Coptic Orthodox Church - Tasbeha.org Community

Titles of Saint Mark

coptic_deacon — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:37:05 +0000

It is widely known that Saint Mark is given the title Abba in hymns. HOWEVER, i never really liked this idea. when i asked about it i never got a straight answer and got the feeling that the people who say it don't know what it means. After some research into it, i found that the title 'abba' is specifically designated to monks, ascetics, and hermits (or anyone in that field). this makes sense when you consider the popes title in coptic hymns (PAPA ABBA SHENOUDA). can someone correct me if i'm wrong? please?

Is Christianity Weak?

Zoxsasi — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 08:39:16 +0000

I was just thinking, as a Christian, we have to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, love those that persecute us etc. What exactly do we gain from all this? As Christians? Isn't this coming across as a bit weak?

Its hardcoded in the quran to subdue the infidels and treat them badly.
Its hardcoded in the Bible to be subdued and be treated badly.

Christianity was made for Islam, and Islam was made for Christianity. Wasn't it?

Muslims love to slap us, and we love being slapped. Its a win-win situation.

Also Christ says : "Blessed are you when you are persecuted for my Name's Sake".

That's great, so we even get a blessing after having been humiliated.

Where exactly are our rights in any of this?? I mean.. i'm all for religious freedom etc, and if someone wants to be a muslim, good for them - but why should I have to suffer if someone believes or thinks he/she has literally the "God-Given-Right" to slap me or subdue me?

Should Coptic Christians have fought against the muslim invation 1400 years ago??

A lot of people ask me: why are you complaining about Islam for? You just stood by and allowed muslims to not only take over your country, but humiliate you as dhimmis.

I usually say : "well, if a copt wants to embrace islam, its his choice... what can we do? Christianity is not a political system. Its a relationship with Christ. We don't believe in violence".

So, at what point is war OK? At what point should Copts be allowed to fight back??

St. John Chrysostom

anba bola — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 16:12:40 +0000

As many of you may know, yesterday was the feast of St. John Chrysostom.

The link to his story is here: http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/3_17.html#1

It is said that when he didn't understand something in the Epistles of St. Paul, St. Paul would come himself and explain to him what he didn't understand. This great Saint was friends with many Saints, such as St. Basil, and his brother St. Gregory the Theologian (who were also brothers with St. Gregory of Nyssa!).

Before he was Patriarch of Constantinople, St. Peter and St. John, appeared to St. John Chrysostom, and St. John the Apostle, gave him a Bible and told him, "Do not be afraid, whosoever you shall bind, shall be bound, and whosoever you shall loose, shall be loosed."

This Great Saint was not afraid to speak the truth, and often spoke out against the wicked Empress Eudoxia which led to his exile.

He left us with many writings and many homilies, and truly deserved the name Chrysostom meaning the Golden Mouth.

We have put many of his writings on orthodoxebooks which can be found here: http://www.orthodoxebooks.org/allbooks?field_author_value_many_to_one=Saint+John+Chrysostom&tid=All

Really disturbing news

Zoxsasi — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 18:45:16 +0000

Fr Peter,

Its with a deep sadness and regret that I post this:

http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2010/11/sharia-alert-non-muslim-british.html

England is no place to raise a Christian family.

This is worse than Egypt.

Here's the full story

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2247388/Schoolboys-disciplined-for-refusing-to-pray-to-Allah.html

The Love between Abraham and Lot (sundayschool-lesson)

marmar357 — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 11:08:27 +0000

Hey guys,

Next sunday i must give a sundayschool lesson about the love between abraham and lot (gen.13/14)
Does anyone know what I should put in the lesson and how do i tell it to the kids (6 years) ??
It's my first lesson so i want it be perfect.
Thursday next it must be finished so please, help me soon as possible

btw. a good site about this topic (abraham and lot and their love) would be great also

thanks!

GB :)

Is it Right to Call Saint Mark an Apostle

Zoxsasi — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 04:02:49 +0000

Hi,

I've seen many literatures stating that Saint Mark was an "Apostle" of Jesus Christ.

Isn't this incorrect? Although Saint Mark was one of the 4 Evangelists, he wasn't one of the 12. So, given that he was an evangelist, is it right to still consider him an "apostle"?

