Dr. Topaloğlu: ‘Today’s so-called deists reject religion because they evade responsibility’

Dr. Hüseyin Taha Topaloğlu, a faculty member of the Faculty of Divinity at Hitit University, stated that today’s so-called deists reject religion because they evade responsibility. An event titled ‘What is Deism and What is it Not’ was organized by the Imam-Hatip High School and Faculty of Divinity Establishment and Preservation Foundation (IMVA). Dr. Hüseyin Taha Topaloğlu, who participated as a speaker at the conference, provided information about the history of deism, as well as deism movements worldwide and in Turkey.

Dr. Topaloğlu pointed out that in Turkey, one of the most significant objections to religion in the last 15 years has been deism, which accepts only the notion of God as the first cause, believes that the universe was created by God but argues that the creator has no intervention in the universe and will not intervene.

Describing how deism emerged during the Renaissance and Reformation periods in the West, first finding supporters in England (the English Enlightenment) and later being accepted in Continental Europe and America, Dr. Topaloğlu stated that ‘Deism, although never a belief system of the masses, can be considered as the belief in God by scientists, philosophers, and politicians.’

Topaloğlu explained that according to deists, experience and observation are the sole sources of knowledge. He said, ‘Human’s capacity to acquire knowledge can reach the truth regarding the existence and operation of the universe. Mankind, based on experiences related to oneself and nature, has come to the conclusion that the universe is perfectly orderly; there are specific laws (laws of nature) in place, and these laws operate in the universe without exceptions. Therefore, the universe did not come into existence randomly; there is a creator. This entity is called God. According to deists, God created the universe at once and does not interfere with its operation. As the laws of nature operate in the universe without any exceptions from the moment they began, it means that there can be no intervention in this operation from within or outside the universe. The concept of the created world, which deists describe from the beginning as a watch that is set and operates perfectly, has led them to reject concepts such as revelation, prophethood, revealed moral rules, prayer, and miracles. Considering that these concepts are fundamental institutions of religion, it is clear that they do not accept religion.’

‘Deism Emerged Due to the Beliefs and Policies of Christianity’
Emphasizing that there are factors that lead to the emergence of every idea, Dr. Hüseyin Taha Topaloğlu stated, ‘The beliefs and policies of Christianity led to the emergence of deism. Developments in natural sciences such as physics, biology, astronomy, and chemistry have shown mankind the fallacy of the teachings of the church. The contradiction of such information with the teachings of the church led the church to oppress people through inquisition courts and resulted in disregarding scientific knowledge. Furthermore, exploitative attempts of the church, such as selling land in heaven, and oppressive politics can also be seen as events that led to the emergence of deism.’

‘Deism Debates in Turkey’
Addressing the discussions on deism in Turkey, Dr. Topaloğlu noted, ‘The debates on deism that have been on Turkey’s agenda for about 15 years have arisen with the claim that imam-hatip high school students are moving away from religiosity and generally with the claim that the Turkish society is moving away from religiosity. The acceptance that the youth, who are moving away from worship and religious institutions, are turning to deism has been acknowledged in society and academic circles, leading to numerous articles, presentations, workshops, and discussions. However, when we look at the reasons for the emergence of the claim that there is only a creator, it can be said that this situation is not the same as deism. Today’s so-called deists reject religion due to the desire for individualization, reactions to the current political environment, the inability to find reasonable guidance and support against manipulation and speculation resulting from negative consequences of technological developments, and most importantly, due to evading responsibility. It is evident that there is no identity between deism and the current state of being non-religious. In conclusion, it can be said that today’s deism debates largely stem from a faulty analogy. However, it should not be overlooked that there is a problem. The solution proposals for this problem are not to discuss deism and try to refute it; it is to generate solutions to today’s problems.’

At the conference, Hafız Muhammed Emir Gökmen, who ranked second in the Turkey finals of the ‘Young Sada Quran Recitation Competition’ held in Karaman, was awarded by IMVAK. A full gold coin was presented by Ali Ilıca, a member of the IMVAK Board of Directors. The conference was attended by the Dean of the Faculty of Divinity, Prof. Dr. İsmail Bulut, the President of IMVAK, Sait Kömürcü, and other guests.