Chinarism

Chinarism [pron: 'Chinarism] (Turkish: "Çınarîlik" or "Çınarcılık") or Çinari Alevism (also called Işık Alevism or Aluvism) is an ofshoot of Alevism. Even though movements towards Çinarism began in the first years of the 21st century, the direct foundation of Çinarism was laid by the Turkish writer Erdoğan Çınar in 2004, with the publishing of the book called "Aleviliğin Gizli Tarihi" (The Secret History of Alevism).

The Çinaris claim and accept that the term "Alevi" is derived from the old Anatolian "Luwi" people (2000 BC), claiming that the word "Luvi" means "people of light" in Hitite language [http://www.anarsist.org/serbest-kursu/9780-aleviligin-gizli-tarihi-yazari-erdogan-cinarla/] , while the term "Alevi" in traditional Alevism is derived from the belonging to Ali, as in the Arabic word "Alawi". Some Ottoman documents from the 16th century, refer to the ancestors of todays Alevis as "Işık Taifesi", meaning "People of Light". According to Çinaris, this prooves the connection between the Luvians and Alevis.

Belief

Çinaris consider themselves as esotericists, therefore claiming that Çinarism is Esotericism itself, meaning that they identify themselves with every type of esotericism in history (e.g. Jewish esotericists, Christian esotericists, Islamic and Pagan esotericism etc.).They claim that Çinarism is the oldest religion in the world, that has changed shapes by time. This "First and True Religion" of the World, is claimed to have been the main source for all other religions and beliefs in the world:

Aleviliğin, on binlerce yıllık geçmişten gelen, bütün inanışları etkilemiş, semavi dinlere başlangıç oluşturmuş asıl kaynak, "Serçeşme", olduğunu bütün gerçekliğiyle ortaya çıkartıyor. [http://www.kitapturk.com/V2/Pg/MetaDetail/Number/19669/Aleviligin_Gizli_Tarihi.htm]

Translated:

It has now been brought into the open with all its truth, that Alevism, with its tens of thousands of years of history, has influenced all beliefs and has been the original source (the so-called "Serçeşme" - meaning "Beginning Spot of Fountain") of the celestial religions.

Views

Çinaris are mostly leftists, and especially communists. Therefore they have also been accused for establishing a "communist Alevi" type of religion. Foreigners believe that they are using Alevism as an instrument to revive communism among the Alevi society.Çinarism also contain prejudice and antipathy towards Islam, which they see as a barbarian religion. Even though Çinaris have negative views of orthodox muslims, they both have the view in common of recognizing only islamic orthodoxy as "true Islam". By this meaning, that groups like the Ahl-e Haqq, Ismaili Shiism, Nusayri Alawism, Bektashism and other heterodox Islamic groups are considered separately from Islam.

Bibliography

The only existing sources of Çinarism, is the works of the turkish writer Erdoğan Çınar:

"Aleviliğin Gizli Tarihi / Demirin Üstünde Karınca İzi (2004)"

"Aleviliğin Kayıp Bin Yılı (325-1325) Yolcu Ateşte Yanmak İle Yol Yanmaz (2006)"

"Kayıp Bir Alevi Efsanesi (2007)"

"Aleviliğin Kökleri & Abdal Musa'nın Sırrı (2008)"

References