Turkey Converts Iconic Hagia Sophia Into a Mosque

Jay Sekulow stunning development as Turkey converts an historic church into a mosque live from Washington DC Jay Sekulow line ringleader line and outside the chanting God is great, but the decision is like Nobel prize-winning country to remain a place where politics and religion kept separate phone lines are open for your questions right now. Call one 800-6843 10 types like me are crying against this, but their voices because we don't have enough free speech and democracy in Turkey. Unfortunately, no chief counsel what's going on in historic church and I made an original one cents a church starting 300 Sophia is stumbled constant nobler.

This is a historic church in the Christian faith during the Ottoman. Course the Ottoman Turks came over under the Muslim regime and converted to a mosque then Ataturk when he came into power. Return it to a museum which allowed for the iconic fruit so you have a picture of the art of the depictions of Christ the icons. The mosaics it's it's a phenomenal facility now joins actually been there. And last, the end of last week on Thursday and Friday one President of Turkey converted it back from a museum which was at least six could see the iconic on icons. The mosaics which tell the entire story of Christ may entire story of the gospel. Another covered in the covering.

I will tell you this is just the beginning and this is a world heritage site by UNESCO, the UN is been a big site of tourism offer Christians from all over the world toward you been there yes and it was actually done by Ataturk who wanted to make Turkey a more secular state in the Middle East, which was predominantly Muslim but did want to become like a Muslim dictatorship are mostly authoritarian side religious totalitarian state, so it became a museum because it had for times been a symbol of conquering and conquest. I think that's key so the Christians belted that was their symbol.

Then the Muslims took it they conquered the Christians is seen this go back and forth, back and forth, until finally I Ataturk comes in and says, working to make this a museum for all people and that's when became your world heritage site so it doesn't matter if there are other and evaporator question, or a Muslim, you will see symbols of both. You will see imagery that looks like a mosque.

You will see the mosaics on the wall literally 500 years after the death of Christ, a 450 years been so in some of these mosaics then when I was there just about six years ago were just being uncovered in the size of them just for people to understand the size of them to see that in a predominantly Muslim country, your Christian heritage.

How how close you are to the time of Christ and those who were being persecuted dominated Concord but even the conquerors knew they covered it up.

But they didn't rip it all down because I think even those conquerors knew the historic significance remember it within Islam, Jesus does play a role. So there's a unique blend there but when you allow a simpler place like this to become a mosque is what happens used to be able to visit over the rock. If you were the most So over time it will be exclusionary. This will no longer be a place you can visit or I can visit to see those images of Christ to remember the early church, or for other people of faith are just people interested in the history of world it will become just like the dome of the rock. A civil of conquering Christians and Christianity.

We can't let that happen.

We are going to be launching. We are launching today an international campaign and is already support building by the United States, the United Nations, the European Union and others will be joined by the archons Greek Orthodox lady Emily, the American Center for Law and Justice were engaged in critical issues at home and abroad. Whether it's defending religious freedom. Protecting those who are persecuted for their faith. Uncovering corruption in the Washington bureaucracy and fighting to protect life in the courts and in Congress. ACLJ would not be able to do any of this without your support for that. We are grateful. Now there's an opportunity for you to help me way limited time you can participate in the ACLJ's matching challenge every dollar you donate $10 gift dollar gift becomes 100. This is a critical time for the ACLJ. The work we simply would not occur without your generous take part in our matching challenge today make a difference in protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms gift today online LJ only when a society can agree that the most vulnerable invoice.

Is there any hope for that culture to survive. And that's exactly what you are saying when you stand with the American Center for Law and Justice, defendant the right to life, we've created a free powerful publication offering a panoramic view of the ACLJ's battle for the unborn is called mission life will show you how you are personally pro-life publication includes a look at all major ACLJ cases were fighting for the rights of pro-life activist ramifications 40 years later, when Obama care means to discover the many ways your membership is empowering the right to question your free copy of mission life today online ACLJ/says from the Turkish Council of State Court the use of higher Sophia is illegal, except as provided for in its foundation deed from the year of conquest by salt on monument, which was created in the year 1470 the property was founded as a mosque under Ottoman lawn cannot be transferred for any other use, except as the possession of all his property belongs to the servants of Allah is acquired and maintains a spiritual immunity.

The decision does admit that the Sophia Sophia was a church became a mosque by the right of conquest under the Sultan, and no subsequent act of a foundation can change or annul the fact that it can only be used as a mosque joining us on the phone is a very good friend of ours is the commander of the archons which is the head lady group for the Greek Orthodox Church here in America. Dr. Anthony Limburg Rakas Dr. Lynn practice let me God start and then we got a whole series of things. Let's talk about the significance of this church the icons the. The mosaics how significant the move is this all a tremendously significant J thanks for having me on this is something that everyone has been talking about for at least a decade tell you when he became got into power 17 years ago.

