Born 61 years ago into a Muslim family in Turkey, Belkız was the first daughter after two sons. As a child, she went to the mosque and read the Koran in Arabic but says she didn’t understand it. After reading books on materialist philosophy in her youth, she became an atheist at the age of 15.
From Islam to the Catholic Church: One Turkish woman shares her story of faith
ACI MENA, Aug 21, 2024 / 06:00 am (CNA).
Born 61 years ago into a Muslim family in Turkey, Belkız was the first daughter after two sons. As a child, she went to the mosque and read the Koran in Arabic but says she didn’t understand it. After reading books on materialist philosophy in her youth, she became an atheist at the age of 15.
Belkız (whose last name is being withheld for privacy reasons) told ACI Mena, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, that after graduating from university, she became a literature teacher and was constantly reading books. When she was 28 years old, she read Turan Dursun’s book “This Is Religion.” (Dursun, a former Shia Muslim and scholar who became an atheist, was murdered because of what he wrote about Islam and religion. His book criticizes religious books — mainly the Koran.)
Belkız couldn’t believe what she read so she bought a Turkish Koran and read it. The Bible was next — she bought one at the Izmir Book Fair and was invited to watch a movie at a …