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Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881 – 1938)
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- "Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives. You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."
Note: Tribute to those ANZACs who did not return from Gallipoli .
- "Our life here is truly hellish. Fortunately, my soldiers are very brave and tougher than the enemy. What is more, their private beliefs make it easier to carry out orders which send them to their death. They see only two supernatural outcomes: victory for the faith or martyrdom. Do you know what the second means? It is to go straight to heaven. There, the houris , God's most beautiful women, will meet them and will satisfy their desires for all eternity. What great happiness!" (July 20, 1917, from the Gallipoli peninsula in a letter to Corinne Lütfü, English translation in Atatürk: The Biography of the founder of Modern Turkey, by Andrew Mango).
- "Peace at home, peace in the world."
- "To write history is as important as to make history. It is an unchanging truth that if the writer does not remain true to the maker, then it takes on a quality that will confuse humanity."
- "It is only teachers who are saving nations."
- "Unconditional, unrestricted sovereignty belongs to the nation."
- "Religion is an issue of conscience. Everyone is free to conform to the commands of their conscience. We show respect for religion. We are not against a way of thinking or thoughts. We are only trying not to mix religious affairs with the affairs of the nation and the state, we are avoiding reactionary actions that are based on evil intent and deeds."
- "Science is the most reliable guide in life."
- "We do not consider our principles as dogmas contained in books said to come from heaven. We derive our inspiration, not from heaven, or the unseen world, but directly from life." (1 November 1937, (English translation from Atatürk: The Biography of the founder of Modern Turkey, by Andrew Mango)
- "I have no religion, and at times I wish all religions at the bottom of the sea. He is a weak ruler who needs religion to uphold his government; it is as if he would catch his people in a trap. My people are going to learn the principles of democracy, the dictates of truth and the teachings of science. Superstition must go. Let them worship as they will; every man can follow his own conscience, provided it does not interfere with sane reason or bid him against the liberty of his fellow-men." (quoted in Atatürk: The Biography of the founder of Modern Turkey, by Andrew Mango: "In a book published in 1928, Grace Ellison quotes [Atatürk], presumably in 1926-27". See also Grace Ellison, Turkey Today, London: Hutchinson, 1928.)
- "Our religion is a most natural and logical one and it is for this reason that it is the last of religions. In order for a religion to be natural it must co-exist with science, knowledge and logic. Our religion completely complies with these prerequisites. Above, we defined that secularity is the separation of State and religious affairs but this does not mean that everybody can do everything about religion without the interference of the State. Moreover, State power may be used for any belief system. In this case the freedom of conscience will be obliterated for believers and non-believers." (31 January 1923)
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