Attacks in Paris

Zoxsasi

I just have a small question to ask; but let me start by saying 1st of all, let me assure you I'm well. I used to live just around the corner from the Bataclan. Are you also aware that our Church in Paris was the Church targeted by ISIS?

This is very surreal.

I'm not sure about anyone here, and every case is different, but my parents left Egypt for the sole purpose of escaping from Islamic Fundamentalism. We are talking about Government sponsored discrimination. Their job prospects were bleak as Christians. They received official warning that no Christian could ever be promoted in the Ministry of Health (where they worked).

The god of Islam has a problem: he cannot, for the life of him, love a Muslim as a non Muslim. Hence we have discrimination in all aspects of life for minority groups in Islamic-Majority countries.

I would like to know from you, whether or not your families, as Coptic Christians, also left Egypt for the same reason: because as Christians they were limited in Egypt.

Why am I asking?

I get the impression that as Coptic Christians, we have 1st hand experience as to what it is in living as a minority in an Islamic Majority. If all of our experiences are the same, then surely this only concretises our argument that the root cause of terrorism is in the god of Islam. Its not because of American foreign policy in the region, or silly conspiracy theories. Its at a more basic level than that: pure Islamic fascism.

Before ISIS even started, Copts, or non muslims in general, were treated as 2nd class citizens anyway. That's my opinion, if I hear your stories, maybe I'm sure that it will give more confidence to my argument that my case is not "one off" - and there is indeed a problem with Islam.

No one is asking why muslims in Egypt are distancing themselves from ISIS, but they are still OK with Copts having to write down their religion on ID cards (which is used for the sole purpose of discrimination). These same muslims who are saying that "ISIS is NOT ISLAM" and "not in my name" - the same ones who voted for Morsi and the MB.

What benefit is it if ISIS is defeated and hatred is still being taught in schools against non Muslims? What have we achieved?

Did you ever suffer hatred from muslims because you were a Christian??

I obviously deal with a LOT of immigrants/refugees etc from Syria/Iraq/Egypt. France has accepted them. Those from Egypt are all well educated doctors who had good jobs in Egypt but left out of fear for their own safety. Is this the general consensus amongst you?

Is my understanding of the situation or realities of Islam twisted and incorrect, or is there really a problem with Islam?

ShareTheLord

@Zoxsasi,

Many muslims are good people. Faithful to what they know to believe. Any faith that does not preach the love of our Lord Jesus Christ is flawed. They all will end up persecuting Christians. Islam in its fundamentals, preaches a lot of Christian values. I have not read the Quran. I have however sat with many muslims and heard their version of what they believe their faith says. Taking these good people's hearts and intention, I try to hear Islam in it's purest form. I hear of Islam from a non-violent perspective. 

Their fundementals are 

1. Believe in God - Proclamation of Faith

2. Partake of their 5 daily prayers - Worship God daily and regularly

3. Fast - Surrendering to God

4. Give 2.5% of their total assets to charity - Giving to God for personal benefit

5. Visit Mecca - Visiting holy ground in remembrance of the foundation of their faith, Abraham, Haggai and Ishmael. Here, they proclaim that Abraham was asked to sacrifice Ishmael (not Isaac). They learn from that, that we are to surrender all to God. 

So these are their fundamentals, and the reason behind each are all good and actually very similar to Christian behaviour. However, they do not have the same relationship with God as Christians do. It is all worship because God deserves this worship and we, as humans are in need of it. God's love for us is essential in Christianity. And given how it is rooted on some good, they use this mentality as foundation for their faith. Now my questions are these. If Christianity is right and true, where is islam from? How come it somewhat makes sense and somewhat similar? How come some are good, yet, some are ... evil...? Why is it, that the actual 1 true thing that matters (God's sacrifice for us, salvation) gone in Islam? So yes, there is an issue with Islam. There is an issue with anything that isn't Christian.

I am only writing this to show how some good Muslims see their faith. You seem very intent on trying to prove their god is bad. But the truth is, there is only one God. That's the basics, that's all there is to it. What needs to be understood is what they preach, what they believe, and what we, as Christians believe. The war isn't against islam, it is against the ruler of evil, against separation from God, against lack of unity. This has been the war for ages, and will be the war for years and generations to come. Our war, our goal is to be lights to this world clarifying and bringing a distinction to any path of darkness. However, "20 everyone
practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds
should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his
deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John3:20). Those living in evil, or more simply, separation from God, cannot stand being exposed. When we sin, we our weakness is brought to light, our pride get in the way of humbly accepting our wrong. And often this is the case with anyone living a non-Christian life. Being shown the way isn't always easy to accept, and sometimes only gets them to react negatively and do even worse things... If you observe ISIS, this seems to be exactly what is happening...

Zoxsasi

ShareTheLord,

you have in no way answered my question. You seem more concerned that I do not hate muslims. I DO NOT HATE THEM. That would be pointless, wrong, immoral and basically defeats the whole purpose of being a Christian anyway.

The question was this:

Did you or your family suffer any discrimination whilst living in Egypt for being a Christian?

ShareTheLord

@Zoxsasi,

Agreed, I did not directly answer your inital question. I was trying to address certain of your comments that you explained was the reason for your question. To address your hatred/non-hatred for muslims, I was not concerned that you hate muslims actually. You actually gave me the impression that you had certain muslim friends and deal regularly and respectfully with them. In any case, that was not the point of my answer. I do believe, we as Coptic Christians, often try to take Islam and find all the reason on how the terrorist support their actions. Which, correct if I am wrong, is what you are trying to do and that is what I was trying to address.

You said:  If all of our experiences are the same, then surely this only concretises our argument that the root cause of terrorism is in the god of Islam.

You ask: Is my understanding of the situation or realities of Islam twisted and incorrect, or is there really a problem with Islam?

What I was trying to answer were mainly those comments. You try to blame the god of Islam, but there is only one God. Maybe you meant the Quran. But even if the Quran does preach this, non-extremists of Islam don't take those passages as a justification of terrorism. They view it similarly as we view certain wars in the Old testament, and equate the terrorists of today to the doers of the crusades. So my point was, if you truly want to share the truth/light to Islam, we have to understand what their faith is. And that starts with their 5 pillars which I have explained above. Then you come to realize when speaking to good muslims that they are basic their faith and want to be good because most of those foundational teaching are almost Christian. They simply lack the most important aspect of Christianity... 

Now you ask how certain muslims justify their actions? The truth is, we believe the bible is the Word of God. My personal opinion, is that the Quran is a geniously written book. Not by God, nor by a man, nor by a prophet. I will let your draw your own conclusions of my opinion. If you understand what I am implying, then you would understand how it is so geniously written such that Muslims can follow a good and righteous path, almost Christian, almost leading to God, but incomplete, and on the other spectrum filled with violence and inducing despicable actions such as terrorism. Again, this is merely just my personal opinion, and that is what I was trying to explain above.

You ask: Did you ever suffer hatred from muslims because you were a Christian??

Similarly here, when you ask this question, I was answering how I have suffered hatred by muslims, but also by atheist, and any denominations. I have equally received hatred, because I do not live in Egypt. And what I am trying to say here, is given Egypt is fully muslim, it is normal to receive hatred from muslims. Anywhere you live, you will be 'persecuted for righteousness sake.' It doesn't matter if you are in a muslim country or not. Any preaching that doesn't preach the light of God, is darkness and darkness has no place in light.

If I am totally off topic, let me know - I'll stop high-jacking your post :)