Harun Yahya

{{bronze}}[[File:Adnan oktar 03.jpg|thumb|165px|Mr. Oktar. Obviously doing very nicely, thank you.]]{{cults}}{{crenav|1}}
'''Harun Yahya''' is the [[pseudonym]] of '''Adnan Oktar''' {{lived|1956|}}, a [[Turkish]] [[cult]] leader, [[conspiracy theorist]], preacher, and prolific author and videographer of Islamic [[creationist]] works. His stance switches between [[old earth creationism]] and [[young earth]] depending on the circumstances.{{efn|Although sometimes he claims that the Earth is less than 10,000 years old when arguing with priests, mullahs or hodjas, he accepts that the [[Universe]] is 4.63x10<sup>10</sup> when facing off with real science.}}<ref>[https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3AHarun+Yahya. "au:Harun Yahya." search] ''Worldcat''. Over 1000 book and video entries as of 2019!</ref> Yahya has made [[Antisemitism|anti-Semitic]] statements, is (unsurprisingly) a [[Holocaust denial]]ist, and has been convicted of using his advocacy organisation for criminal purposes.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/artsNews/idUSL0992091620080509?sp=true Guilty verdict — Reuters]</ref> He has written over 200 books<ref>[http://www.harunyahya.com/en.m_book_index.php 234 as of January 9th 2013]</ref> on various topics, including one in 2006, [http://us2.fmanager.net/api_v1/productDetail.php?dev-t=EDCRFV&objectId=4066 ''Atlas of Creation''], which attempts to damn evolution by demonstrating that various species are unchanged from their fossil ancestors. Unfortunately he fails at this due to being unable to differentiate (for instance) sea snakes from eels, salamanders from frogs and flies from ''fishing lures''!{{efn|Since fishing lures are designed to fool fish, and managed to fool Yahya, it can be assumed they are of similar intelligence. Also, it is doubtful whether ''all'' fish are stupid enough to be fooled…}} At least we can agree that fishing lures were created and did not evolve from live bait. We could even say that ones that get the job done very well are intelligently designed.<ref name="arda">[http://newhumanist.org.uk/2131 ''Sex, flies and videotape: the secret lives of Harun Yahya''], Halil Arda, ''New Humanist''</ref> In addition to his books Yahya not only has 163 websites<ref>As of February 2015; all of them are meticulously [http://harunyahya.com/list/type/5/A2Z/all/ listed on his website]</ref> devoted to pushing his views, but also apps for the iPad, iPhone, Android, iBooks, Kindle, Nook, Kobo and Blackberry.<ref>[http://www.harunyahyaapps.com/ Harun Yahya Apps]</ref>

Yahya has been diagnosed as having [[paranoid]] [[schizophrenia]],<ref name="arda"/> which would shed light on why he's acting like he's [[Imam Mahdi]].

So convinced is he of his rightness that he sent numerous free copies of ''Atlas of Creation'' to renowned zoologists and biologists worldwide. One of the "lucky" recipients was [[Richard Dawkins]], who reviews the tome in a less than flattering light.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150414153621/http://old.richarddawkins.net/articles/2833 Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya] by Richard Dawkins (06 July 2008 at 4:00 PM) ''Richard Dawkins Foundation'' (archived from April 14, 2015).</ref> [[PZ Myers]] also analysed ''his'' copy.<ref>[http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2008/01/09/well-fly-fishing-is-a-science/ Well, fly fishing ''is'' a science] by PZ Myers (January 9, 2008) ''Pharyngula''.</ref>  

In August 2008 he succeeded in getting Dawkins' website banned in [[Turkey]].<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/19/religion.turkey Dawkins website banned in Turkey]</ref>

A creationist video produced by Yahya was reported to be part of the Youngstown, [[Ohio]] [[public school]] curriculum as of May 2016, in violation of the [[separation of church and state]].<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/05/16/school-teaching-creationism-with-video-from-islamic-sex-cult.html School Teaching Creationism With Video From Islamic Sex Cult] by Zack Koppin (05.15.16 10:03 PM ET) ''The Daily Beast''.</ref><ref>[https://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/kooky-curriculum-ohio-public-school-under-fire-for-using-creationist-video Kooky Curriculum: Ohio Public School Under Fire For Using Creationist Video Produced By Turkish Televangelist] by Simon Brown (May 24, 2016) ''Americans United''.</ref>

==European attack==
He has mailed copies of his book to schools in many European countries and is referred to many times in a document entitled ''[[The dangers of creationism in education]]'' produced by the [[Council of Europe]]. Specific mentions of some of his errors are made in this document.

