Worldwide Pushback on Turkey Converting Historic Church into Mosque

Jay Sekulow live world wide pushback on Turkey's decision to present her to want decision to turn the historic church into a mosque talk about today and how you can get active Jay Sekulow live live from Washington DC Jay Sekulow line phone lines are open for your questions right now. 1-800-684-3110 one 800-6841 10 and now your holes below find nerve to give us a fee is stable as a museum that altered worst that all could visit both Christians and Muslims that the work that can continue to uncover that Byzantine and Roman art work early Christian art work early depictions of Christ were talking about the depictions of Christ 300 years after the resurrection. It was the largest religious place of worship in the world until the Vatican was built. I mean this is a storage place, but then it became a symbol of conquering so became a symbol of conquering from different Christian groups, then became a symbol of conquering from the Ottoman Turks and they turned it into a mosque.

But Ataturk, who was a more secular leader of Turkey said you know I don't want this symbol of Turkey. This this great site we have, to be a symbol of conquering considering we are diverse people where we have different kinds of Muslims different kinds of Christians in other faiths here and so it will become a museum for everyone. That means we will start to uncover what was covered up. Thankfully not destroyed that Christian artwork and also the Islamic artwork is well now. Remember Christian artwork can depict images of of Christ and in the disciples and Mary and baby Jesus in the Islamic world. They use very beautiful text because they do not do images so you see, both at Hagia Sophia right now because it's a museum not a place of worship and we are starting to see dad some major worldwide condemnation. Our team at a Russia put together a report there's even more than English press was reporting there from Putin from the Foreign Ministry from the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox church which represents over 100 million Russian Orthodox Christians in Russia alone. I mean were seeing it from the Islamic Society of North America and the United pull this one up in the United Arab Emirates is a absolute Islamic monarchy with sharia law and they are all opposed, so the Islamic Society of North America's released a statement condemning now this is historic, the Islamic Society of North America has released a statement condemning Turkey's conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque. So this direct attack on Christianity is being met with worldwide combination, but also worldwide condemnation in the Muslim world that what you think about United Arab Emirates's Jordan mentions that the same thing any commas with us.

He is a senior counsel for the ACLJ he's been heavily involved in the fight for the Greek Orthodox Church. The remnant that remains a once historic Constantinople, now with unbelievable religious restrictions but but any. This is the great attack.

I said this to you in a text at nag I sent it to you when I think your wife Georgia that that's the same playbook that the Ottomans used which is conquer conquest, destroy the Christian remnant remnant arrived to Constantinople was destroyed by the Ottoman Turks and 29 Marco 1453 and, I guess. Shortly thereafter was converted from the crown you'll of instrument.

Christianity, which it always was and always will be into a mosque and remained a mosque until Ataturk in 1934 decided that the secularization of Turkey called for the ability to have equal access from all faith, Muslim and Christian to his holy side, and it is a symbol of conquest by everyone of his Christian population. This is not a handout, in the sense of joyfully reaching out to them.

The Christian minorities in Turkey, whether they be Catholic or Armenian or Greek for the flap of their faith had a restatement of what we've petitioned the ACLJ.or offices all around the world are 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 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 do. Simply would not occur without your generous support to Courtney and her matching challenge today to make a difference in the protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms online ACLJ only one. A society can agree that the most vulnerable invoice is certainly protect. 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 support in the publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life cases were fighting for the rights of pro-life activist the ramifications of Roe V Wade, 40 years later Planned Parenthood's role in the motion and what Obama care means to the pro-life discover the many ways your membership in the ACLJ is empowering the right to life question free copy of mission life today online ACL data/Jay Sekulow like Jordan secular when I would encourage you just to really get involved in this issue the whole world is getting involved in. That means you need to get involved now we see in the United States are Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issue, the condemnation we see the UN we see the European Union we see in the UK we seen UNESCO itself because this is a world heritage site, but now it is expanding. We need you to join in this grassroots effort and explain how this why this is important. I was talking to our art office in Moscow in her team there because there are many Orthodox there. The Russian Orthodox church actually 100 million out of the about 140 million Russians who live in the Russian Federation are Russian Orthodox and there patriarch has come out strongly in opposition to this move and that patriarch is very close to Pres. Putin who also spoke to Juan on July 13 and that I expressed the concerns of the Russian people as well. The Russian Foreign Ministry has come out in opposition said that they regret the decision of the Republic of Turkey's leaders to turn the Hagia Sophia Cathedral Museum into a mosque and resume Muslim services there. So you got both potent engaging with the one you have the Foreign Ministry making the statement for the Russian Federation and you have the leader of the largest religious denomination in Russia who happens to be a very close advisor to Vladimir Putin, patriarch Korea with 100 million+ members in Russia alone. That is over like 90% of the population. There, and folks you can engage as well. ACLJ.or sign the petition because the world is coming together.