We were all hopeful that the persecution of Christians and religious minorities would be diminished, but instead it turned the opposite way and with this move.

It's really look very very lamentable that such provocative mood moved to limit the religious freedom of the religious minorities and in Turkey, not just the Christians and the Catholics, the Protestant, the Jews, even the elite believing Moslems do not share religious freedom. So when you exclude the Christians. With this from this great symbol of Christianity you know was the greatest church, the largest church in the world for thousand years doctrine and practices around that trip together and that was my first time in his temple and traveled all over the world to visit a place like Hagia Sophia understand the significance of poster Christianity into Islam, but we already were noticing those of you who had been there before changes to what was being put up in Hagia Sophia and other obviously areas it looked more like a church.

Areas that look more like a mosque, but there were ever to pull this picture up for folks to a just a minute I got it on my phone that that lot was already in the religious counsel. There was putting those large there is no God but Allah symbols up throughout Hagia Sophia in the main kind of the main dome while he is a very good for pointing at mood, but by Pres. Erewhon. The church has had magnificent mosaics among the most finest Byzantine mosaics in all the world and when in 1453 when Mac met the conqueror came into the city conquered the city. All these mosaics were subsequently plastered over but in essence they were preserved, fortunately, and painted over and over. The more recent decades, they were restored and are absolutely magnificent.

These Islamic symbols are something that they have put on subsequent to the establishment of this world the greatest impact was called the great church of Christ and that's how we still refer to it because it was the largest cathedral in all of Christendom until the erection of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. In the 16th century people and this again is talking to document Rakas, the archons of the ecumenical patriarch. I this was originally commissioned by Emperor Constantine around 330 M you can't get much closer to that's that secondary time post Christ then what was happening at Hagia Sophia and throughout the history, whether it was in Constantinople now is temple whether it was you had, of course, the Orthodox Church Roman church back to the Orthodox Church, then the Ottoman Turks to meet this again and then finally a museum for all a place where everyone could go those mosaics could be uncovered and we started to see that on our trip those mosaics of Christ which to even call it that we don't have anything even similar to that in the United States or or and of course historically like that or in many other parts of the world because it's been so well preserved and it is so old they still don't even understand architects how this is built at the time and so that's why it is such important historical Society for Christian is a world heritage site for Muslims for four people of other faiths and just for the people of the world if you will, because of the world history is important here in for me to. I feel like a document Rakas what I get most nervous about is that what happened at the dome of the rock will happen here, and ultimately those of us who do not share their specific Islamic faith avert a wad will be ultimately excluded from visiting. He may not say that now, but they didn't say that either with the Dover the rock they use one incident and it gets shut down to Muslims only 11 starting area right on target on all your points but one additional point that I'd like to make is that the Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to East up to Byzantium and then name the city Constantinople after himself, also issued the very first religious freedom resolution. The edict of Milan, which did which no longer criminalized.

Being a Christian in the Roman Empire. If you are a Christian you were not persecuted. You are not crucified. You are not beheaded. This act of converting back to a mosque is the opposite of the edict of Milan and marginalizes religious minorities. It constricts their religious freedom. Already the ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew who is the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians has tremendous religious restrictions. The church cannot own property. They cannot buy property that cannot inherit property. The Turkish government interferes in the election of the Pope of the ecumenical patriarch which is analogous to the Italian government interfering in the election of the Pope, so that perhaps the most important religious freedom deficit in Turkey is the fact that they don't even exist in the eyes of the church in the eyes of the government. The church does not exist as a legal personality in the eyes of the government to take this historic church hi guys, Sophia, which means holy wisdom and this is a Turks that has mosaics and icons throughout that have been now temporarily covered with a white sheet you know what's coming next. You need to be doing this every body as an attack on Christianity. Whether your Orthodox or Catholic or Baptist or Pentecostal or whatever other religious group you are Jewish.

Whatever is this is an attack on faith.

It is a world heritage site by UNESCO and Jordan. They are ignoring all of their international obligations. Here yet and sitting will the producer from my phone from being inside Hagia Sophia of this one mosaic that I know we all remember to such important one with Dr. Lynn Rakas. And we would run last places we visited in his temple, and you see that most of it had been covered up not torn down, but covered up through plaster. It was being uncovered very very well and you could see how well short-eared as you can see before you not having it.

Just like it was brand-new almost to me, that's because you have been covered by plaster for so long and survived.