==Harun Yahya's recycled arguments==
Harun Yahya's attempts at positive arguments for [[creationism]] all seem to fall into much the same pattern.

* Step one, which takes 90% or more of each essay, involves giving perfectly genuine scientific facts, copied from real scientists, concerning some aspect of nature. It really doesn't matter what — it can be anything from the metabolism of the koala<ref>[http://www.harunyahya.com/articles/koala.php Yahya on the Koala]</ref> to mimicry in parrots<ref>[http://www.harunyahya.com/articles/talking_birds.php Yahya on Parrots]</ref> to the workings of the [[Venus flytrap]].<ref>[http://www.harunyahya.com/articles/70unconventional_hunter_venus_plant.php Yahya on the Venus Fly-Trap]</ref>
* Step two involves [[straw man|pretending]] that "[[Darwinist]]s" claim that the natural world was produced by "[[coincidence]]", or "[[random chance]]". Yahya then points out that this can't possibly be the case, and concludes that therefore evolution is wrong.
* Step three is to [[non sequitur|declare]] that since [[evolution]] is wrong, [[Goddidit|Allahdidit]] by a miracle.

He varies this formula very little, though occasionally he skips straight from step one to step three without bothering with step two.<ref>[http://www.harunyahya.com/articles/70golden_ratio.php Yahya Golden Ratio]</ref>

The advantage of this method is that he can spend 90% of each essay copying out things which are actually true, which is a great way to pad out his essays, books, and DVDs. He requires only one lie — the huge, preposterous pretense that the theory of evolution ascribes the order and complexity of the natural world to "coincidences". This flimsy, clumsy misrepresentation of evolution can indeed be blown away by more or less any fact about the natural world. To quote the biologist and science advocate Richard Dawkins:

{{cquote|It is grindingly, creakingly, crashingly obvious that, if Darwinism were really a theory of chance, it couldn't work.|||[[Richard Dawkins]], ''Climbing Mount Improbable''}}

Besides attempts at the [[argument from design]], Harun Yahya comes out with the usual creationist nonsense about [[Transitional fossil|intermediate forms]], the standard pretense that "[[evolution is a religion]]",<ref>[http://www.harunyahya.com/new_releases/news/shamanistic_religion.php Darwinism is not science]</ref> the popular creationist myth that creationists are gaining ground<ref>[http://www.harunyahya.com/new_releases/news/evolution_ad.php Darwinism on the retreat]</ref> and the usual sorry ritual of blaming evolution for [[social Darwinism]], for [[Nazism]], for [[communism]], and in a feat of chutzpah unusual even in a creationist, for [[terrorism]].<ref>[http://www.harunyahya.com/articles/32terrorism_darwinism_soc07.php Darwinism and Materialism]</ref> As this is the same stuff that every other creationist repeats, we presume that it is not the result of independent thought, but of copying off [[Christian]] [[fundamentalists]] and changing the word "[[Jesus]]" or "[[God]]" to "[[Allah]]" where necessary. As there is nothing original or even unusual in the arguments he recites, the reader will find all of his arguments listed, and debunked, in our [[list of creationist claims]].

[[File:Atlas of creation cover.jpg|thumb|left|165px|
''National Lampoon's''
 ''Atlas of Creation'']]
The one disadvantage of Yahya's technique that is it is wholly unoriginal. He bases his arguments off of the creationist [[PRATT|lies used over and over again]]; anyone who spends five minutes finding out what the theory of evolution actually is will realize that Yahya's essays are deceitful rubbish. Presumably he's betting on his followers lacking the intellectual integrity or curiosity to spend five minutes with a biology textbook — and, sadly, it appears that this gamble has paid off.

==Challenge==
In September 2008 he offered<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20090331222518/http://independent.co.uk/news/science/creationist-offers-prize-for-fossil-proof-of-evolution-945289.html The Independent — Creationist offers prize for fossil proof of evolution]</ref> to pay out "10 trillion Turkish Lira<ref>[http://lmgtfy.com/?q=10+trillion+turkish+lira Quite a lot], though that number may be in old units (which are still sometimes used) before six zeroes were dropped off.</ref> to anyone who produces a single intermediate-form fossil demonstrating evolution" — he should bring his chequebook and take a trip to [http://www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk/ Lyme Regis] for a day's ammonite hunting. Though considering he wouldn't know a [[transitional form]] if it got up, tap danced and whacked him on the head with its [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v456/n7221/full/nature07533.html half-formed turtle shell] or bit his nuts with its [[Archaeopteryx|dinosaur-like teeth and bird-based beak]], don't expect to see the money any time soon.