Islamic groups are coming out as we talked about to condemn this, the United Arab Emirates, which is a again a country that is an absolute Islamic monarchy with sharia law where it's 99.9% Muslim has come out in opposition affect their minister of culture and you said this, it's another, neither be misused or altered Hagia Sophia through changed in a way that touches the human essence, especially for sites that are that are inscribed under world heritage by UNESCO.

If exceptional international value of the common heritage of all peoples and cultures. Hagia Sophia has remained a global landmark with significant cultural legacy is also served as a bridge connecting different peoples and cementing their bonds both Muslims and Christians world's world heritage sites to become the platforms for knowledge exchange between diverse cultures and civilizations that evolved in history across time to give Sophia is important example of interaction and dialogue between Asia and Europe and should remain a witness to harmonious human history.

Think about that is an architectural marvel, marvel, a unique witness to the interaction across centuries and who is this from this is from the.

The United Arab Emirates Minister of culture so a cabinet member. The area and that is a country that is ruled by sharia law by joining us on the phone right now is very good friend of RC is a senior correspondent Middle East correspondent for CBN news Chris Mitchell and Chris you been handling this. Tell us what you're hearing what you seen a watch reporting indicates will not do them greatly with you.

I think one important thing that needs to be reported is what to want put on his Facebook page. After he made the announcement about the ISO.

He said this idol of the eye of Sophia is the sign the return of freedom to the Al-Aqsa Mark here in Jerusalem and you know the elect the market right on the Temple Mount and the idea behind that is he wants to redeem not only the ISO. Which is such that the amazing symbol of Christianity here in that that this region of the world, but he wants to liberate all the land they will want under the control of Islam.

This is an Islamic doctrine. He went on to say J enjoying the dead that the resurrection at the Hyatt city is the greeting from the heart to all cities from Bukhara, Andalucia. Those that another geography Andalucia was one day Spain and Portugal collar is all the way to the E its modern date was Becca Spencer.

The idea behind that is that you want the legal right.

Eventually all the lands that were want under the sway of Blanche right now I'm looking out my window in my office here in Jerusalem I'm looking at the walls of the old city. They were built by by commitment the conqueror back in the 1500s and so bent wetland. I'm sitting on was once Muslim land so that the idea behind his Facebook page about the elect the mosque above the car.

Andalucia, his ambitions go far beyond just turkey and we talked about the fact this is a conquering mentality that this is a conquest mentality.

We also know that we can be victorious.

We will be victorious in Greek. That's Nika Zach. I would report a new anti-that but the fact of the matter is the fact of the matter is aware that I really believe we are to be victorious or been explained, following up on what Chris said explain what is the most mindset here because this is history repeating itself.

It's the same playbook. The mindset is Islam conqueror and then appropriate for itself, but this is contrary to Islamic teaching.

When the mother say yes Sophia, which by the way, means God's holy wisdom and I'll say that word again, i.e. Sophia the church of God's holy wisdom was conquered by Mac met the conqueror in 1453. He decided as a symbol of the conquest who converted into a mosque, but he also gave the patriarch at that time in Ottavio Scolari of the horse and comparison bid with colors and gave him his own Cathedral, but he said he could not let him stay in the crown jewel of Christianity, but he gave him his own Cathedral, recognizing even in the 15th century, the right of the Christians to worship as they chose. It became a mosque and it stayed a mosque until it became the Museum but this attitude of Ataturk as the reporter who just has a spokes that is one of conquest.

He is the new Salton is going to take over all of the Christian sites that were is in the Islamic lands and make them integrated into Muslim nonmedia which are which means into my temples of a mosque and this is the attitude of the conqueror versus the conquest. This is not a secular Turkey. This is a conquering mentality which we should decry and condemn. We need a yes Sophia Dr. Ray remain a museum in the beautiful incredible mosaics that Jordan and I have seen together that are a marvel to Christianity that were covered up J by the Moslems when they took over a year.

Sophia, we don't want those desecrated. We want to see them in all their glory, so that we to lead to Christian is not a conquered people can marvel and worship at those mosaics of Christ, the virgin and the holy apostles and Chris I wanted to get into something little geopolitical as well since you live in Jerusalem where all these different religious groups including the Russian Orthodox Greek Orthodox Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims of all different backgrounds have places holy sites of worship and Israel done a very good job. I think of of keeping those open for those specific groups. We see the Russian Orthodox patriarch.