Now it was being uncovered now as you said that its covered backup that has been torn down yet has been plastered over yet it hasn't been destroyed yet, but that to me.

Document Rakas is sort so concerning is that we were finally starting to get those to see those original images that Byzantine art those original depictions of Christ, just a few hundred years after his death on the cross and his resurrection and they were just being uncovered and that are being covered up again all you know it's emblematic of the situation in Turkey and how we the Turkish government shut down our only seminary nearly 50 years ago and won't allow it to be re-open.

We cannot train priests, we cannot crane bishops. We cannot train the future leaders of the Orthodox Church because the government shutdown the seminary and won't allow it to be reopened. Minutes one religious freedom of act against religious freedom after another and by by attacking the Christians by attacking religious minorities were concerned about marginalizing all religious minorities in Turkey, Christians, Jews, Armenians always or even up a living.

Non-Muslims Rakas. Thank you for being with us on the same of the broadcast will be covering this a lot in the days and weeks ahead. Let more from Dr. Lynn Rakas later this week and next week will be joined by other experts capacity to join us in the next half-hour. Our international law expert wouldn't talk about some of the impact. There, this is a big development absolutely is enforceable to take action on this what you get educated on this. This is important for all Christians for all people who believe in religious liberty religious freedom believe the country should be held to a higher standard will live in this world conquering based off religion anymore. ACLJ.org get activated share with your friends and family ACL only when a society can agree that the most vulnerable invoice. Is there any hope for that culture to survive. And that's exactly what you are saying when you stand with the American Center for Law and Justice, defendant the right to life. We've created a free and powerful publication offering a panoramic view of the ACLJ's battle for the unborn, called mission life will show you how you are personally publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life cases were fighting for the rights of pro-life activists ramifications of 40 years later Planned Parenthood's role in the Obama care means to discover the many ways your membership is empowering the right to question your free copy of mission life today online/American Center for Law and Justice were engaged in critical issues at home and abroad. Whether it's defending religious freedom. Protecting those who are persecuted for their faith covering corruption in the Washington bureaucracy fighting to protect life in the courts and in Congress. ACLJ would not be able to do any of this without your support for that. We are grateful. Now there's an opportunity for you to help me way limited time you can participate in the ACLJ's matching challenge every dollar you donate $10 gift dollar gift becomes 100.

This is a critical time for the ACLJ. The work we simply would not occur without your generous take part in our matching challenge make a difference in protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms.

Today online LJ Jay Sekulow like this Jordan secular. We are take your phone calls, one 800 684 31 two that's what hundred 64th 110 Adobe played Fort some of you have during the break is on Fox news last night with Steve Hilton on the next revolution talking about this idea of school choice, but also what happens if we even as the progress for making the school Chuck choice like we did the Supreme Court, which basically did away with those religious bands, some states had on you if you had a school choice voucher program you could not exclude religious schools and that those were laws it went back to 1875 in the time of Ulysses S Grant and and so finally those are been done away with.

But what happens if there are, the schools are open.

That's got to be different depending on where you are in the country where you live, what city or county. And were all getting a little more nervous right now so weak. We talked about what could people do that need resources to possibly homeschool that need to can I get some kind of rebate something like that sorting the plans of that video for you throughout the broadcast today. Later on in the show and that we got online as well, but I would let you know were still on top of that issue is school choice and we heard from over hundred 80 people were concerned. Then I can have the resources available to take care of their kids and educate them because their schools are to be and that's where you were actually right. Yesterday on air when you are on notice development on this idea that government got to release funds that they would've been using for something else to directly help parents, especially those parents that are in financial need. I mean, it's not complicated you got a duty. These are the kind of things that have to be done now. We were just talking about a church international church incident went on about church is under attack were to go to one in the United States to talk about this a lot more tomorrow because tomorrow is probably more following the lawsuit, but the this ties into this kind of persecution of churches words, nowhere near extra as extreme as what's going on in Turkey, obviously, but this ruling California limiting that churches even under those limitations only having 100 people in an and at worst thing that could include Interstate 5000 is only 100 people, but nobody can sing and when you forget the results of what the headlines are in somebody's papers. It really points that are what's going on your Jordan yeah that's right so this is the New York Times I'm in a whole it out for people watching Facebook and periscope. This is July 8. This is the headline churches were eager to reopen. Now they are a major source of coronavirus cases a major source is July 8, 2020 12 New York Times had to edit that and they they did because that headline was wrong. This again so what did how did they have to edit well churches were eager to reopen. Now they're confronting coronavirus cases well yeah everybody who's reopening is confronting coronavirus cases but get this stat that they were trying to say that they are major source of coronavirus cases.

