Things are not looking so good since a 78 year old Christian Copt was killed when three Muslims attacked two Churches in Alexandria on Friday. At the man’s funeral clashes broke out between Copts and Muslims as they attacked each other with sticks and stones (and apparently bones were broken).
The authorities say the killer was “mentally unstable” which I’m not buying but I suppose they’re learning a thing or two from the experts.
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood condemned the attacks as did the International Union of Muslim Scholars.
Bishop Johanna Nassif said some people are “plating the seeds of sedition.”
“We do want to leave any room for rumors and must reassure Egyptian (Coptic) expatriates about their brothers in the country,” he told IOL.
“We are now living in a global village where everything is open. These attacks would make expatriate Copts to feel that the atmosphere in Egypt is unhealthy and must be changed,” said Nassif. The bishop cautioned that some people might exploit the situation.
Bishop Ehab Samir warned against the exploitation of the attacks as a pretext to meddle in Egypt’s affairs. “There are no needs for expatriate Copts to urge foreign intervention,” he said.
Samir accused some people of playing the religious persecution card for personal gains.
“Some people dream of immigrating and use such pretexts to get immigration privileges. Such rumor-mongers are very dangerous people and only do harm to society.” [source]
This is depressing news indeed. I do consider this stupidity but I always wonder how far religion plays a role. At least compared to other things which I think stand out more with such conflicts such as social mentality and environments. Christians and Muslims seem to get along fine in a lot of Arab nations; Jordan for one.
I’ve just recently begun to learn that this attack on Egypt Copts by extremist Muslims is not an isolated event…this has been going on for a while now and Christians are really being persecuted over there, simply for the fact that they are Christians. Exactly what are religion does NOT preach, and yet these attacks are being carried out by Muslims. Apparently, 20% of Egypt’s Christians have already fled the country, and the rest feel like a targeted minority in their own country. Perhaps it has to do with Egypt’s government. You say there are no such clashes amongst Christians and Muslims here in Jordan, and I sincerely hope so. I think you’re right, and it could be the difference in governments, the Wahabbi religiosness of Egypt’s government (from what I’m gathering) versus the more sharia or hashemite or whatever of our government.
Maybe a better example would be Syria, where I also believe Christians and Muslims coexist with no problems…could be wrong, I’m learning new things every minute through this blog system. But Syria’s secular, Alawi based government doesn’t allow for religious clashes, as I understand it.
I don’t know, I feel like I’m back in school, researching constantly and trying to figure things out and form my own opinion for a term paper or something! Enough procrastination, back to my column….
We are all family from Adam and Eve why are there fights and riots? It doesnt matter what religion we are we shoul dall get on well.