He said this today. The relationship between Turkey and Russia is developing dynamically at the same time, one should take into account the Russia is a country with the majority of population professing orthodoxy and so what may happen to Hagia Sophia will inflict great pain on the Russian people.

I hope for the prudence of Turkey state leadership preservation of the current neutral status of DS via one of the greatest masterpieces of Christian culture and a church symbol for millions of Christians all over the world will facilitate further development of the relationships between the people of Russia and Turkey. Chris these are the kind of religious leaders. We know their relationship with people like Putin very close that when they speak and they say that this is going to have an impact on our foreign relations. This is a big deal, very big deal. Jordan back that I know what one of the Russian Orthodox leaders said that the church ISO. In the same comparison as St. Peter's Basilica. Some people in the West would understand the importance of St. Peter's to Roman Catholics and I had Sophia has the payment: it made it needs a great deal and I think the fact that the it does interplay with the geopolitics of the region, especially with Putin and Erlewine were talking about two strong leaders facing up against one another on this thing and one thing I like to add Jordan is the fact that in geopolitics.

No one is really exerting influence throughout this region is working inside Libya, militarily he's actually asked for or tried to claim part of the Eastern Mediterranean and Turkish water waters that comes against Greek and Northeast hearing and attacking Christians in minority and Iraqis expanding the disease.

Turkey is a greater turkey so geopolitically. This is a big big impact in this region. Jordan everything the setting right right over that the deputy of the State Duma, the legislative branch in Russia at Alexi Zola said Turkey is turning from a secular state to an Islamic state has nothing to do with religion is a political decision that would Krista said leave a petition to ACLJ.org 51,000 B+ have signed on already. Stop Turkey from turning the historic stream church into a mosque. You know, 230 beasts have signed the petition on banning singing in church, we need a lot more people worldwide. During this petition to stop Turkey from taking this action against what is a historic church Hagia Sophia and turning it into a get a symbol of Islamic concrete. It matters to all of us sign the petition ACLJ.org only one. A society can agree that the most vulnerable and 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 Gold edition life will show you how you are personally pro-life battle support publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life cases were fighting for the rights of pro-life activist the ramifications of Roe V Wade, 40 years later Planned Parenthood's role in the what Obama care means to the pro-life discover the many ways your membership is empowering the right to life question for copy of mission life today online ACLJ/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 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 becomes 20 oh dollar gift becomes 100. This is a critical time for the ACLJ. The work we do. Simply would not occur without your generous support coordinator matching challenge today make a difference in protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms gift today online ACLJ Jay Sekulow live. I just would encourage you again folks. If you are talk to us here if you got questions about this to because an order throughout history here and and you were time at many different countries and spokespeople different denominations and faiths give us a call 1-800-684-3110 if you got any questions or comments you want to make 1-800-684-3110, but we've got our team and in Moscow.

The essence of Slavic Center for Law and Justice, the European Center for Law and Justice artwork at the UN as well and we are going through and trying to also see because we want to combine our efforts to ACL, J.

R. Petition, with all of the statements coming from the US government. The UN, the EU, the UK, the UAE Islamic Society of North America, Russia, the Russian Orthodox church. The Greek Orthodox Church and other Muslim leaders like the Imam in others, Imam and Milan and and mom in a another city and is in Italy as well, and increase the amount of grease so you got the Islamic leaders of Greece and Italy also are condemning this over not just seeing Christian condemnation or Orthodox condemnation.

It's Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox Muslims of of different sects of the Islamic religion and Islamic states Islamic monarchies coming out so what you can do at least is take a minute and sign the petition ACLJ.org because, again, hundreds of thousands. You signed on with the church singing bad that's great and important, but we also need you here because this is a worldwide effort to get the right thing done here. This could take a ton of pressure on like this is another move to try and show as that Russian legislator said it's about politics conquering. It's always been about coddling conquests of sign the petition ACLJ.org right now.

Do it today.

I got Andy Chris Mitchell and Van Bennett with Azam about the plan in Washington DC because that is also a designated representative, United Nations. The UN has designated this site with Turkey's consent. They sign onto the treaties that I world heritage site.

The world heritage site was in the status of the museum, which allowed the mosaics, the depictions of Christ to be fully not only restored but viewed in the people one and silently prayed they had the right to do that now. That's not happening right now.

