When I returned to the United States on June 16, 2026, I wanted to share some of the first things that caught my attention.

For example, I observed that the public was almost entirely indifferent to the U.S.–Israel–Iran conflict, to the point that many people seemed barely aware that such a conflict even existed. The only noticeable reaction was a quiet concern over the price increases affecting their own daily lives as a result of the situation, while the causes of inflation appeared to be of little interest to them. In other words, the prevailing attitude seemed to be: "As long as it doesn't hurt us economically, the rest of the world can turn upside down."

Indeed, it appears that the average American is about as aware of protests held periodically in certain U.S. cities as a coal miner in Zonguldak would be of small-scale demonstrations on Yüksel Street in Ankara. In this sense, it could be said that people are primarily focused on making a living. Technically speaking, the outlook of American society is largely shaped by a perspective of economic determinism.

Contrary to popular stereotypes, American society bears no resemblance whatsoever to the Masonic villains with darkened faces and exaggerated American accents portrayed in low-budget Turkish television dramas who chant slogans like, "Let's go kill the Muslims." In fact, among America's conservative and religious communities—or, in the words of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, the "pious Christians"—there is a noticeable tendency to approach Islam and Muslims with greater curiosity and sympathy.

One example is the political climate in New York. Following Zohran Kwame Mamdani's election as mayor of New York, another noteworthy development was the victory, in a congressional primary, of a communist woman who had previously been a Jewish socialist but later converted to Islam, and who is also a feminist activist, labor union member, and waitress.(1)

Although media outlets and academic circles often argue that recent global developments have contributed to growing curiosity and sympathy toward Islam and Muslims among America's conservative and religious population, these same observers also caution against overstating the increasing visibility of Muslim candidates in primary elections. They emphasize that political trends seen in major metropolitan areas such as New York should not be assumed to reflect the country as a whole.(2)

This reality may well be seen as a practical illustration of Ibn al-'Arabi's famous statement: "The one who is close to God is distant from the ruler, for the two forms of closeness cannot coexist." In this context, the observation takes on particular significance.

It is precisely at this point that the importance of civil society actors in the United States comes to the fore—actors who, in many cases, exert greater influence over society than politicians themselves and whose stance corresponds to what Said Nursi described as "spiritual independence."

In this regard, I would like to share two observations.

The first concerns the number of Unitarian congregations and their churches in the United States. Unitarian communities reject the doctrine of the Trinity and uphold the oneness of God (tawhid). Consequently, they tend to regard Jesus not as God, but as a prophet. According to available statistics, there are approximately 1,100 Unitarian congregations in the United States today.

The first Unitarian church

The second is the existence of mosques named "Jesus, Son of Mary Mosque."

A "Jesus, Son of Mary Mosque" in Allentown.

Alternatively, if you want a slightly more polished style suitable for an article:

The second concerns the existence of mosques bearing the name "Jesus, Son of Mary Mosque."

The "Jesus, Son of Mary Mosque" in Allentown.

It is almost as if the glad tidings emphasized by Bediüzzaman Said Nursi in The Flashes (Lem'alar) are beginning to blossom—the prophecy based on an authentic hadith that "in the end times, the truly devout followers of Jesus will unite with the people of the Qur'an..."

Yet, for these blossoms to bear fruit, it seems that those whom Nursi describes as "ignorant zealots"—people who are sincere in their religious devotion but deficient in rational judgment—must first come to recognize another reality he emphasized: that they are "in need of sincere cooperation not only with their fellow believers, those of the same path and their brothers in faith, but even with the truly devout Christian clergy."

(1) Yunus Emre Erdöken, "Bir sabah gelecek New York’tan aydınlık", Serbestiyet, 27.06.2026 

(2) Mücahit Bilici, "Amerikan siyasetindeki sarsıntılar", Serbestiyet, 26.06.2026