They said that more than 600 and coronavirus cases have been linked to nearly 40 churches. Guess what that is. Since the very beginning of this pandemic. That is, that is not a brand-new house number again for the extremely over 3 million cases right now right in there saying that churches were eager to reopen in that they are the major source of coronavirus cases.

This ran July 8 to just a few days ago and we look at the numbers more than 650 coronavirus cases have been linked to nearly 40 churches and religious events across the entire US since the beginning of the pandemic.

Okay, this is not just in one state.

This is not what city this is every church in the United States of America.

It would account support .02% of US cases and there it up try and blame churches or even the New York Times when they look at their numbers had to change their headline to their confronting coronavirus case about tell you what if if the whole country and every church. It's been reopening is only dealt with 650 cases since the beginning of the entire 3 million over 3 million Dragon United States not then I confronting too much actually. So this idea that we can't sing this idea that we can't get past your 25 or 50% capacity because churches are the primary authorities 950 but you get yelled at 25% capacity for 100, whichever is less. That's a lot of states have that rule and it's absurd. And it's because of these New York Times articles and state goes right along that we try to ban the singing mandate there saying we must stop singing, you must stop chanting basically must stop your worship so we look at in Turkey we have this unbelievable attack on the historic church. I got Sophia is holy wisdom that's under attack because the mom the Muslim leadership of Turkey now decided to cover up the mosaics of Jesus and the references to the gospel and he had states because the pandemic came in saying if you're one of the few people to go to the church building to begin with I would offend Bennett Washington DC.

But first, let's take this phone call coming in from Dan who is in the district of Columbia hi Dan, I did love her Jay Sekulow life. Thank God that they would be international church.

In the event that Turkey Turkey had taken things like them either becoming more and more anti-American. Therefore, they should really be considered so strong of an ally anymore in our eyes with witness dance at their taking on that II think: I know there an ally in the technical transplant and shake these and I can see them on the monitor in the technical sense, but that is all that is J we been writing about this and speaking about this for several years now that in a technical sense, their turkeys, an ally of the United States. But that Pres. Erewhon was taking specific action to remove themselves as an ally and an ally has to be more than words. Jade has to be followed on a pond with actions and present everyone's actions have taken exactly the opposite approach.

Again we been writing about this for years and I think this is the most specific example of present arrow airline specifically leaving the United States behind and by the way Jay in the world is pretty unified in condemning this action. The President Erewhon just take just talk about that was led by the United States Sec. Pompeo in advance of the move worn Pres. Erewhon not to do it and then following the action. This the State Department was very quick in condemning it. The callers exactly right. In a technical sense and a NATO sense. Maybe there an ally, the J the D actions demonstrate that they are quickly leaving the United States in terms of being a friend have a guide, a way for you to help on the situation in Turkey and then probably by Wednesday work and have a couple campaign as we do on these international incident on the case in California will be in federal court going to be in federal court there as early as tomorrow or Wednesday.

That's right swords.

You are putting together the the clients. The number of clients the different religious backgrounds, different churches and different denominations said different faith practices.

To put this together because this really daddy and we can be quite honest, there's two ways California can handle this, there's the typical California way of we mandated were to fight you out in court because we think we can do whatever we want shut down whatever we want, we can stop your worship or there is the possibility, but you gotta file the lawsuit even get them to respond that way there is the possibility that they say that use of the word must was wrong. Now that we take that as a way it's a huge win because they they be admitting they were wrong and they did mandate but but California. I was expect the worst. Yeah, I got that's true because you don't know the courts are just not hospitable.

McKay was coming up to patches and enjoys his senior counsel with the ACLJ in charge of international legal affairs.

He's done an extensive memo on the situation in Turkey with the famous taiga Sophia church which is now being under attack.

We just think about this for a moment covering up the cloth mosaics and I contrary of Jesus mosaics a price cover mosaic of the gospel story cover iconography cover later to be. You know what destroyed that they do that in 1045 but this is a whole different regime. This is the new caliphate attempt, I will take your calls and comments. We come back@aclj.org. Don't forget matching challenge campaign ACLJ.the American Center for Law and Justice were engaged in critical issues at home and abroad for limited time you can participate in the ACLJ matching challenge for every dollar you donate will be managed $10 gift becomes $20, $50 gift becomes 100 make a difference in the world who knew protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms most to you and your family. Give a gift today online LJ live from Washington DC Jay Sekulow and sent back to Jay Sekulow like this Jordan secular. We are take your phone call.