Incident copts in egypt with police (24/11/10)

marmar357 — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 05:34:03 +0000

About what happend yesterday: 1 copt died and many copts were injured, because
they want to make a dome on the church (2obba) and police didn't alLow to make a church of the building. I agree 100 % with these chrisitans, and it's unfair that muslim are allowed to make mosquees wherever they want and chrisitans not. But the copts did throw stones to the police...isn't that a bad example for christianity?? And IS THIS SHAB<, COPT who DIED now a MARTYR OR NOT?
http://www.fcv2.com/show-2,N-5992-Qatar-Saudi-Arabia-United-Arab-Emirates-Dubai-f-c-v.html

GB

Censer in the liturgy

Cyril97 — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 17:17:57 +0000

Hello everyone,

This sunday, I served in the altar and as I have been taught,
I emptied the censer (shoria) during the communion.
An uncle told me that I should keep the censer lit until the liturgy
is fully done in case some body or blood falls on the floor.
I thought that if anything falls, you light a new piece of coal then burn it.
Which one is right?
I don't wan't to know for being right I just would like to do the right thing.
Does anyone know what the rites of the church says about this?
Hope to get an answer soon,

Cyril

Where Is the Church (3)? Disappearing Faith

beshirv@gmail.com — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:58:15 +0000

Where Is the Church (3)? Disappearing Faith

Individuals are not only starting new churches without good understanding of Christianity, but also beginning to change the faith in some well-established churches. A friend of mine belongs to the Lutheran Church, came to me one day asking, what to do you do when your priest denies Christ’s divinity and resurrection? My friend question echoes a spreading trend in many churches nowadays. Take for example, the Episcopalian Church (the Anglican Church). Some of its clergy openly deny the divinity of Christ, the validity of the Gospel and other parts of the Bible, Christ’s resurrection, just to mention a few.

I told my friend this reflects a major shift of understanding of Christianity. Two thousand years ago, the New Testament declared clearly,

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:3, 4).

The above-last epistle in the New Testament before the book of Revelation-states many facts:

1. Faith was delivered to be accepted, and this is why it is called ‘faith.’ Faith is not a matter to accept or to refuse based on your own logical conclusion.

2. The faith was delivered once for all, which means there is no extended time to think or to re-think. All elements of faith were fully delivered together. There is no need for any additions or alterations. You must take what you are given here, you cannot pick and choose.

3. It described those who tried to change the faith as “ungodly men,” and referred to them as people “turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Moreover, it condemned their sayings.

This is the faith of the Christianity from the first century. The Church kept this faith with a very high price, its hundreds of thousands of martyrs who preferred to die than to deny the divinity of Christ. Many martyrs died because they refused to deny that they were witnesses of Christ’s resurrection.

It is very sad to see this happening, because when you deny Christ divinity you’re eliminating salvation, and without salvation there is no Christianity. Those people need to go back to read the New Testament again in humbleness. They need to enlighten their souls by reading the Christian history and the writings of the Church Fathers. When I refer to the Church Fathers, I am not referring to people belonged to any specific church since they lived before the schism of the church in the fifth century. They lived when the church in the whole world was one church, following one faith that was delivered from the apostles of Christ-originally was given by the Lord Himself, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5).

Back to the question: What to do? My answer is to find a church that has the following faith characteristics:

1- Apostolic: means the church was established by one of the apostles of Christ in the first century to ensure that the teaching you get there is delivered from the apostles. If the church is not established by the one of the apostles, make sure it was established by another apostolic church.

2- It has Kept the faith as it was delivered without changes or additions: Unfortunately, some apostolic churches added elements to the original faith and dogma, such as the “Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Sun,” “Purgatory,” and “immaculate conception of Virgin Mary.” I will discuss those issues in the future.

There other important church characters that I will talk about in future article.

Victor Beshir

Please direct your Non-Copts friends to the following web page:
http://evangelismcopticorthodox.org/lookingforachurch.html

Where Is the Church (1)?

beshirv@gmail.com — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:59:31 +0000

[b]Where Is the Church (2)?

Statistics say that there are around 30,000 Christian denominations in the world, a big and confusing number. Someone might ask, which of these 30,000 is really the Church established by Christ and His disciples?

