"...said to be the messianic leader of an apocalyptic Islamic sex cult."
April 6, 2014 2:37 PM Subscribe
Step inside this surreal world where religious piety meets psychedelic softcore porn, led by the world’s foremost Islamic creationist. "Followers of Harun Yahya (1, 2, 3) wear drag make-up and practice a “sexed-up, Disney version of Islam” that helps promote conservative Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s vision of a modern, Muslim Turkey."
I only skimmed the article, but it was not even clear to me who is in drag? and leads me to wonder about the article's intentions in highlighting that particular bit.
posted by pmv at 3:06 PM on April 6, 2014
posted by pmv at 3:06 PM on April 6, 2014
RTFA.
posted by artof.mulata at 3:08 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by artof.mulata at 3:08 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
I have my doubts about the ability of this kind of Islam to become predominant in a time characterized by widespread, institutionalized Wahhabism.
posted by clockzero at 3:16 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by clockzero at 3:16 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
this is bananas
posted by Baby_Balrog at 3:18 PM on April 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Baby_Balrog at 3:18 PM on April 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
I only skimmed the article, but it was not even clear to me who is in drag?
I think it means that the "harem" have really exaggerated pancake makeup on which is/was a style in many kinds of drag performance (as you probably know). For what it's worth, the article doesn't seem to have had much of an editorial going over and I think the heavy repeated use of that word has more to do with that than any intent to insult, although I could be wrong. I will say this: I love William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, but I wish they didn't have to be so goddamn right all the time, the future is here and it's scary and weird.
posted by Divine_Wino at 3:25 PM on April 6, 2014 [7 favorites]
I think it means that the "harem" have really exaggerated pancake makeup on which is/was a style in many kinds of drag performance (as you probably know). For what it's worth, the article doesn't seem to have had much of an editorial going over and I think the heavy repeated use of that word has more to do with that than any intent to insult, although I could be wrong. I will say this: I love William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, but I wish they didn't have to be so goddamn right all the time, the future is here and it's scary and weird.
posted by Divine_Wino at 3:25 PM on April 6, 2014 [7 favorites]
How many new age Islamic religous movements are currently running amok in Turkey?
So far I know about the Gulens and this guy. Any more I should be aware of?
posted by PenDevil at 3:42 PM on April 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
So far I know about the Gulens and this guy. Any more I should be aware of?
posted by PenDevil at 3:42 PM on April 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
This is an ARG, right?
Sometimes the world just makes a lot more sense to me if I assume much of it is comprised of various ARGs.
posted by Kattullus at 3:46 PM on April 6, 2014 [4 favorites]
Sometimes the world just makes a lot more sense to me if I assume much of it is comprised of various ARGs.
posted by Kattullus at 3:46 PM on April 6, 2014 [4 favorites]
I think the "drag makeup" is just a hyperrealized version of Tammy Faye and Jan Crouch. Dude saw it with the US Televangelism and thought "By golly, I better tart my dolls up over 9000!!!!"
Looks more like Serbian Turbo-Folk, frankly.
And Tammy Faye had much much much more class than any of the others I've mentioned.
posted by symbioid at 5:12 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
Looks more like Serbian Turbo-Folk, frankly.
And Tammy Faye had much much much more class than any of the others I've mentioned.
posted by symbioid at 5:12 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
Woah, I'm just now reading further down and holy shit:
Not all of them travelled to the Istanbul studio to witness the weird sex cult atmosphere, but each of the following people will remain on one or more of Harun Yahya’s “hundreds of websites” forever: former Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, Serbia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sladjana Prica, and University of Prizren Rector Mazllum Baraliu. Not all of them travelled to the Istanbul studio to witness the weird sex cult atmosphere, but each of the following people will remain on one or more of Harun Yahya’s “hundreds of websites” forever: former Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, Serbia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sladjana Prica, and University of Prizren Rector Mazllum Baraliu.
Now I really do wonder if perhaps he's taking his cues from Serbian Turbo-Folk and that sort of image.
posted by symbioid at 5:14 PM on April 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
Not all of them travelled to the Istanbul studio to witness the weird sex cult atmosphere, but each of the following people will remain on one or more of Harun Yahya’s “hundreds of websites” forever: former Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, Serbia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sladjana Prica, and University of Prizren Rector Mazllum Baraliu. Not all of them travelled to the Istanbul studio to witness the weird sex cult atmosphere, but each of the following people will remain on one or more of Harun Yahya’s “hundreds of websites” forever: former Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, Serbia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sladjana Prica, and University of Prizren Rector Mazllum Baraliu.
Now I really do wonder if perhaps he's taking his cues from Serbian Turbo-Folk and that sort of image.
posted by symbioid at 5:14 PM on April 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
Why does every bizarre sex cult have to be so complicated
posted by kittens for breakfast at 5:19 PM on April 6, 2014 [9 favorites]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 5:19 PM on April 6, 2014 [9 favorites]
I love William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, but I wish they didn't have to be so goddamn right all the time, the future is here and it's scary and weird.
