The Future of Egypt for Coptic Christians

edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Now that Mubarak is out of office, what are the Church's hopes for Egypt?

Finally, its clear that Egypt will be heading towards real democracy. the Muslim Brotherhood not only has re-invented itself as some sort of "charity organisastion", but they aren't even as popular as what people have feared.

Should the Coptic Church therefore encourage that one of its own children enter into politics to defend and support rights of Coptic Christians in the next egyptian government? If so, who would that be?

What are the wishes / demands of the Coptic Orthodox Church for the next Egyptian Government?

No doubt, removing religion from identity cards should be one of them!

Comments

  • why is marking religion in the id card worse (or less desirable) than voluntarily wearing the cross tattoo on the wrist?... what seems obvious to you doesn't make sense to me.
  • You noted it yourself, Lightening. One is voluntary, the other isn't. And there are all kinds of implications of listing such things on ID cards. Read up on the Mohamed Hegazy controversy. He's the first Egyptian to challenge the government for the right to change his religion on his ID card (from Muslim to Christian), and it almost goes without saying that if religion weren't listed on government-issued ID at all, he and people like him would not be under nearly as much danger as they are now. It's a step towards true equality and freedom of belief for everybody, and could conceivably increase security and decrease tension significantly.
  • if you don't have your religion marked on id card would not hide your faith as long as you chose to tattoo the orthodox cross on your wrist. persecution against christians does not increase or decrease depending on id card. if you are a christian in a non christian community you will stick out like a sore thumb, anyway. you want to go un-noticed you must not wear tattoo either.
    whether voluntarily or not, the mark is there!! i don't see the point of preferring the voluntary mark against the non voluntary one..  and if you want not to be identified as a christian, its not worth fooling about cos in that case you are not one, anyway!
     
  • [quote author=lightening link=topic=10692.msg130491#msg130491 date=1297461235]
    if you don't have your religion marked on id card would not hide your faith as long as you chose to tattoo the orthodox cross on your wrist. persecution against Christians does not increase or decrease depending on id card. if you are a christian in a non christian community you will stick out like a sore thumb, anyway. you want to go un-noticed you must not wear tattoo either.
    whether voluntarily or not, the mark is there!! i don't see the point of preferring the voluntary mark against the non voluntary one..  and if you want not to be identified as a christian, its not worth fooling about cos in that case you are not one, anyway!
     


    Lightening, it's not that we don't want to be identified as Christians. The existence of the religion spot on ID card is the government saying "We differentiate between Muslims and Christians." Removing it is the first step to equality. Even if its only symbolic. It won't completely remove differentiation, but its absence will have an effect on the Egyptian psyche. It's subtle, but powerful.
  • OMG!!! The islamic media is trying to tie baba Shenouda with Mubarak! This is evil!

    http://islameyat.com/post_details.php?id=3751&cat=28&scat=143&;
  • I really wouldn't worry about this. I think the first Egyptians to protest against the Mubarak regime were the Coptic Christians after the alexandria bombings.

    Even outside Egypt, Coptic Christians criticized the Mubarak regime for what they perceived as state sponsored discrimination and violence towards the Copts.

    His Holiness maintained a peaceful relationship with Mubarak. But then, so did the protesters who wanted him out of power, including Christian, Muslim and secular Egyptians.

  • [quote author=epiphania link=topic=10692.msg130512#msg130512 date=1297483262]
    OMG!!! The islamic media is trying to tie baba Shenouda with Mubarak! This is evil!

    http://islameyat.com/post_details.php?id=3751&cat=28&scat=143&;


    Oh no. Maybe we should have been more vocal against Mubarak - this is the last thing we need. Hopefully this is a minority view.
  • The Muslim brotherhood were the last group to get involved in the protests. Whilst Coptic Christians and Muslims were united in their cause, the brotherhood were observers.