Recent individual freedom of establishing churches practice even makes it more confusing, because any person or couple of people could start a church that does not belong to any Christian denomination, give it an attractive name, and establish on unsound theology. To make matters worse, sometimes those founders have very little background on Christianity, the church history, and no one ordained them, but they announced themselves as pastors ordained by friends or family members! I remembered a famous TV evangelist who attracted a big crowd and became a famous evangelist. Eventually, he was imprisoned. In his cell, he started to read the Bible. After his release, he wrote a book in which he said that when he read the Bible in the prison he discovered that he was telling the people the opposite instructions of what God really meant to say to people!

Given a big web of tens of thousands of churches, people need to ask where the true Church is. Where can I find it? Where can I go to find a deep spirituality and pure Christianity? This is what I am going to address on this page.

Victor Beshir

To introduce your Non-Copts friends to the Orthodox Church, please pass this article and direct them to visit the following face book page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Looking-For-a-Church-As-Old-As-Christianity/164218050278580?v=box_3&ref=ts#!/pages/Looking-For-a-Church-As-Old-As-Christianity/164218050278580

Randomly Speaking in different Languages

geomike — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:07:29 +0000

Ok, so my friend at school is talking about how at his church service(he's evangelical church or something) some people got soooo into worship they started speaking different languages, which was caused by the Holy Spirit. I told him that yes this kind of thing where people talked different languages has happened(at the Tower of Babyl and Pentecost) but this is just church, and there is no point in that happening unless you were preaching to some foreign person. I think i was wrong though because you never really know what God's will is. but my question is, is this from the Holy Spirit or people just being stupid to make themselves think they are holy? I believe it's totally garbage, but i was wondering what the Coptic Community has to say on it. Maybe I was wrong. Thanks guys.

Is Changing Religions in Egypt Forbidden?

Zoxsasi — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:00:07 +0000

Is changing your religion in Egypt forbidden?

it seems fine for someone going from Christianity to Islam, but why does the government object for those who convert from Islam to Christianity?

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/christian-convert-stands-trial

I thought Egyptian law was based on Islamic Law, but it wasn't complete Sharia. I thought muslims also tell us that there is NO COMPULSION in religion, yet there appears to be compulsion.

Which is it??

You can see from the case of Siham Mahmoud who became a Christian in 2004, she was not permitted to change her religion. Many other converts to Christianity were forbidden to change their religion on their ID cards, but I didnt expect them to face criminal charges for doing so.

There are many cases like Siham's, and with each case, they were forbidden from leaving the country. I thought religion was a private affair and that it didnt concern the state?

I'm just curious, but what is the situation where you live in your countries with respect to converts from Islam. For example, in the UK and France, I know many ex muslims. I see this a lot in fact. What about where you live? Is there a surge in attendance by ex muslims?

I'd love to know.

Thanks

News: Police and Christians clash in Egypt over church

Zoxsasi — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 06:48:58 +0000

Hello,

I just wanted to post the latest news from Egypt:

2 persons have died in clashes between around 150 Coptic Christian protesters and police over the construction of a Church in Egypt:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11828692

As I'm aware, this is nothing new, except that this case has a strange twist to it: Permits were given to build the Church, and construction started, then the permits were revoked.

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/two-feared-dead-coptic-protest-over-church-construction

Who is...

Tzegemariam — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 20:10:29 +0000

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had any info of who Archangel Raguel is???
There is a picture of him in my Church with a bird with three heads

Please inform me thanks everyone, and my God Bless You and help in you in answering my question

Candles in the liturgy

Cyril97 — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 17:14:09 +0000

HI all,

This sunday, I served in the altar and as I have been taught,
I blew my candle as soon as the church started singing Amen, Amen, Amen...
An uncle told me that I should keep my candle until the Holy Spirit comes down
upon the offerings.
Which one is right?
Regarding the candles, I:
Light it when abouna says: He instituted for us...
Off when we say: Amen, Amen, Amen...
Light when abouna says the Intro of the fraction
Off after we say: our Father...
Light when abouna says: Remember our congregation...
Off when we say: Doxasi...
I don't wan't to know for being right I just would like to do the right thing.
Does anyone know what the rites of the church says about this?
Hope to get an answer soon,

Cyril

Extremely Disturbing news for the Church & The Coptic Christians

Zoxsasi — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:02:42 +0000

Today, an Archbishop spoke about the urgency for Iraqi Christians to leave Iraq and immigrate elsewhere.

In the news, the reporter asked His Grace: "But Isn't that exactly what Al Qaeda want? They want you to leave?"
He replied "... which is better, to live elsewhere and be alive? or to stay in Iraq and be killed"?

