Star Gazetesi: “The world finds the prayer mat” Yeni Asya Gazetesi: "Europe is rushing to Islam"

NEWS IN THE WESTERN MEDIA ABOUT THE RISE OF ISLAM IN THE WEST

Already more than a billion-people strong, Islam is the world's fastest-growing religion. (ABCNEWS, Abcnews.com)

"Islam is the fastest growing-religion in the United States…" (New York Times, Feb. 21, 1989, p. 1)

"Moslems are the world's fastest-growing group…" (USA TODAY, The population reference bureau, Feb. 17, 1989, p. 4A)

"Islam is the fastest growing religion in North America." (Times Magazine)

"Islam continues to grow in America, and no one can doubt that!" (CNN, Dec. 15, 1995)

"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country." (NEWSDAY, Mar. 7, 1989, p. 4)

THE TURNING TO RELIGION IN RUSSIA

The increasing turning vto religion in Russi

The Russian people, who were crushed for years by the cruelty of communist leaders such as Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin, and condemned to be kept away from their religion, are now returning to belief in God. The striking figures in a newspaper show just how the turning to a belief in God is gaining speed throughout the world: "According to one poll in the country, more than half of Russian citizens, some 55 percent, believe in God." (Zaman newspaper, Jan. 6, 2001)

The people of Russia, who were turned into atheists by state pressure during the days of the USSR, have turned back to religion. According to research carried out in the country, more than half of Russian citizens, some 55 percent, believe in God. According to one survey by the Social Research Group, while 55 percent of the population says they believe in God, 33 percent state that they are atheists. The survey, carried out in 200 settlement centers in the Russian Federation, reveals that 91 percent of people support religious freedom. 5 percent of people described themselves to the survey as Muslims and 1 percent as Hindus and Catholics. According to the same figures, 53 percent of those people who believe in God have some sort of connection to the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

As these developments are taking place, the government in Moscow yesterday approved a decision for the construction of a supplementary third section to the country's most beautiful and largest church, Hram Hrista Spasitelya. It was stated that this extra complex would cost in the region of $50-60 million. (Mirza Cetinkaya, Moscow, Zaman Newspaper, Jan. 6. 2001)

THE TURNING TO RELIGION IN USA

In 1998, the famous magazine Life took as its cover story the way that people from all religions in America were turning to God. The article discussed the rapid acceleration of the return to God which emerged from opinion polls. These developments are a miracle for everyone in the world.

America had the greatest respect for the name of God… According to The World Almanac, the number of Christians in America reached 24 million, the number of Muslims 4 million, Jews 1.3 million, Hindus 1 million and Buddhists 250,000. George Washington said in his Farewell Address that "religion and morality are indispensable supports" of the American idea. Those supports, ever strong, grow stronger.(1) …At San Marcos Baptist Academy in Texas, prayer follows every game and practice.(2)

"A Swing to God in American opinion polls," was the headline of the Dec. 23, 1997 edition of the well-known British newspaper The Daily Telegraph. Important parts of that article read:

"America is enjoying a strong resurgence in religious faith, with the largest percentage of its people in a decade now believing in God and the existence of miracles... In addition, with violence and drug addiction now at an all-time high, more people are turning to the Church for shelter and help."(3)

In an article published on the Internet on May 7, 1998, the following striking statistic regarding Americans' turning to religion appeared, "Nine out of 10 Americans say they pray…"(4)