Second, after the broadcast 160 31 to give you little since. What's going on in Turkey, the Turkish media. This is a Turkish media outlet that is very pro once it's kind of a government media outlet. They are reporting now that is the quote into English Turkish media report now that idea. Sophia is now that Hagia Sophia is done. Athens, which is in Greece is next.

Turkey also valves to liberate Alcott's Al-Aqsa after turning Hagia Sophia to mosque what is our Alaska dome of the rock whether they mean by liberate take from Israel. Even though Israel allows the territorial control, like I was talking about of the dome of the rock Al-Aqsa mosque under Palestinian control. They actually have a special Saturday, Arabians and Islamic counsel that controls that area, which is why it shut down to most tourists from entering who are not Muslim because Israel has ceded control of that that area could you allow Muslims to actually be in control of it. So now Turkey sank to recumbent for you Athens and then were coming for you Israel.

Now I want everybody think it is the official government newspaper to have this historic church with this historic mosaic depiction of the gospel iconography in the church covered by plaster now been restored under Ataturk now being covered again wiping out the Christian heritage of when the great Christian cities back when people do tours, they often go to Turkey. I guess they don't care about tourism anymore. I need and for those watching the see the pictures of these beautiful architectures and these are incredible.

Look at this. They also the United Nations has world heritage's convention, which of course Turkey signed in 1972. They ratify the convention. Article 1 of the world heritage convention states that for the purpose of this convention, the following shall be considered a cultural heritage netlist monuments architectural work works and obviously I got Sophia was listed as a work qualifying for the world heritage designation. Article 4 of the UN treaty on this as each state party recognizes the duty of ensuring identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission the future generations for the cultural and natural heritage referred to in those world heritage sites and the Turks are covering it up as they always try to do this is a reality. Yeah, I mean I want to show you the pictures I took this picture myself. This was recently uncovered is back in 2014. I was there with the archons of my wife Anna was there.

The triplet Dr. Linda Rakas. Any condo I was with us as well.

Swords of Georgia condos with us. If you see this okay so this was just being covered.

You can see how was covered in plaster. This is very, very large arthritis and will a picture of just like me have this right, how large it would be Austin will a picture of life. My wife and I pretty far away from it.

I mean this is this is gigantic and this is only part of it so you got Christ there. Now if you at any of course the apostle in this is just being uncovered. But you see how well it was preserved because the plaster they covered it and it had not been I destroyed this building now go back to a there's the next picture inside inside kind of the main area of Hagia Sophia that is where Urdu on the last couple years before I was there started putting up that there is no God but Allah see those those were not originally part of Hagia Sophia list, but that way. Unlike Christ in the Byzantine art there was uncovered. Muslims did not uncover those giant round symbols. Those are the symbols say there is no God but Allah but go to the next photo very quickly will you see in between the two. No God but Allah. There's a dome that is married and that is baby Jesus. I wonder today if in between two no God but Allah's. You can still see Mary baby Jesus could then already start seeing where there wallowing things off. By the way, as 2014 focus is really serious and this violation of international laws capacity join with the should be hearing a lot about this and we said this is a long-term campaign. The Turks and I can just pack them with a quick unbelievable global pressure on them to not erase heritage sites of the Christian faith, which is what this is about.

Well talk about we come back right also support organizational J ACLJ dental the American Center for Law and justice were engaged in critical issues at home and abroad. Whether it's defending religious freedom.

Protecting those uncovering corruption in the Washington bureaucracy and fighting to protect life in the courts and in Congress ACLJ would not be able to do any of this without your support for that. We are grateful. Now there's an opportunity for you to help in any way limited time you can participate in the ACLJ matching challenge every dollar you donate $10 gift dollar gift becomes 100. This is a critical time for the ACLJ the work we simply would not occur without your generous take part in our matching challenge to make a difference in the protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms online LJ only when a society can agree that the most vulnerable invoice. Is there any hope for that culture to survive.

And that's exactly what you are saying when you stand with the American Center for Law and Justice, defendant the right to life, we've created a free powerful publication offering a panoramic view of the ACLJ's battle for the unborn is called mission life will show you how you are personally publication includes a look at all major ACLJ cases were fighting for the rights of pro-life activist the ramifications of weighing 40 years later Planned Parenthood's role in the what Obama care means to the pro-life in many ways your membership is empowering the right question for you copy mission life today online ACLJ/Jay Sekulow this is Jordan secular.

