INTERVIEW: Cengiz ?i?man on the Dönmes' 350-year 'burden of silence'

Although they developed after one of the biggest messianic movements in history, the Dönme crypto-religious community remains shrouded in mystery and subject to conspiracy theories in Turkey and elsewhere.

"The Burden of Silence: Sabbatai Sevi and the Evolution of Ottoman-Turkish Dönmes" by Cengiz ?i?man of the University of Houston-Clear Lake attempts to lift the curtain on the Dönmes past and present. The book (reviewed in HDN here) charts the private and public course of the Dönmes since the ?zmir-born Sabbatai Sevi professed himself the Jewish messiah in the 17th century. 

?i?man spoke to Hürriyet about his book and the Dönmes' 350-year "burden of silence." 

Let's start with the title. Why did you call your book "The Burden of Silence"?

The book is about one of the most intriguing and secretive religious movements in world history. Since the 17th century, members of this community kept their silence either because of their internal religious obligations or external social pressure. Although this silence was quite an enriching spiritual experience that gave power to believers, it was also a source of pain and trauma, especially once a follower stopped believing in the original faith. But this silence isn't unique to the Dönmes. At various times in Ottoman and Turkish history there have always been figures and groups who felt externalized, oppressed and dominated, therefore carrying this burden of silence. There has always been one oppressing dominant idea and many oppressed ones. This is endemic to Ottoman-Turkish culture and the reasons for it are quite complex.

You outline a few theories about how and why Sabbatai Sevi was able to attract such a large following in the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century. Could you...