Of course, in light of all of this and I were putting a lot of pressure. Let's talk about first United Nations and what are we doing what is the plan. Well first of all, the very reason it was designated a world heritage site is because of the ecumenical nature of the site.

So if you take that away, it would no longer a merit designation. We are making that case to the United Nations to the Gen. assembly J.

There's also to be opportunities to make it to the human rights Council for obvious reason and then ultimately I think maybe the most important venue is to be when the world heritage committee sits for its next session. They regularly review whether or not that designation continues to be warranted, or if additional sites can be added J that's gonna be a perfect form for us to make that case but look ultimately it is going to take the world ride response that we are seeing and that is going to continue to have to be led by the United States and just quickly J out one other statement I really think is worth us letting people know has been made, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee James wrist together with the ranking member Bob Menendez. So on a bipartisan basis, has said, we strongly denounce Pres. Erewhon's decision to convert ISO fear from a museum into a mosque at points in his history ISO fear served as a place of worship for Muslims and Christians and for decades has been an extraordinary and welcoming center to people of all faiths J that leadership in the United States is what it's going to take to make sure that this worldwide response ensues and we will then in turn take that message to all these various forms of the United Nations. If you look at the church history and and study persecution. What you find. I buy been doing a lot of rain last week on this because I was very concerned when you start hiding or covering symbols of Christ.

Symbols of Bob people within unit of of the disciples when you start covering the depictions of the cross with the baby Jesus. Whatever it might be a start covering it as if it doesn't exist you are attacking Christianity worldwide.

You just happen to be using the situs of one of the holiest sites. Now this is not the first time there's been persecution. I want to be clear, something I've been studying the persecution issue a lot and this is a this is an act of horrible discrimination against Christianity but there have been martyrs for the faith because they dared to go into places like hi Sophia to pray in their market modern-day martyrs to so it's not just you don't have to just look back in history. I think about those kids years ago was about 20 years ago that were praying around the flagpole.

Ngai came up to them that student and shot them by only should shut them up.

He asked them if they T was they were quick Christians. I remember that one girl it like the last one shot and her classmates are this NEC. It seems five or six classmates get shot by this lunatic and he's and eat said the same question every time he asked her are you a Christian. The gun point at her head with the answer is yes to be dead. She said yes. If you study early. That's a more you study early church history.

There was grains of Tara, aimed at Christians. That is one of the emperors in a two-year period. Try to wipe out into 49 to 251.

This is right in the beginning of the church right in the beginning of Christianity try to wipe out the entire Christian population.

There was an individual name.

Communities who is now a saint recognizing the dog Greek church and in in the East concert in the Western church and with him were other very young people.

One is St. Nika 23-year-old woman I most admirable woman same exact situation as those kids faced. She stood for her faith.

You have those depictions covered in this case, you allow that to take place. I Andy I think that's the fundamental aspect why this is an attack on all Christians impressed with your knowledge of early church history, and it means a great deal to me as a Greek Orthodox Christian an idea Sophia is my Cathedral for you to be saying that to our audience.

It means a great deal to me. You don't cover-up the image of the cross. The cross is our salvation. The cross is what conquers Christ conquers these pretty stores Nika Jesus Christ by that symbol, conquer, and St. Nika, who was a martyr to the DC and persecutions into 83 exactly that we must be willing to be martyrs for the faith. Just like those Coptic Christians who were executed on the shores of the Mediterranean in Libya 21 martyrs, not that long ago just a few years ago were answered by the Muslims. Are you Christians and they said yes and one sub-Saharan a black applicant who was not even a Christian was asked are you with these people and he said yes and he too received the crown of martyrdom because he was executed.

We cannot let them symbol of Christian faith. The greatest Christian church in the Eastern world after St. Peter's and the West. We have a yes Sophia and the East.

We cannot let that church be desecrated by the news of the risk that a yes aired on folks.

We got you got a real interesting is to we come back Turkey has expelled all Protestant missionaries all Protestant quote threatening public order that is been done in just the past couple of weeks and you will not be shocked about why ACLJ directly involved you directly involved sign that petition now protecting ES of the ACLJ.org notes that 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, it will be matched $10 gift becomes $20, $50 gift becomes 100 make a difference in the world who do protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms most important to you and your family.

Beautiful gift today. Online LJ live from Washington DC Jay Sekulow live and now secular folks.

I would put this up on the screen for people watching Facebook and periscope. This comes from our monitor news that is English new service for the Arab-American world and it.

