in God amongst musicians. It is sufficient to follow the annual music award ceremonies to see this. At the Grammy, Brits, VH1 and MTV ceremonies and others 90 percent of those receiving awards thank God in their acceptance speeches. For example, after receiving her award at the MTV Music Awards Ceremony in 2000, the famous young singer Shakira said, "I thank God for giving me this award." Another well-known singer, Lauryn Hill, also expressed her belief in God at the 1999 Grammy Awards. As well as these, the famous artiste Sinead O'Connor stated that her talent was a blessing from God in the words by saying, "God helped me, He gave… me my voice." Carlos Santana, one of the best-known guitarists in the world, reminded millions of people that his skill was a God-given talent during a speech addressed to artists at an award ceremony.
Another striking point is the lyrics to the songs these artists perform, which are broadcast dozens of times on the television every day. Most of these lyrics contain statements reminiscent of prayers, referring to finding refuge in and calling on God. This is a most important point. Every young person who learns these songs off by heart and sings them is aware that he is actually calling on God and remembering His name. For example, in of their songs, the famous group Boyz II Men, made up of young people, simply call on God and pray to him in one of their songs. The millions of fans who love these young men take their sincere closeness to God as an example for themselves. When we closely examine the covers of these albums, we can see a turning to God in these, too. The covers of recent albums brought out by groups comprising young singers in particular, such as NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, contain important messages. The words of thanks on the cover of "No strings attached," the album brought out by the group NSYNC, who have millions of young fans and who win dozens of awards every year, is clear evidence that young people are turning to God. One of these young people, Justin Timberlake, reflects his belief in God in these words, "First and foremost, I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for blessing me with every gift including the gift of music and for the opportunity to share it with the world…"
1. President Clinton, at the
White House announcement, Monday, June 26, 2000; “Quote-Unquote,”
Discovery, June 2000
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