Oh, and another, I just want to read this to this came from a senior member of the brotherhood and an unofficial advisor to the Turkish prison Urdu on Ali car.he he says that the Hagia Sophia has returned to its true state so understand what Juan is doing here. This is a NATO member. First, saying that opening of Hagia Sophia to prayer is a proud moment for all Muslims. That was said by Rothbart Moore, the head of the international press office of guess who dad Hamas. She got Hamas and the Muslim brotherhood praising this, you know, but there are interest of this has to be decided where to tie all this, the other in the days ahead. Poker is human in the beginning, yet this am and consumer documents of the goes back to two, three, 380 so that the, the earliest of earliest of the mega churches if you will, the first mega church ethics is the way said so join us on the phone right now is senior counsel for the ACLJ Skip as she was in charge of international law group ship. This is let's start first because you studied this region of the world so expensively independent so much work better how significant the move was inspired one, and the court. Juan came to power. His goal has been to the secularized turkey to return it to a more fundamentalist Islamic roots in the sun tradition of Islam and to re-create the caliphate, which is the during the time the Ottoman Empire. The caliphate was the center religious authority for all Sunni Muslims which make up 85% of every mode of all blossoms in the world are Sunni Muslims and the caliphate was the governing body. There were the ones who interpreted the faith that told them what they had to do to be acceptable to God this that and the other and he is attempting to do this right now and the language he's using right now is sending a signal to Muslims around the world. They understand that he's talking about going from Uzbekistan to Spain of all places, and he's talking about now. The Al-Aqsa mosque so he is right, trying to reach establish what Islam claims that his Islam claims that if any territory has ever been under the control of Islam. It must remain the property of Islam benefits lost like staying there. It was like Greece was like Israel has like Palestine area of Israel has been then they have an obligation to go and when it back and this is a symbolic step in that direction you inside the store to you. Been there, describe the size of this first for people. This is massive I mean you see it throughout the entire city. It's been built on a number of times so you know insert starting off with the original commission by Emperor Constantine himself. In 330 and the second part was built in the early fifth century because it was original fire.

The current structure was commissioned by Emperor Justin to Justinian in the 530s 530 and then you got again. Continue to build on. Then the Romans kind of built on made it look like a basilica which is so, it is the present structure was the largest religious structure in the world when it was built.

There's an innate shot it right there that's on the screen for those watching on TV or Facebook or social media platform remain the largest religious religious structure on earth until St. Peter's Basilica was built in the 16th century.

So, this remained the largest religious structure in the world from the year 332 the 1500s.

Think about that and it's it's still one of the largest in the world. She's got again. It served as the Cathedral for the church of the ecumenical patriarch after eighth century it became a place to's crown new Emperor's Royal weddings.

In the ninth century. I mean, you go through Orthodox Church was in in control of of this from 537 at 1204 of the Crusaders in the Roman church from 1204 to 1261 Orthodox Church again from 1261 to 1453 and then the Ottoman Turks turned into a mosque from 1453 to 1934. Remember who lost in in the war, World War II, the Ottoman Turks.

So what did Ataturk do as he was rebuilding Turkey.

He said in a post that you and even before Post Road the end of World War II.

He said I don't want to be one of these Muslim dictatorships. I would be more secular state subsidies were too far being secular so he turned it right into a museum for all people of all faiths, no face at all is a symbol of Turkey as a world heritage site yet so be no longer place to try and conquer people understanding of them will bringing some of the Consumer Reports in the comments of the significance of this moving turkey on this church of this attack on Christendom.

It was interesting. Diana writes the world's not falling apart. It's falling into place interest right. Even so, Lord Jesus. The idea being that Jesus is in control of all of the stores and control all this we know that now there's a legal side of this were to get into that I want to escape. On top of the legal side of the moment, but then you do our work at the United Nations. There is the world heritage site. The UN designations here. These are not insignificant in NJ.

This is the reason we have accreditation at the United Nations is to engage issues like this because look, the ability of countries of the world including the United States to engage in ebb and flow over time, but we can be there. Oddly, I was disheartened J to see the wording of the reaction from UNESCO, which is the arm of the United Nations involved in this other than pretty universal pretty worldwide condemnation of this move, but this is what the statement said this is far too weak and far too slow. In my opinion, J says UNESCO calls in the Turkish authorities to open a dialogue without delay. In order to avoid a step back from the universal value of this exceptional heritage. His preservation will be reviewed by the world heritage committee get this J in its next session. J that's too late. This conversion is happening right now so look one of the things that will do as we go to the United Nations is pressed upon them the urgency of this matter out yard, those words correct. Yes they are but J their proposed action step will be too late. This conversion will be complete by the time the world heritage committee takes assets for its next session. I sent Skip one of the legal ramifications here of this you already pointed out as a member of these treaties and the Sophia became a world heritage site as a museum.

