Buddhism and Taoism as Homewreckers

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 12 April 2021)

                             

                                    Three's a crowd.

According to a divorce suit filed in Istanbul, P.E. and C.E., the parents

of two children, are breaking up because of husband C.E.'s obsession 

with Buddhism and Taoism. (!)   Wife P.E. alleges that her husband has

paid  a life coach excessive amounts of money to begin lessons in the

two religions. 

P.E. stated in the divorce filing that C.E., who is the Turkey sales chief

for a famous brand, has directed all his energies and time to the religions,

participating in many 'inziva' (seclusion) events and travelling to India

and China, while declaring to P.E. that "even if you leave me I'm going!"

The latest incident, P.E. stated, has been centered on C.E., who has a 

Chinese life coach and takes lessons online from the coach's Turkey-based

representatives, engaging in mass-like rituals in front of the couple's 

children.  According to P.E., C.E. does "calligraphy health" in the air 

with his hand, while screaming meaningless chants and this has had a 

negative effect on their children's development. (!)

P.E. was crushed by her husband's confession that he had gone on the 

'inziva' trips with another woman.  In her petition to the court it is 

stated that "as time has passed, P.E. has been subjected to her husband's

physical abuse and death threats.  Their young child has begun to stutter

after seeing P.E. beaten by her husband.  P.E. wants 15,000 TL (about

$1,750) for herself and the same amount for the children as alimony

each month.  In addition, P.E. is asking for 2.5 million TL in 

compensation, 1 million of which is for mental stress."

In response, C.E. asserted that  P.E.'s allegation are baseless and he filed

a countersuit, declaring that he has never abused his wife or children. 

C.E.'s lawyer explained that "the complainant has characterized C.E.'s

efforts toward personal development as problematic.  P.E. has accused 

him of ignoring her and their children. Yet, C.E. is doing what he's doing 

in order to make his family happier. (!)  He has not neglected his family. 

He invited his wife to come on the trips with him but she refused. P.E. 

is the source of the discord."

C.E. and friend on most recent 'inziva' excursion.