  • [quote author=Zoxsasi link=topic=10692.msg130528#msg130528 date=1297495981]
    The Muslim brotherhood were the last group to get involved in the protests. Whilst Coptic Christians and Muslims were united in their cause, the brotherhood were observers.


    Well the Pope did speak pretty strongly on State TV in support of the President didn't he? That could come back to bite us if the Muslim majority wants an excuse to keep us out of the negotiations.
  • At least 3 Christians died in the protests, and at the very beginning Coptic orthodox politician Eskandar was in Tahrir representing all Coptic Christians.

    The pope has a right to his opinion, but he was more concerned about the violence that had ensued between Mubarak supporters and non Mubarak protesters.

    He was clear on that. His support for Mubarak was based on the violence that we all had witnessed: a children's cancer hospital had been attacked, looting everywhere.

    I really wouldn't worry about this. The highlight of the protests that gained international sympathy and support was seeing Copts and Muslims united.
  • [quote author=lightening link=topic=10692.msg130491#msg130491 date=1297461235]
    if you don't have your religion marked on id card would not hide your faith as long as you chose to tattoo the orthodox cross on your wrist. persecution against christians does not increase or decrease depending on id card. if you are a christian in a non christian community you will stick out like a sore thumb, anyway. you want to go un-noticed you must not wear tattoo either.
    whether voluntarily or not, the mark is there!! i don't see the point of preferring the voluntary mark against the non voluntary one..  and if you want not to be identified as a christian, its not worth fooling about cos in that case you are not one, anyway!
     


    In Egypt, only 5% of lawyers joining the bar can be Christian. That's a legal requirement. THey look at your ID card to ensure that you are Christian or Muslim for the sake of discrimination!!!

    In Egypt, certain bursaries/awards cannot be given to Christians. You could be the best student, and have the best marks, but it would be wrong for them to give you the bursary over a muslim.

    In Egypt, as you've seen, we need to go through ridiculous amounts of permits if we intend to use a building for prayer - EVEN a CHURCH!!

    Its just ridiculous. WHY DOES OUR RELIGION BOTHER THEM!!????

    What if we were all muslim and we just liked baked potatos.. would that cause them a problem? WHY DOES WORSHIPPING OUR GOD bother them!!!????

    I think it has a lot to do with what's in the Koran. The Koran, apparently, doesnt focus on itself and muslims. It focuses on non muslims.

  • [quote author=Zoxsasi link=topic=10692.msg130535#msg130535 date=1297506277]
    [quote author=lightening link=topic=10692.msg130491#msg130491 date=1297461235]
    if you don't have your religion marked on id card would not hide your faith as long as you chose to tattoo the orthodox cross on your wrist. persecution against christians does not increase or decrease depending on id card. if you are a christian in a non christian community you will stick out like a sore thumb, anyway. you want to go un-noticed you must not wear tattoo either.
    whether voluntarily or not, the mark is there!! i don't see the point of preferring the voluntary mark against the non voluntary one..  and if you want not to be identified as a christian, its not worth fooling about cos in that case you are not one, anyway!
     


    In Egypt, only 5% of lawyers joining the bar can be Christian. That's a legal requirement. THey look at your ID card to ensure that you are Christian or Muslim for the sake of discrimination!!!

    In Egypt, certain bursaries/awards cannot be given to Christians. You could be the best student, and have the best marks, but it would be wrong for them to give you the bursary over a muslim.

    In Egypt, as you've seen, we need to go through ridiculous amounts of permits if we intend to use a building for prayer - EVEN a CHURCH!!

    Its just ridiculous. WHY DOES OUR RELIGION BOTHER THEM!!????

    What if we were all muslim and we just liked baked potatos.. would that cause them a problem? WHY DOES WORSHIPPING OUR GOD bother them!!!????

    I think it has a lot to do with what's in the Koran. The Koran, apparently, doesnt focus on itself and muslims. It focuses on non muslims.




    simple. it's a satanic religion, and satan doesn't like it when people worship the true God.
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