==The cult leader and the sex==
While Yahya/Oktar has been accused of running an Islamic [[apocalyptic]] [[sex]] [[cult]],<ref>[http://balkanist.net/the-islamic-sex-cult-supporting-turkeys-prime-minister/ ''The Islamic Sex Cult Supporting Turkey's Prime Minister''], Lilly Lynch, ''The Balkanist'', March 28, 2014</ref> it's unclear whether his cult is a sex cult as such, or simply uses sex alongside its conspicuous display of wealth to lure in new converts. The sexualized imagery includes having the cult's attractive women address Yahya as the Mahdi and constantly fawn over him. In a more ominous tactic the cult's women were also used to lure wealthy men into, *ahem*, ''compromising'' positions which would then be used for blackmail. How this is acceptable religious behavior is beyond us. He was arrested for this but initially acquitted in 2000. However, he was eventually convicted and sentenced to three years' imprisonment in 2008. He is &mdash; obviously &mdash; appealing (or fairly unappealing depending on your point of view) and has been ordering his disciples to use sexualized imagery when trawling for converts since the 1990s.<ref>[http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-19087 ''The Mahdi Wears Armani''] (2013), p. 6 - doctoral thesis by Anne Ross Solberg, Södertörns högskola</ref> This imagery along with the bling-bling style of Yahya's TV performances is extremely odd, considering his cult's religious origins in conservative Islam and its rants against modern "decadence". It is perhaps best seen as an Islamic parallel to the [[Name it and claim it|prosperity gospel]] (which sits just as awkwardly within Christianity), combined with the simple [[Advertising|marketing]] strategy that "sex sells". Other parallels (in recruiting and organizational techniques) possibly inspiring Yahya include "[[Charles Manson]] and [[Jim Jones]], and in particular … the [[Unification Church|Moonies]], the [[Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh]] and [[Scientology]]."<ref name="arda"/> Once you go beyond the glitzy wrapping, however, Yahya's sect looks more like an [[List of predictions of the end of the world|apocalyptic]] [[personality cult]], [[Dictator|strictly controlled]] by its "[[guru]]".

==Arrests and downfall==
In 2018, Turkey issued 235 arrest warrants for Yahya and his followers.<ref name=aljazeera>[https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/turkey-arrests-televangelist-adnan-oktar-multiple-charges-180711105001781.html Turkey arrests televangelist Adnan Oktar on multiple charges: Controversial televangelist Adnan Oktar and some of his followers face charges ranging from sexual assault to espionage.] (11 Jul 2018) ''Al Jazeera''.</ref> As of July 11, 78 people had been arrested, including Yahya.<ref name=aljazeera/> The charges include fraud, [[sexual assault]], and military espionage.<ref name=aljazeera/> Given the increasing [[autocracy]] within Turkey, it is difficult to ascertain whether these are valid charges or a crackdown on viewpoints that do not follow [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]]'s official views.

On January 11, 2021, Yahya was reportedly sentenced to 1,075 years in jail for his religious cult whose members have been accused of committing sexual crimes, blackmail, money laundering and espionage.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-11/turkey-sex-cult-chief-sentenced-to-more-than-1-000-years-in-jail?utm_content=business&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business] ''Bloomberg''. Retrieved January 11, 2021.</ref>

==Selected writings==
*"[[The Weight of Clouds]]"
*"[[About the Rain in the Qur'an]]"
*"[[The Layers of the Atmosphere]]"

==See also==
*[[Kids! This site is all yours]]
*[[Ask Darwinists]], a response to some of Yahya's tripe
*[[Branches of science you have to ignore to believe in young Earth creationism]]
*[[Ray Comfort]]
*[[Qur'anic scientific foreknowledge]]
*[[Flirty fishing]] — the Christian edition

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Yahya, Harun}}
[[Category:Anti-Christian bigots]]
[[Category:Antisemites]]
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Broadcasting]]
[[Category:Convicted felons]]
[[Category:Crank magnetism]]
[[Category:Cult leaders]]
[[Category:Holocaust denialists]]
[[Category:Islamic extremism]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Messianic claimants]]
[[Category:Muslim apologists]]
[[Category:Pseudoscience promoters]]
[[Category:Televangelists]]
[[Category:We're on a mission from God]]

Categories: Anti-Christian bigots, Antisemites, Authors, Broadcasting, Convicted felons, Crank magnetism, Cult leaders, Holocaust denialists, Islamic extremism, Living people, Messianic claimants, Muslim apologists, Pseudoscience promoters, Televangelists, We're on a mission from God