Ah yes… I was wondering when someone was going to bring that up… Let’s not forget that these were people who ended up in some of the most elite positions in the empire - in some cases, they became the de facto rulers of the empire, when the Sultan was particularly weak. Force was a key aspect of maintaining an empire/kingdom - which was true across the world at the time. The Ottoman’s weren’t unique in that at all. But again, that doesn’t mean that religious toleration wasn’t an important, even central principle of the empire, because it absolutely was.
I see no reason to keep pushing this “terrible turk” narrative, since facts really don’t align with that narrative. The Ottoman empire was no more “oppressive” than any other empire of it’s day, and in some cases, was far less so. Keeping this shit going is only feeding anti-Muslim narratives that are actively hurting people who are fleeing actual, modern day oppression.
Very much so. I’ve been once, did a tour of all the Holy Sites, and I have never heard of this thing nor was it ever overtaken with the desire to destroy any antiquities.
As someone who had lived in Israel for almost 10 years of his life, and who knows Jerusalem inside and out, I can attest that I’ve seen Jerusalem Syndrome in action many times (for those who say it isn’t a thing). Off of the top of my head:
A polish guy in the late 80s walking around in sack cloth with a staff (I spoke to him to ask him about it and it was entirely biblically related)
A young German guy in the late 80s who was convinced that he had to be there for the revealing of the Ark of the Covenant and was trying to find the entrance to a secret tunnel.
A guy (These encounters were all with Men - I think it may be related) in the early 90s who hung around the outdoor plaza in the Jewish Quarter who thought that the Dome of the Rock was going to be blown up by God and was there to watch - any day now.
Some smaller random encounters later.
In fact, I used to know a psychologist in Jerusalem who used to treat people at the hospital (violent ones) and who regaled me with stories of “Jerusalem Syndrome” back in the 80s and 90s. I think that the more you experience Jerusalem in the cheap traveler hostels, especially inside of the Old City, the more you will encounter these fanatics - hence my mostly encountering them in the 80s and 90s when I was still a student and traveling on a very limited budget. The more you stay in regular hotels later in your life, the less likely you are to encounter them in person.
I still think that guy needs to go to prison though. But, from what I understand, when they categorise someone as having “Jerusalem Syndrome”, they’ll usually be stuck in a psych ward for at least 10-15 years, or the like. Of course, I may be mistaken on that number. But, for what he did, he deserves at least that much.
Doesn’t sound so much like Jerusalem Syndrome, as people with untreated mental issues finding a place where they’re considered harmless, or fairly normal, unless they get violent?