They have an headline out it came out last week and it ties directly to this and you can see it. If you're watching Facebook and periscope and you may notice is praying with present rep in the photo, Andrew Bronson, who many of you were were played a role in getting his release from Turkey by signing petitions by calling your senators by demanding action by praying and we saw his release and return home to United States you see that photo of him, praying for present trump in the oval office with a headline though is not about that headline and monitors Turkey expels Protestant missionaries for threatening public order. Think about that threatening public order. The Turkish Protestant community is witnessing. This is in our monitor's own words a purge as President wants government turns up pressure against the church, let me just read this for you. More than 50 foreign Protestants including fins, Germans and South Koreans have been several summarily banned from Turkey as recently as June 26 on the grounds they present. Quote a threat to turkeys public order and public health. Some 26 of those are US citizens. Wave of deportations began soon after, Andrew Bronson, a pastor from North Carolina was freed from a jail near is mere in October 2018. After serving two years on asked outlandish terrorism charges linked to the failed July 26 attempt to violently topple one.

The evictions are continuing full throttle and tearing families apart. Listen to this family story on June 5 this year.

Joe Anna Krall, the American wife of a Turkish pastor in and out personally. Her husband is a Turkish pastor was notified by turkeys Interior Ministry that her residence permit was, not being renewed.

She was given 10 days to leave. No reason was offered to the 39-year-old mother of three. She is still breast-feeding the couples for to have month-old daughter. This is happening as we speak right now in Turkey, so it's not just idea Sophia is the eradication of Christianity and I think Andy can talk to this as well. The way that the Greek Orthodox church has to hide away in the fund are in, be it is not able to really be public is and can even where the religious outfits in public is just absurd you and you want to go to you that we also have Christmas when a Chris on the next segment probably saved in the Pro if you can as I want to get into some of that but but any follow-up on what Jordan said because that that is a really big point and that now we have the Protestants being removed your Greek Orthodox order Protestant. You don't get to go to Turkey to worship, but you definitely don't Jordan and I were in Turkey we went to the fund, which is a district of Constantinople.

I refuse to call it Istanbul which is where the patriarchate which is the equivalent of our papacy resides at the postage stamp piece of land you cannot ring the bell, the patriarch cannot leave the set of the vicinity of that he cannot wear his ecclesiastical road, no bishop can wear any symbol of Christian clothing outside of the phone are you cannot show the cross and all the churches that we visited were hidden away secretly, their windows locked and closed and they were impermissible to show their Christian symbols.

This is the clamp that everyone has put on the Christian community and now we take this cathedral of a yes Sophia, Jay and Jordan that was built by the Emperor Justinian in the sixth century.

We are now going to desecrated and make it into a mosque which would then a museum and now back into a mosque and pray God does not allow that purging Protestants keeping those keeping turning the Hagia Sophia into a mosque is a symbol of Islamic concrete.

They want to go to Athens next and then as Amasa said then they're going to Alloc said that's over the rock in Jerusalem atop the Western Wall folks there it in Andrew Bronson right the middle of this, you got a duty here speak out. We got the petition for you, doesn't take a lot of time doesn't cost anything. Go to ACLJ.org sign the petition to preserve Hagia Sophia right now running at a time. They want to turn it into a mosque.

June 24, July 24 ACLJ.org the American Center for Law and Justice were engaged in critical issues at home and abroad. Whether it's defending religious freedom detecting those who are persecuted for their faith. Uncovering corruption in the Washington bureaucracy and fighting to protect life from 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 matching challenge every dollar you donate will be matched $10 gift dollar gift becomes 100. This is a critical time for the ACLJ the work we do. Simply would not occur without your generous support.

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 support the publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life cases were fighting for the rights of pro-life activist the ramifications of Roe V Wade, 40 years later, and parenthood's role in the motion and what Obama care means to the pro-life discover the many ways your membership in the ACLJ is empowering the right to life question free copy of mission life today online ACLJ/Jay Sekulow live you got questions, one 800 684 31 two that's what hundred 64 3110 kit on Facebook road and should the rest of the world be concerned with turkeys latest provocation against Christianity. Okay I want to go to everybody on the geopolitical yet until let let me start first with Dan Bennett and will christen and Andy their argentino. This move is both spiritually devastating or trying to be what God will overcome this because as we said victorious. We will be victorious. Everyone is in a loose ultimately make less and they got a lot of patient so we gotta be smart about this, so this is can be a long-term engagement here but start on your end first and Chris Manning yeah Jamie.

