Istanbul’s Friday sermon focuses on lies, gossip via technological devices

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) head Mehmet Görmez.

The Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) decided to focus on “lies and gossip via the use of technological devices” as the topic in this week’s Friday sermon preached in Istanbul’s mosques.

The sermon, titled “Let’s not be language’s slaves,” was prepared by Diyanet’s Religion Services General Directorate to focus on a “lie and gossip sector” being built in various means of modern communication.

“A Muslim cannot injure a sibling’s pride and dignity by saying bad words to him privately. We report with sadness that gossip, idle words and allegations, slander, lies and bad words are being presented in a provocative way through modern means of communication. A lie and gossip sector has been created in this way,” read the sermon, placing a special importance on the impact of social media.

The sermon stated that people could forget about upholding their “holy watch” while seated before a computer and could act irresponsibly towards others’ dignities. People who make their tongues into a poisonous arrow through the use of gossip, lies and allegations should remember they will be held accountable for their acts, the sermon added.

Turkey had blocked access to Twitter hours after the country’s then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vowed to close down the social media platform in March. “We now have a court order. We’ll eradicate Twitter. I don’t care what the international community says. Everyone will witness the power of the Turkish Republic,” Erdoğan said at his campaign rally in the western city of Bursa on March 20, ahead of the local elections later than month.