It did not become world heritage site as a mosque or as a church but as a museum and because of that the Turks have been allowed to ask for funding to help maintain this and they have received over $200,000 over the years to maintain this Oedipus and the primary purpose was is to uncover and to reclaim the mosaics so they have been asking for money to reclaim the mosaics, which is the Christian portion of the church that had been plastered over and now if it's converted back to a mosque. What's interesting is that under Islam. You can have pictures of people and animals and so forth in any way because they can view them as idols and therefore they're either going to have to cover the mother going to cover them up in some way, which is probably plaster them over again so they been disingenuous.

First of all received this money for a purpose that they did Nintendo follow the other thing is that because the street he came in to being and was accepted by Turkey before this marijuana in his regime came to power trying to undo a lot of stuff. They are still bound by it unless I want to abrogate the treaty or to withdraw from it, which they haven't done so the issue is that work has been done by the international community does the world heritage site. The international community. The world has contributed to making it what it is into revealing those beautiful mosaics and now again this is a an open and notorious move of Islamic triumphalism on the part of this regime trying to return us to a mosque and then do will have to cover up all the Christian markings in that church.

In order for it to be a functioning mosque.

The with respect to what measures can be taken as in most ratings are no teeth in the treaty so it's going to have to be done by international pressure on the part of states and the United Nations.

The enactment of European Union. All these places need to bring a great deal of pressure on the Turkish government in order to tell them that they have to abide by their international obligations and that includes what they've agreed to with respect to this extensive paper on this that Skip asked his team to put together five or six page let's get this up as a resource@theacljwebsiteaclj.org, maybe I can maybe I'll tweak some of this out later. Also, with links to it for people have.this is an issue that's not going away.

This is an attack on Christendom and no matter what denomination you are, what faith you are. Understand the significant impact.

This is on religious liberty quickly to fan it. Skip mentioned international pressure that is what's gonna have to win this. No question about a J in multiple countries, including the European Union are already saying the right thing. The United States is leading the way. But as always on these things J words are empty unless they are backed up by actions. That's one of the roles that we can play is unifying those world players that are saying the correct thing and unifying them behind actual action steps to prevent this from happening. So I think that's the next step ahead J folks we need you to really get educated on this because getting Osama rodents got a Facebook hurting Christian symbols mosque is gesture of conqueror understand what Skip said were to become a mosque in accuracy bearing inaccuracy baby and I can see the depiction of Jesus Christ and allow them that's right was covered up before this time of the covered up the sandblast the AC okay only when a society can agree that the most vulnerable. Is there any hope for that culture to survive. And that's exactly what you are saying when the American Center for Law and Justice, defendant the right to life. We created a free powerful publication offering a panoramic view of the ACLJ's battle for the unborn is called mission will show you how you are personally publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life fighting for the rights of pro-life activist ramifications of Roe V Wade, 40 years later Planned Parenthood's role in the what Obama care means to discover the many ways your membership is empowering the right question free copy mission life today online/the American Center for Law and Justice were engaged in critical issues at home and abroad. Whether it's defending religious freedom. Protecting those faith covering corruption in the Washington bureaucracy fighting to protect life in the courts and in Congress.

ACLJ would not be able to do any of this without your support for that. We are grateful. Now there's an opportunity for you to help me way time you can participate in the ACLJ's matching challenge every dollar you donate $10 gift dollar gift becomes 100. This is a critical time for the ACLJ. The work we simply would not occur without your generous take part in our matching challenge today make a difference in protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms online LJ secular students actually are. Take your phone calls 180 1C and bring you back to Hagia Sophia we give a call about California's well I want to take the period to file that case very soon. I tomorrow or the next day and we just put declines together. This is the mandate that you cannot sing.

You cannot chant this. This takes out all basically all kinds of religious worship.

Regardless of your nomination regardless of your faith, Kim is calling for Michigan online. One can welcome the Jay Sekulow live hey Kim you're on their great yes been wondering when Amber allowed the chair chair or the larger church at everything out foreseeing an attempt to limit proselytizing more extensively to bound Christian number of the Christian membership and starts to shrink what it is they are passing a one-size-fits-all regulation that says you can have the church of any size.

You cannot have more than 25% capacity. Let's say that's okay. Like the Coca-Cola epidemic.

People type understand that, but then they have another thing, or 100 people, whichever is less so.