Clearly the spiritual components are the most significant here, but the geopolitical ones are very significant as well. I mean, look, I think putting it very plainly present and Erewhon is trying to reestablish the caliphate. I think he would say that in his own words J he's come very close to it. In these last couple weeks and that of course gives direct concern geographically to everyone that would have been in the old Ottoman Empire and in the region surrounding it.

So that is a a vast swath of the globe J so it's not regardless of what your faith tradition is, or whether or not you buy into the significant faith ramifications here geopolitically. This is a threat to the entire globe and honestly J, I think those are the reasons why everyone from is not to into Sec. Pompeo to the UAE have an express condemnation, and honestly, J that is what it will take to actually get something done here. The world heritage committee. I was supposed to meet in China early this month Jay has been postponed because of the pandemic is going to meet in the coming weeks.

I think it need we need to have a strong show of force at that committee to make sure that this is reversed geopolitically J of those considerations are very, very real anyone to go to you on this because of the you know you know the history you know the political history and of the spiritual history that the faith component to this. I've been doing a tremendous amount of reading over the last several days. As soon as it became public. I have been spending hours and hours and hours at night, reviewing, researching, looking at the history not only of highest appeal, but also of the persecutions that took place which we need to be teaching in church history because people need to understand it, but no one is trying to create the modern caliphate. Isis tried and that's why he wanted to destroy Isis fluoride, the resurrection of the caliphate under the name of Erewhon, but felt exactly what you trying to do is to make the Ottoman Empire revived again with Turkey as its center. But he is taking as the symbol of doing that this first momentous step and that's taking the cathedral church of the Eastern Roman empire of the Christian empire I yeah Sophie of the church of the holy wisdom and taking that from being a cathedral Christian church, the mosque and then a museum and now converting it back to a mosque when Justinian built this model did the Emperor Justinian Jake in the six century model this on the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. And when he finished he looked at this marvel of architecture that he had created at the hands of the most renowned architects of the time and he said Solomon I have outdone the and now we are allowing that search to become a mosque again.

Again, pray God that we are victorious that Jesus Christ will conquer those knee, and that this will not happen, but that it will be open to all people are common to silently pray within it. Before the image of Christ of the Virgin Mary of John the Baptist of the emperors in St. who preceded us Chris Mitchell on this because Christie been covering this region for a long time and you know Turkey and you know early once a motivations here and now this attack on both Protestants and of course, of the Eastern church. The Greek Orthodox Church. Where is this going. If not checked, the great question Jay and I would say that that is your guest said that it to want even felt at the Sultan as Michaela. I talked to I Mordechai can die that well-known Islamic dolly here the other night about their think that you know in Islam dates are very important and that this is where he think is going in 1923 Ataturk abolished the caliphate that had been sent Emperor 500 years he think that in 2023 near Urdu on left unchecked will decide to restore the caliphate and enclose the belt as Michaela, you know, one of the date that very important 911 and 911 1683.

That's when the young Muslims was thought that the gates of Vienna.

That's why dose, bin Laden shows 9/11 so the date here in Islamic very important and I think that this is the that desire to want exerting himself trying to expand his influence. Here in Jerusalem as well as they are and not in Turkey so I think he's going for the revival of the Ottoman caliphate. Yes, because he believes Chris what was done is absolutely wrong by Ataturk which is almost blasphemous in Turkey years ago Ataturk was seen as this great leader's phone was everywhere almost in a very strong leader, Turkey, and kind of the new. A more modern direction, I wasn't perfect by any means but but took it to a more modern direction, but listen to 1 x 25 so it was converted it to a museum in 1931 while we are not correcting a mistake and bringing the structure back to its original form of service I want to draw a connection here for just a moment, Benjamin Disraeli, who was a Jewish Christian, and was the Prime Minister of Great Britain for a period of time famous conservative politician and a bit of a theologian to I he described himself once as the unit in between the Old Testament and New Testament. Most Bibles as a blank page and he's described himself as the Blake, the blank page between the old and the New Testament.

I used to think that was a pretty good analogy, but you know what is been studying over the last several weeks and really very heavily last for five days. There is no blank page between the old and the New Testament, its continuity. If you look at it and you look at it historically. Whether it is in Jerusalem or in Constantinople or in Asia minor that beginning form of Christianity was Jewish. Of course, and if you look at the if you look at the ceremonies and the liturgy of what was taking place and hire Sofia as a church it would remind most people very much of what was going on in synagogues. At the same time so there's no blank page its continuity and I I'd I say this with tremendous respect, but also tremendous concern.

