This semester I am also taking a class on Istanbul. We recently started discussing the Ottoman Empire and they're conquer of Constantinople. We discusses how after they seized Constantinople, Greeks were allowed to stay, and were not forced to convert. They were allowed to maintain their religion despite the Ottomans being Islamic. This coincides with what we have learned in class that most Islamic people are tolerant of other religions, even if they don't support or condone them.
This is interesting to me because it contradicts the portrayal of Islam in pop culture and the media. They are often characterized as being radical, extremists who do not tolerate anyone who is different from them. While this may be true for some Islamic groups, that can be said for many groups of people religious or otherwise.
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