The final climax of my next EDGE book takes place in Turkey because Ataturk seemed like a perfect candidate to have known about my Prometheus figure and be affected by him. I loved the fact that Hagia Sophia in Istanbul had begun as a church, became a mosque, and was turned into a museum by Ataturk. It was such a sane and sensible solution to the clash of religions and cultures, a celebration of art and people rather than competing gods. But now there is a move afoot to turn Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. So will people be permitted to view the magnificent mosaic’s set high in the arches of the ceilings? When I visited I was permitted to wander through the magnificent structure. As a woman I will be limited if the structure is once again a mosque. Considering that one of the most beautiful mosques in the world — The Blue Mosque — is almost directly across the street from Hagia Sophia why take this divisive action? Does Istanbul really need another mosque instead of a museum where people of many faiths and many cultures can come together and explore? I have been longing to return to Turkey, but I guess I better hurry if I want to see Hagia Sophia again.
You can find the full article here. Museum to Mosque? I just find the entire conversation horribly depressing. It’s the twenty-first century and we’re still obsessed with measuring the relative power of the various Sky Daddies.