I am concerned that the move by one in Jordan I maybe I maybe this may not be politically right, but I'm concern is the move by Erlewine which is against the Eastern church which is the beginning of the Christian faith and any attacks on the Protestants and then relationship with Israel's been hostile and I think about the fact that the old covenant and the new covenant are not separated by a blank page. It is this continuity that you see in those mosaics actually in the street in this church. Is that what were Deming that he's not going stoppages this left unchecked, know this is that this is the beginning is the beginning. He said it was a great mistake in 1931 there correcting that mistake to bring the structure back to its original form of service that statement to the Turkish people which he made that what you heard.

The translations are we speaking in Turkish directly contradicts what he's telling other world leaders like Vladimir Putin, who went when Putin brought it up to him and he said oh, don't worry were just gonna have some prayer services and will cover the Christian symbols with you know drapery, but they will will will uncover them right away that a concession by the way, that is unclear yet that that doesn't even add up. Though we must say that you've got to create this to back to its original form service because it's original form of service. One was a church and to if you're talking about. It services a mosque you wouldn't just cover up drapery those images and artwork of Christ, you would take them down you would destroy them, and even the Ottoman Turks didn't do that, they cover them up with plaster but they didn't destroy them.

I'm nervous that early one is on this power grab boom that he could move, and I am always I was treated like the dome of the rock that there always like they're looking for one incident to close it down to outsiders. You think I was an ancestor Chris really quickly here christen will talk more in the next them, even studying order one for a long time you know it's the economy, assessing the caliphate. But how quickly does he want to move eloquently of the world will letter might think that you know the mayor about it, but at one time.

Any democracy is like a streetcar you use it until you want to get up and I think equity done in history is used democracy for his own ends to oppose his Islamic agenda and I think that's what he doing now with these restrictions on product and expelling them and now here with Hyatt Sofia. So I think he's on the move is his Islamic delegates from folks say become an Apple take your phone calls or comments or questions throughout Facebook periscope as well. 1-800-684-3110 if you're watching on Facebook and periscope share this right now your friends and family more American Christians need to know why this is so significant and that they can do something about it working through all of our offices all over the world.

I've been on the phone with Moscow Europe were talking to Chris Mitchell in Jerusalem and our team here in the United States go to ACLJanitor there something you can do it doesn't cost a thing. It signed the petition to stop this historic church are being turned into a mosque cited it ACLJ that organ. If you can donate great time W Patrick donation matching challenge, but ACLJ.org only one. A society can agree that the most vulnerable invoice is, 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 pro-life support publication includes a look at all major ACLJ pro-life cases were fighting for the rights of pro-life activist ramifications of Roe V Wade, 40 years later Planned Parenthood's role in the and what Obama care means to discover the many ways your membership abuse children is empowering the right to life question free copy 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. Uncovering 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 do.

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As you know, this is be one of them. What we are engaging our international offices at to a great extent as well, speaking to them at all hours of the day. I don't get calls from Moscow, but as the afternoon here that's pretty late at night when they're working at their office in Moscow on this for us, making sure that we know the news it's getting out in the Russian media about this and now we got that report that we been able to share with other religious leaders and political leaders so that they know what is happening inside Russia.

So if you can support the work ACLJ financially.

Whether it's our legal work. The policy work defending against Sophia and and in the Christian significance here and remember that this goes back now it looks like even to Andrew Brunson, the expelling of all Protestants from Turkey is now going on, expelling it is called a purge in Arab media.

A perch, even Christian mothers who are married to Turkish citizens that happen to be American are being told they got 10 days to leave and they are breast-feeding their children, their four-month-old child having to make those decisions. This is what one is doing. This is why if you could support the work ACLJ financially.

You should donate online ACLJ.org. July is a great month to do it why it's a matching challenge month we have a daughter that will met donors that will match every donation that comes into the month of July, but you have to take the initial action to make that donation to get the match donate@aclj.org that's ACLJ.org and doesn't cost you a thing to sign the petition.

We need to get that up to at least 100,000 soon to stop Turkey from turning this historic Christian church into a mosque that's ACLJ that are takes about one minute to sign the petition. Ensure that petition with your friends and family ACLJ.org I we got a call coming in was going take a call for the site yet lease in California on line 3 Lisa Walker Jay Sekulow live hi Lisa, call my question about the interpretation. One simply said I don't care what the world is there anything the world community can actually do. Yes, this is interesting so no one is acting like a tough guy listen to what he said Lisa's great question because he see you dress this actually by 11 in the every conversion of highest Sophia test to a mosque is as a result of our determination. We do not care about what is certain people says we care about what our rights are and what our nation demands. This is why we have made that decision that he could make that statement.

