Turkish lawyer claims he is Messiah, sues family for rejecting his claims

ISTANBUL

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A Turkish lawyer who claimed to be Jesus Christ has sued his family members after they rejected his claims and insulted him, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.The incident was revealed after İsmail Taşkıran filed a lawsuit against his family members for giving him mental damage. He was called to the Istanbul Bar Association, where he demanded 10,000 Turkish Liras as compensation from each member.Taşkıran first told his family he was Messiah in 2011, but said they rejected his claims. He also claimed he was beaten and insulted by his family members.He filed a complaint against his family with the Istanbul Chief Prosecution Office, which later decided to dismiss the charges after conducting investigations.Taşkıran later ordered to sue his father Osman Taşkıran for mental anguish, as well as his mother Gülşen Taşkıran, his brother Cem Taşkıran and his sister Rahime Pınar Taşkıran Sabuncu, saying that they restricted his beliefs.“I filed a complaint against my family but it was denied due to lack of evidence. But my family interfered in my worshipping since 2011 to 2016, a time period when relations deteriorated between me and my family. They restricted me from fasting and performing prayers. So, I was mentally tormented, which has been verified in psychology reports. I demand 10,000 Turkish Liras from my family as compensation for giving me mental anguish,” he wrote in his court statement.An Istanbul court accepted the case and held the first hearing on Feb. 27. The court postponed the trial to a later date for witness consultation.In Abrahamic religions, the Messiah, Christ, or Al-Masih is the one chosen to lead the world and thereby save it.