This man is very brave

[Faith101]

Coptic:

Well, I’m glad your relatives don’t discriminate against the Christians in Egypt. But the fact remains that Egypt is 90% Muslim. From the experience of those I know, and my own experience, it can be a difficult nation for a Christian to grow up in. There are limitations placed on Christians. They cannot get certain jobs, for many years there were special taxes that the Copts had to pay, and at one point there were laws that the Copts could not fix any church–so during that time many of them deteriorated and it was a difficult time.

Egypt is not exactly a religious state to begin with. Any one who seems a tad religious, ESPECIALLY MUSLIM, will get jailed and beat up until they start to just “live life” and forget about God. This has happeneed to several cousins of mine. It is not only the Christians that get persecuted.

About not fixing the Church, that is completly agains the Prophet Mohamed’s peace be upon him commands. He clearly says “and DO NOT PROHIBIT THE CHRISTIANS FROM FIXING THEIR CHURCHES”

Do you think that is right? Forcing young Christian children to memorize Muslim verses? That’s kind of like forcing a religion on someone.

I had to read the Bible when i was in highschool, i didnt see it as a big deal. Also, the verses my cousin reads for school are mostly general verses that all religions teach (worship God, be good to your parents, dont lie, dont cheat, etc.)

And the Chrisitan school kids still get their own classes on religion as my cousin told me, but i will double check with him.

Nowadays Copts put those crosses on their wrists freely. I was actually thinking of getting one myself. I see it now more so as an irrevomable sign of ones faith and a reminder of the strength in faith of the martyrs before us. But the story I told is in fact where it originated from. Copts were forced to get tattoos of crosses so the Muslims could tell them apart.

If it was something that started from oppression than i honestly cant see how someone would freely take it up and actually INCLUDE it into their faith. Faith, as you said before, is not something that can be displayed on the outside.

p.s. i thought tatoos were forbidden in Christianity?

“Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:28

 

[hawk]

Coptic:

What do you mean aren’t muslims and christians the same culturally??? Yes they are both Egyptians, and yes they both speak arabic, but that is where the similarities end. They discriminate and persecute the Copts because we love, honor and worship Jesus Christ!

Are you serious??? Egypt was a Christian nation for the first few centuries, and then the arabs came and conquered Egypt and forced as many as possible to convert. They destroyed whatever they found that was Coptic and forced the Egyptians to learn Arabic instead.

Look, no offense, but it appears to me that you know very little about Egypt. And, I’m not telling you what to believe. I am telling you historical facts! There are no opinions here.

Should Copts fight for a Christian homeland? In my humble opinion, I don’t think its right to start more trouble. Now I’m not saying the Copts should hide their faith, but there is no reason to start fighting. The answer to the problems in Egypt is as simple as prayer. Despite all the Copts have been through, the church has survived and is soooo strong in faith, and that is all done through faith, fasting, and prayer–not through starting fights.

God Bless,
Elizabeth

Thank you Liz,

I was just curious, see, I hear too many people say, oh its not the faith that teaches persecution and violence, it is tribalism, and the Christians behave the same way.

My questions are to point out, having been a muslim, that whilst I dont agree with it all being the fault of the religion, some of it is.

And I for one will agree that muslims who do not understand their faith, and there are many many of those, just as there are many christians who dont, are the most dangerous kind of people.

I think egypt is filled with people like that.

 

[hawk]

Faith101:

I had to read the Bible when i was in highschool, i didnt see it as a big deal. Also, the verses my cousin reads for school are mostly general verses that all religions teach (worship God, be good to your parents, dont lie, dont cheat, etc.)

And the Chrisitan school kids still get their own classes on religion as my cousin told me, but i will double check with him.

I dont know what school you went to, was it in the US?

I think Christian kids from egypt are superbly prepared to refute the Quran, I encountered some copts during my conversion, many of them strengthened my faith.

I even attended a Holy Service at St. Marks.

It was wonderful, however I found it to be very ethnocentric.

That is not to say I wasnt made to feel completely and totally welcome, just that I wasnt egyptian

 

[Franze]

I am agree with Coptic, until XIV Century copts were the majority in Egypt, but killings, prosecution, the islamic birth rate produced the sad change.

 

[selvaraj]

I am agree with Coptic, until XIV Century copts were the majority in Egypt, but killings, prosecution, the islamic birth rate produced the sad change.

The link you provided here is blocked where I am. Can you open and send it as a private message?
http://errpages.isu.net.sa/message1.gif

Access to the requested URL is not allowed!

In Christ,
selvaraj

 

[ronald]

Coptic:

Why are Copts leaving Egypt?? Because they are a minority and are often times persecuted in Egypt. The country is about 90% Muslim.

And even if/when one is not being persecuted they are being discriminated against. Copts can not get certain jobs in Egypt, in the school system Islam is the only religion taught.

My father was telling me that as a child he was forced to memorize verses from the Koran.

Here’s a site I found online–read through it, and you’ll see why Copts are leaving Egypt. jubileecampaign.co.uk/world/egy1.htm

Just look up the history of the Coptic Church and you will see what the Copts went through.

Back in the day, Muslims forced Copts to wear these massive heavy crosses around their necks which left bruises around their necks and on their collar bones. Copts were given a nickname which translates to “blue bones”. Later, that practice was replaced by tattooing a cross on the Copts. This was all to differentiate between who was Muslim and who was Coptic.

I will stop here. I think this gives you an idea as to why Copts leave Egypt.

God Bless,
Elizabeth

Dear Elizabeth,
be patient, pray, fast, and don’t stop loving. All i can do is praying for the Christians in Egypt. God Bless You

 

[Joe_Monahan]

Note - I deleted a URL posted by Franze because, frankly, it was a hate site - purportedly containing testimony by former Muslims. There was no way to confirm the validity of the postings there, which were graphic and extreme in the assertions made - not unlike many anti-Catholic sites, purportedly created by former Catholics.

Without a way to verify the truth of the postings, such sites offer opportunities for the spread of hatred and vitroil, fueling it. They don’t provide a reasonable basis for the discussion of differences.

There are legitimate news sources which discuss discrimination and persecution of various faiths by the adherents of other faiths. Similarly, there are governmental agency reports and reports by recognized non-governmental bodies (such as the British human rights group to which Elizabeth linked). Links to such materials are acceptable, as there are standards in place there to assess veracity.

That said, I caution folks that a catalogue of such links isn’t a necessity to establish that persecution or repression exists and will not serve to foster dialogue. More useful would be discussion of the whys and recommendations for peaceful solution of issues.

Joe

 

[Coptic]

ronald:

Dear Elizabeth,
be patient, pray, fast, and don’t stop loving. All i can do is praying for the Christians in Egypt. God Bless You

Thank you for your kind words and prayers.

The way I look at is that all of these people who are suffering and persecuted here on earth, in the name of Christ, will be rewardly greatly in Heaven.

God Bless,
Elizabeth