I was actually just thinking that I loathe Neil Stephenson with a red-hot fiery passion, but that between the London-property-speculation-leading-to-houseboat-slums and this, we are definitely living in the improbable, fascist, tacky world of Snowcrash.
posted by Frowner at 5:29 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
I was actually just thinking that I loathe Neil Stephenson with a red-hot fiery passion, but that between the London-property-speculation-leading-to-houseboat-slums and this, we are definitely living in the improbable, fascist, tacky world of Snowcrash.
posted by Frowner at 5:29 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
Why does every bizarre sex cult have to be so complicated
I, too, long for the bygone days of uncomplicated sex cults
posted by clockzero at 5:43 PM on April 6, 2014 [4 favorites]
I, too, long for the bygone days of uncomplicated sex cults
posted by clockzero at 5:43 PM on April 6, 2014 [4 favorites]
when I saw "messianic leader of an apocalyptic Islamic sex cult", I just assumed it was the King of Saudi Arabia...
posted by oneswellfoop at 5:44 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 5:44 PM on April 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
"I, too, long for the bygone days of uncomplicated sex cults"
Hippie!
posted by Chitownfats at 5:56 PM on April 6, 2014 [4 favorites]
Hippie!
posted by Chitownfats at 5:56 PM on April 6, 2014 [4 favorites]
I just balked at the women's appearance--as a rule I don't mind the drag makeup but the similar appearance of lips, waists, busts and eyes is just spooky. It makes me wonder if they've all been to the same plastic surgeon and whether they've had ribs removed to achieve that hourglass look. I don't care if the man wears Armani and has written hundreds of books and has friends in high places; he is a menace to the minds of men and to the minds and bodies of women. I hope he has a well-earned downfall and that right soon.
posted by Anitanola at 6:56 PM on April 6, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Anitanola at 6:56 PM on April 6, 2014 [3 favorites]
WTF.
posted by homunculus at 7:11 PM on April 6, 2014
posted by homunculus at 7:11 PM on April 6, 2014
Didn't we just have a FPP about a different cultist who was responsible for Erdogan's success? It seems to me that a lot of people are trying to grab the limelight here.
posted by Joe in Australia at 7:20 PM on April 6, 2014
posted by Joe in Australia at 7:20 PM on April 6, 2014
I have my doubts about the ability of this kind of Islam to become predominant in a time characterized by widespread, institutionalized Wahhabism.
Wahhabism is not nearly as powerful outside the Gulf states as a lot of people over here assume, and in Turkey especially, it probably isn't all that attractive given its strong connections to anti-Ottoman Islamic revolutionaries back in Ibn Saud's day.
Whether this particular bell-end and his followers are likely to become "predominant" anywhere is unlikely, sure, but I think that there are a lot of Moslems throughout the Middle East and abroad who are looking for new ways to deal with the interface between their traditional beliefs and modern life in a world where Wahhabism's solutions is both increasingly out of date and deeply tainted by the corruptions of power and politics.
posted by AdamCSnider at 9:12 PM on April 6, 2014 [3 favorites]
Wahhabism is not nearly as powerful outside the Gulf states as a lot of people over here assume, and in Turkey especially, it probably isn't all that attractive given its strong connections to anti-Ottoman Islamic revolutionaries back in Ibn Saud's day.
Whether this particular bell-end and his followers are likely to become "predominant" anywhere is unlikely, sure, but I think that there are a lot of Moslems throughout the Middle East and abroad who are looking for new ways to deal with the interface between their traditional beliefs and modern life in a world where Wahhabism's solutions is both increasingly out of date and deeply tainted by the corruptions of power and politics.
posted by AdamCSnider at 9:12 PM on April 6, 2014 [3 favorites]
The Armani-clad Adnan Oktar shares other values with the current Turkish leadership: relentless consumerism, evidenced in Prime Minister Erdogan’s obsession with bulldozing parks and public spaces to build shopping malls, coupled with a renewed embrace of religion.
Not to condescend to the good people of that nation, but it appears that Turkey is lagging a bit and currently experiencing '80s Reaganism.
posted by Apocryphon at 9:40 PM on April 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
Not to condescend to the good people of that nation, but it appears that Turkey is lagging a bit and currently experiencing '80s Reaganism.
posted by Apocryphon at 9:40 PM on April 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
Apparently enlightenment lies in comically enlarged and enhanced lips an a metric ton of eyeliner.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:27 AM on April 7, 2014
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 5:27 AM on April 7, 2014
... as a rule I don't mind the drag makeup but the similar appearance of lips, waists, busts and eyes is just spooky.
Might as well face it, he's addicted to pan-Turanian irredentism.
posted by octobersurprise at 6:58 AM on April 7, 2014 [4 favorites]
Might as well face it, he's addicted to pan-Turanian irredentism.
posted by octobersurprise at 6:58 AM on April 7, 2014 [4 favorites]
So, just for comparison, where does this fall on the spectrum when compared to Raelism?
posted by valkane at 7:41 AM on April 7, 2014
posted by valkane at 7:41 AM on April 7, 2014
Practically sane.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:55 AM on April 7, 2014
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 8:55 AM on April 7, 2014
It's a strange world where good old decadence can be seen as the human race's salvation from the forces of austere fundamentalism.
posted by Xoebe at 10:42 AM on April 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Xoebe at 10:42 AM on April 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
This seems like a marriage of decadence and fundamentalism, actually.
posted by Apocryphon at 11:47 AM on April 10, 2014
posted by Apocryphon at 11:47 AM on April 10, 2014
This seems like a marriage of decadence and fundamentalism, actually.
I thought that was called Heritage USA. This seems like a similar idea except with less eyeliner and bigger boobs.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 1:15 PM on April 10, 2014
I thought that was called Heritage USA. This seems like a similar idea except with less eyeliner and bigger boobs.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 1:15 PM on April 10, 2014
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* smiting the Darwinists hip and thigh
* pan-Turanian irredentism
* big tits
posted by jason's_planet at 3:00 PM on April 6, 2014 [1 favorite]