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Should Copts Do anything?

copticcuttie33copticcuttie33
edited December 1969 in Faith Issues
Many people think and say that copts shouldn't do anything about hate crimes. but do copts believe that??

Comments

  • Unknown
    I do not understand what you are asking please clarify???
  • copticcuttie33copticcuttie33
    Well I have noticed that because we are such a minority all over the world, we are unable to do anything. so many others say we don't do anything because we're afraid of muslims. well at least that's what's said here between people i know in the US. What i wanted to know is if Copts themselves say the samething or not. because as a cop, i want to do everything and stand up for the right of me and my religion, but i don't know if that's what others feel. So i would like to know what other coptic individuals think.
  • Anglican
    One of the most powerful parts of the witness to the Faith of the Copts is the Christ-like way in which they do not return evil for evil.

    Our Lord Himself commands us in Matthew 5:43-48


    43 You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
    44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
    45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
    46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
    47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
    48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect

    In the Biblical sense, the Copts are doing something, and something important. By obeying Our Lord's command, they show the world a wonderful example of Christian witness. I am sure that one of the reasons you never hear criticism of the Copts in the West is the fact that they do not retaliate.

    As Our Lord said in Luke 6:27-28


    27 But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
    28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

    Love triumphs over hate; those who hate make themselves small and do a great disservice to their Faith. Those Muslims who complain at how they are regarded in much of the West might look at how their fellow Muslims treat Christians where they are in the majority, and begin to understand the impression this gives of them to Christians in the West.

    In Christ,

    John
  • selefanaselefana
    i am sorry of those people, but you know how many people died in Egypt they weren't even afraid of death how could they be afraid of people
    think about it
    if they were really afraid they wouldn't have the well of giving there life

    am i making sense to you
    thanx
    selefana
  • Unknown
    Please read this page about "The Theban Legion (this unit had been recruited from upper Egypt and consisted entirely of Christians): An entire Roman Legion was Martyred for Christ"
    http://www.bibleprobe.com/theban.html

    This Theban legion was considered as serious men of courage, that the roman emperor resorted to them (similar to special forces) to stop the rebels.
  • copticcuttie33copticcuttie33
    i understand where you guys are coming from. but outside of our religion. don't you wish that you can do something about it? i myself am not afraid to be killed by a muslim, i acctually would dream of the day that something like that would happen. i would love to die for my religion and in the name of christ. but when i see muslims killing and doing all those kinds of things, it makes want to fight back. i don't know about you guys, but if i could save someones life from under a muslims, i would in a heart beat. i know that god might not approve of it, but i pesonally can't just stand around and watch so many of the people i love die. I JUST CAN'T DO IT.
  • Anglican
    Dearest Sister in Christ,

    Likewise, I understand where you are coming from, but we have to be His disciples, and we are charged with turning the other cheek to our enemies. We cannot, and must not, become like those who use violence against Copts.

    In addition to all the Biblical injunctions against violence and killing, think for a moment of how we feel about those Muslims who use violence. What image of Islam are they creating? How does the world regard Islam as a result of their actions? Would we want the world to look at the Copts in that way?

    In Christ,

    John
  • jydeaconjydeacon
    I agree with Anglican, we shouldn't ever retaliate against anything any one has done to us. Just like Anglican said, if we are hurt we must, not just should turn the other cheek. We must forgive what they do to us, or else how can we be forgiven for what we do to each other.
  • KrazyLionKrazyLion
    simple...

    cain killed abel... good smacked cain across the face... god will get reveange no fear !! GOD! is here
  • [Deleted User]
    Well, retaliation does not necessarily have to be violent. There are many peaceful ways to fight back that require just as much grit and passion and dedication and love for mankind. I, like CopticCutie, find myself enraged at the violence I see in the Middle East, and i feel that as Copts, and more importantly, as decent human beings, we MUST do whatever we can. I also believe that saving someone from martyrdom is not a bad thing, because, as we see in the synaxar, if that person truly wants to die for Christ or if God wants to accept him/her into his Kingdom, it will be so, regardless of our interference. In fact, we know from the bible that it is sin to know what is right and just and to not do it. We have to see ourselves just as much members of society as we are members of a faith. In fact, I recently attended a lecture by Yousef Sidhom, the editor-in-chief of the Watani, the only Coptic newspaper in Egypt, and he touched on some of these points. He said that the Copts in Egypt, even when given a small chance, refuse to participate in politics or in any other facet of society, which, is wrong. Egyptian Copts are increasingly relying on the church to perform non-religious functions. This means that as they continue to retreat further and further inward they overpopulate the church with the clutter of daily life and activity, not only harming the church, but themselves, in that their reclusion from society cripples their social involvement. I agree with this point, and I think that Copts in general, need to be more politically and socially active. Regardless of whether or not we are naturally passive, we care and we have to start doing something about it. Again, these are simply my opinions and i probably could've been more clear, but i think you get the gist of it.
  • jydeaconjydeacon
    Thats true i agree with Epnomos Entaio
  • andrewgandrewg
    "God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he reap" (Gal. 6:7)

    -GB
  • Anglican
    Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

    If someone is being a bad Muslim, all the more reason for us to be good Christians.

    The advice to 'fight back' in peaceful ways is very wise - that was Our Lord's counsel.

    In Christ,

    John
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