All he wants but he doesn't believe it but NATO first since the military bases the military that he has the protection he receives from the United States. The protection he gets by being a NATO member Turkey is NATO's and if he pushes too far. They get kicked out of NATO. There's number one. The strongmen girl on the strongmen is gone. So this is a lot of this is this is a bloviating, this is him acting as a tough guy and fan.

That's why we have to utilize all of our resources, it's media. It's our offices. Its international pressure. Once a little ironic to J because that sounds almost exactly what I like what he originally said about Andrew Brunson until his economy started to collapse in right of the economy start to collapse. It was because the world right response led by the United States, putting pressure on the economy of Turkey was causing it to collapse a look he's gonna talk like a tough guy, he's gonna pretend like he doesn't need the world, but he knows J that he does and he knows it because he just walk through it with Andrew Brunson will remind him of that. Okay so let me go then to Chris you study this guy you've reported on this guy. He does use the strong language, but when his economy started crumbling under the Brunson matter. They were covering statements I was making in the Turkish press and it was impacting they said the lira. So world pressure your reporting. Actually, Chris also plays a critical role in this well your idea is not as strong as he sounds like he is a does bloviate, and I ate. When it attacked his economy. I think that really send the signal to him. If NATO is going to push back on him. That's another form of pressure that make that can undermine what he's doing. The 50 hot and stiff in a different form in a different tact and I would add J that you know these that the land of the churches of Revelation. The seven churches in Asia noted it's an attack on Christianity, a war on Christian try to encourage Christians out of Turkey and I do think it's very important to pray for the Christians. They are the Orthodox Christian. The Muslim background believers who converted from Islam to Christianity very important to pray is welcome pressure that you putting on there is no doubt about that you and he made that statement earlier about the blank page between the old and the New Testament help. I was successful in conveying that there is no blank page between the old and the New Testament the church came out of the Jewish tradition because the disciples were of Jesus and of course Jesus himself being Jewish.

This was energy so that the church is that there covering. I want to understand this, that they are in, and that in the imaging that there covering impacts comes directly out of the Jewish tradition in the Jewish faith, and in here early lawn and what Christian said I want to comment on this is. He called and she hot.

I was impressed by the use of that word because it's so accurate it's still correct.

This is a holy war of Muslim against Christian that aired on the strongmen is generated by targeting IES Sophia is his first conquest under his new caliphate with him as the Sultan. This is the land you got to understand Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Christian Roman Empire. This church was built as a symbol of the Christian faith by the Emperor Justinian in the sixth century. This was the Temple of the holy wisdom of God. This, for a thousand years was a Christian church. What a symbol for him to attack first of all the symbolism as we sat in the program earlier is very important. Dates are very important.

There important in many contexts and he is using this date as the date to reconquer Christianity and to deliver up obliterate the Christian and minority populations of Asia Minor, which is what Turkey is the day and to make them toe the line and under the heel of the Islamic caliphate headed by him. The new strongman how your birthday Pharaoh on, we've got to find him with every ounce of blood that we've got J doing now. I want to say something your sacred spaces matter now within some faith traditions. It's it's that they don't do it that way that cystinosis it's under its umbrella courts. It's a building or what's the significance of the Western Wall.

What's the significance of Solomon's Temple. What's the significance of highest Sophia when the significance is. These are sacred spaces.

They were dedicated as a propagation of the faith.

They were a witness of the faith, and what this guys doing with his government were attempting to do is wipe that out during I think the word you used was the right word. I think the true words of the day G.I. that Chris Mitchell used and purge the Jordan secular used in purge was actually used by Arabic media monitor they use that term that there is a purge of Protestants going on in Turkey right now because they pose one word, a threat to Turkey this a very small group there dividing families. Mothers who were still breast-feeding their children was headed purge you were involved with Andrew Brunson, you got him home is protect Hagia Sophia as well sign the petition@aclj.org and let me encourage you for those you who are financially able. This is the time to support the work of the ACLJ you know what were doing a hard-working ACLJ.org is a matching challenge month of July means whatever you donate is effectively double double the impact of your donation you can build a do it today. ACLJ.org. Talk to you tomorrow at 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 matched $10 gift becomes $20, $50 gift becomes 100 make a difference in the world protecting the constitutional and religious freedoms most important to you and your family. Give a gift today online LJ