It seems highly likely that the Assyrian Orthodox, and Catholic Churches of Iraq, who are the indigenous populations of Iraq, will be wiped out.

Do you think that If the islamic terrorists see this, it will only be an incentive for them to attack the Copts in Egypt? This is what they've been trying to do since Islam set foot in Egypt with Amr Ibn Aas.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11705032

Nagla Al Imam

Zoxsasi — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 09:58:19 +0000

Hi,

I read on a few news pages that Nagla Al Imam, a prominent muslim lawyer, had converted to Christianity. The result was that she was fired from her job, and subjected to physical abuse for wearing a cross.

But there are videos going around of another Nagla Al Imam who, although also a lawyer, is proposing that arab men "sexually harrass" jewish women in the Middle East, as a way to respond to zionism.

I just have a small question:

Is this the same nagla al imam who became a Christian? or is this someone else pretending to be her? lol

Adopt a Child?

Vany2010 — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:18:05 +0000

Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ
I just got a Question,I wondered if a Woman can Adopt a Child without marrying?
Like when the Woman is 20-30 years old has a job and lives in normal Circumstances.
Thank you for taking time to answer this Question.
God Bless you
Vanessa

HELP, defending faith in school religious debate

abanoub2000 — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:08:02 +0000

We are watching this movie in World Religions class, and there will be a debate on it tomorrow...... but i cant use the bible as a source!

Most people believe all this!!! I dont want to lose this debate..... how do i refute this without the bible?

Orthodox Ebooks

anba bola — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:06:03 +0000

Some people at my church have started a website that has Orthodox books in the form of Ebooks so they are free to read. There aren't that many yet but in about a week there'll be over 100 (It takes that long for books to be processed by Google). The website is orthodoxebooks.org and I advise people to take a look at it. The books are all in English and most of the Pope Shenouda books are there and the topics of the books range from Bible studies to sayings of the church fathers to calmness. It's really great and the best part is you don't have to download anything you can read the books online. I advise people to take a look at it, because it's just absolutely amazing and you can really benefit spiritually from them.

UPDATE
There are now actually over 300 books on the site.

More attacks on Coptic Christians from the "religion of peace"

Zoxsasi — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 06:59:58 +0000

Sorry to be the one to bring you more bad news:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/world/108387399.html

http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com/2010/11/egyptian-muslims-celebrate-eid-ul-adha-by-torching-coptic-homes/

There have been renewed attacks against coptic Christians.

As you can see, like with Wafa Constantine and Camilia Shehata, muslims are looking for any excuse (from simple allegations and hearsay to just rumours) to attack us.

Adopting New Liturgies

PopeKyrillos — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 20:03:02 +0000

Hey everyone,

So originally, our church formally accepted three liturgies (those of Saints Basil, Gregory, and Cyril), but at the same time, we acknowledged that there were other traditional liturgies, which although we did not adopt into the church, we view them as authentic. Examples of those liturgies include the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom (used in some of our sister churches), and also The Liturgy of Saint James (used in the British Orthodox Church, our daughter church). The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has 11 liturgies I believe. My question therefore is, does a Coptic priest have the right to pray other authentic liturgies from our sister/daughter churches in a coptic church?

PK

Live Broadcasting from CTV - Pope Shenouda III--39th Anniversary

minatasgeel — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 15:14:42 +0000

Here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/coptic-special-events#utm_campaigne=synclickback&source=http://dbebawy.wordpress.com/cse/&medium=2416979

you can view a live from CTV provided by David Bebawy of St. George & St. SHenouda, JC, NJ.

I think he'll keep the feed up for a while. Right now the ordination ceremony of His Holiness is on.

Hymns for dummies (me)

mteverett322 — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 20:50:34 +0000

Hey y'all. I'm a pretty recent American protestant convert and I'm still in the beginning stages of learning Coptic hymns and congregational responses. This is a difficult thing for me sometimes, since the melodies and progressions of Coptic hymns are unlike anything I ever listened to before I found the Church. I have a pretty good musical ear and I picked up a few things just from attending Liturgies, but now I've begun a more systematic approach- but I need some advice on the best way to go about this process. I want to start with the basic hymns that are used regularly in the Liturgy of St. Basil. Tai Shouri is up next on my list, but where should I go from there? And beyond that, can you give any advice on some methods/hints/tips/tricks that might be particularly helpful in learning Coptic hymns?