If you had church facility that's at 200 you would have the prom seat 25% for repeat by 45 people. Here's the problem you have a church that's 2000 seats and you could then have in a situation where you could have 300 people. You still can only have 100 with you had its sights were set 5000 it still be 100 and then then you can't sing, even if you wear a mask when you could protest on the streets and that's protected speech with or without a mask paper freeware mask and it is paramount things not protect ideas, protect but this is the this is the problem with these regulations get put in place like this. That's right, and ending that is why you must fight them especially fight them when they go so far say well you know it's it's 100 people in or 25%. Whatever is less, it doesn't matter if you have a mega church are not. It's gotta be whatever's less.

And then, by the way, even if you are given a 10 with a small numbers you must cease singing. You must cease chanting that is not a recommendation. When I read that you use the word must in recommendation you don't say sure it did say, surely recommend or we hope you water wheat with we believe you should. This was must that's what were going to court.

No question about it. Let me go back we still skip right yet. I want to go back to the SOP for a moment here to be talked about international pressure.

We know what the law is. So there's clearly a violation of UN tree that they signed. We know that there's already international condemnation coming. We also know in doing this, that and I'll go to fan and skip on the skippers.

These take time you got it and you don't have a lot of time here so you gotta move expeditiously to build this kind of global support right there going to be starting work in this role. On the 24th of this month as I recall, and more.

And that means that all these things are least happy covered up in some form.

They may do what she needs or something else. But those who are faithful Muslims are gonna be upset with that because that means I was symbols are in a a an active a functioning mosque and if that's true, then they should be there because it violates their fate, so problem we have here is there going to probably be moving pretty quickly to so that we need to get this thing moving quickly so that they realize they created a tsunami that's gonna be coming at them that they need to reconsider this very quickly before they done damage that cannot be repaired is blatant, forthright and direct attack on Christianity. Make no mistake in religious liberty as a whole and and also on the world is that world heritage sites.

We had spoken out we had six estate Pompeo his holiness the ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew of the Orthodox Church United Nations. It is not always the same groups to speak out together in the same condemnation by Pompeo and the State Department Pope Francis Joe Biden the country of Greece goes further than that of Mexican to be talking to our team in Moscow as the Russian Orthodox Church, which is not always got along great with the Greek Orthodox Church is also condemn this so has the Russian Federation, the European Union, Cypress and others in Turkey as well, especially Arminian members of Turkey's Parliament something and how does that play then when you go with the our team to the United Nations will shows that the world is in agreement J and I would I would read one of those statements that Jordan gave the ruling by the Turkish Council of State to overturn one of modern Turkey's landmark decision, and Pres. Erewhon's decision to place the monument under the management of religious affairs presidency is regrettable, so again they said the right thing J but when we go to the United Nations to advocate on this be keying in on that last word of the European Union statement regrettable. Okay, you're right.

It is regrettable but what are you going to do about it.

Are you going to band together as a world group in under the lead of Sec. Pompeo who is Artie issued this statement and actually try to do something about it.

JI you know this better than I did. The United Nations at times can be very good about speaking and very slow to act.

I think Skip got this exactly correct. Correct.

You might have a moment of time here because it might take a little bit of time to effectuate these actions. J but we don't have time to move at the typical pace of the United Nations, the European Union and the others have to decide that the got back up their words with action.

Is that something very important. Once it reiterated together about that Islamic worship there.

Starting in just a couple weeks. I'd really like about 12 days and once that starts, it can be very hard to contain this.

The reason people are going to flock to that worship are the people who are the most committed Muslims who have never liked the idea that this should have been a museum. So you're going to have people in there who are more motivated than most Turks about this and they're the ones you're going to bring pressure on the government. Plus, they probably are supporters of the government. So it will be very difficult for the government to step back now is done this without a great deal of immediate pressure from the international community to talk to everybody. This is this broadcaster millions of you watching or listening on this broadcast each and every day, and that this is an attack on all of us. All this affect this of course is an attack on Sophia Lewis in the church. It's also attack on Christianity and want to think about this for moment. This is a historic world heritage site that the government of Turkey is now come in in the first phase what they're doing is covering up mosaics of Jesus and the disciples and merit in Christian symbolism, including the cross.

That's what they're doing. The question is what are we going to do what we have to do is have international pressure and an incredible level to once again put Turkey on notice that the world will not tolerate the eradication of a religious faith. Here Christianity at the whim of a hostile government will not tolerate the destruction of the Christian church based on the decree that is not enforceable in international law and that's why we mobilize our resources at the ACLJVC LJ in the SEL J quite back talk tomorrow at the American Center for Law and Justice were encased in critical issues at home and abroad for limited time you can participate in the ACLJ challenge for every dollar you donate, it will be now $10 gift becomes 20 oh $50 gift becomes 100 make a difference in the world protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms most important to you and your family.

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