P.S. I've already got "Agios" down, so don't worry about that :) haha

Azdeqa min mal el zolm (sorry didn't know how to put it in English)

geomike — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:04:45 +0000

Well, my mom was reading the New Testament in Luke 16:9 and she came across a verse that said, "(paraphrasing)Latasn3oo azdeqa2 min mal el zolm". She didn't understand what it meant so she asked me and i didn't understand either so now i am asking the intelligent community on Tasbeha.org lol. The part we don't understand is what "mal el zolm" is or means. Thanks guys.

Amazing News for the Church

Zoxsasi — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 04:01:21 +0000

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101107/wl_mideast_afp/iraqunrestchristiansqaeda

Iraqi Christians on Sunday reaffirmed their faith in the face of Al-Qaeda, as 200 people celebrated mass in a bloodstained Baghdad cathedral where militants massacred 46 worshippers a week ago.

I'd like to quote from the priest in Iraq who said:

"The church is built on the love, the peace and the blood of the martyrs, not on the sword," Father Mukhlas Habash told parishioners gathered around a cross of burning candles, traced out on the floor of an otherwise bare nave.

I am worried for them still. They were at 1.2 million in 2003, and are now down to less than 400,000.

A question about Genesis 5:1-6

Sun, 31 Oct 2010 00:24:53 +0000

A question on Genesis 5:1-6

"1 This is the record of the family line of Adam. When God created humankind, he made them in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female; when they were created, he blessed them and named them "humankind." 3 When Adam had lived 130 years he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and he named him Seth.4 The length of time Adam lived after he became the father of Seth was 800 years; during this time he had other sons and daughters.5 The entire lifetime of Adam was 930 years, and then he died. 6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh."

If Adam and Eve begot no girls, where did Seth's wife come from when Eve was the only female in the family? ???
Were there more characters that were not written about from the beginning?

God Bless

Diffrentiating between the St. James'

gregorytheSinner — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 15:16:27 +0000

I seem to have confused myself and the internet isn't exactly helping me out.

The name James is mentioned three times as following:

1. James [the Greater] - Son of Zebadee
2. James [the Lesser] - Son of Alpheus
3. James the Just

From what I've gathered, James the Greater preached in both Spain and Jerusalem, James the Lesser's name was only mentioned twice and was supposedly martyered preaching by the Gaza/Egypt border, and lastly James the Just was the head of church in Jerusalem, and presided over the Council of Jerusalem.

According to wikipedia, St. Jerome said James the Lesser is infact James the Just, and this view is accepted by the RCC. However, apparently the Eastern Orthodox Church and some protestant churches refute this.

What's our stand on this, and who was James the Just?

Al Qaida Threat on the Coptic Orthodox Church

Zoxsasi — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 04:51:22 +0000

As you may be aware, the massacre of 52 Iraqi Christians and the wounding of countless of others was in fact directed at the Coptic Christians in Egypt because Muslims have spread false rumours that the wives of 2 priests, Wafa Constantine and Camilia Shehata, have converted to islam and are being held "captive" in Coptic Monasteries, where the Coptic Orthodox Church is amassing weapons in the hope of creating a civil war within Egypt.

Both women have openly admitted that they have never converted to Islam. Their messages appeared on YouTube even.

There are no weapons the Church collects. This is totally absurd.

Here are a few news clippings:

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/11/al_qaeda_in_iraq_cla.php

What is worrying is the lies that the muslims are spreading:

Please read the responses from muslims in this Islamic forum:

http://forums.islamicawakening.com/f18/al-qaeda-iraq-claims-massacre-christian-church-baghdad-read-more-http-www-longwarjourna-39435/

I'm thinking if its worth logging in and answering these idiots??

You can see from this link how the Church has responded:

http://www.copts.com/english/?p=4925

The muslims obviously are trying to find ANY excuse to launch attacks against us.

Other than praying for this heinous situation the Church has been put in, what else can we do? I really think someone should go and answer the muslims from the Islamic-Awakening Website/Forum.

Church crisis.

deaconmark123 — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 18:39:39 +0000

I don't know if many of you have the ABN television network, but as I type this they are playing a message threatening the church saying if they do not bring out these two women who are married to priest they will attack the church. It's on tv now the satellite television. Can some one confirm this?