Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

Sheba

Selam Selam!

A sister from Ethiopia. Found this site while googling.

How is the Egyptian Orthodox Church doing? I once heard that they were prosecuted by the Moslems and that they even get killed. Actually sometimes that happens in Ethiopia too. But I think what happens on Egyptian christians is worse. Were u able to get some solution? Couple of months ago there was some kind of demonstration regarding it in US town. Did the government interfere? Or is it worse?

Sheba

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Sheba

Hi Jibrahim. Nice to meet you. Yes, Christians have long being prosecuted (ofcourse in some cases prosecution has also been done in the name of Christianity)

I was just asking about the Coptic Christians because last time we were asked by some Egyptian orthodox priests to help them in the demonstration. I didn't take part because I was in another town. But I very much would like to know the result; especially what the Egyptian muslims said or what the government did.

You know recently some agression was observed in EThiopia and the goverment was reluctant to act. However, the Christian public made a huge demonstration and fiercely objected the attack performed by Muslim fundamentalists. The government was then forced to make a statement ( that somehow helped to sooth the situation)

Anyway, I hope things will go fine. However, it is wise to not only ask people their help but also let them know what the result was. Otherwise, how do they know?

GBU


Sheba

Mozes

Hi Sheba,

Welcome to the forum!

I do not think Christians in Ethiopia have any problems. As far as i know, hasn't Ethiopia always been a christian country? Of course, some extrimists can make trouble every now and then. They are all over the world.Their behavior in places where they have no power does not amount to persecution of non-muslims. The problems in egypt are entirely different. I will attach the following post  so that you have an idea what Christians there are going through.This is only the tip of the iceberg.



Coptic blogger is given the choice between converting to Islam or jail without trial     

Written by Medhat Eweeda 

13 September 2009

If you have any doubts about the persecution of copts by the Egyptian Government in Egypt, here is a true story for you. The story of a Coptic blogger, Hany Aziz, whom I consider lucky that we happened to find out about his story, as I am sure that there are tens of other people who go through similar situations without anyone knowing or hearing of them.

The star of the story is Hany Nazeer Aziz, a social worker in one of the public schools in Southern Egypt, in a town called Naga Hamadi, who has a blog post named (Preacher of Love).

Last September, a novel by the name "Azzazil's Billy Goat in Mecca"  was published in response to Youssef Zaidan's novel "Azazil" (which Copts considered a massive assault against Christianity).

Since the the Egyptian law contains clauses that prohibit assaults against religions, the author of this new novel -who was known by Father Youta- was sought after by the Egyptian police and internal security officers.

No need to mention that such actions are only taken when someone attacks Islam only, but when it comes to Christianity or other religions, you can say, write, swear, make fun of or accuse them as much as you like.

As a matter of fact assaulting Christianity is not only allowed in Egypt, but rather encouraged by the Egyptian Government.

In numerable occurrences, some unknown reporters become famous just by attacking Christianity. They were granted awards, titles, money gifts in dollars, dinars and pounds. All that just for attacking Christianity.

Fearing for his life, father Youta never revealed his real identity to anyone and most likely left Egypt and lived somewhere abroad so despite of their phenomenal efforts, the police couldn't locate him for long periods of times. To hide their failure they arrested Hany on the 3rd of October, 2008 and claimed him to be father Youta, and of course they found some volunteers from his neighbourhood to tip the police and attest that Hany "is" father Youta.

Even though father Youta never stopped writing and publishing his articles after the arrest of Hany, Hany is still imprisoned. No one heard form him anymore until we received a report from the Arabic Network for Human Rights, after his lawyer Jamal Edi met Hany and was informed that the authorities are threatening him with imprisonment for life, if he does not convert to Islam.

55 days after Hany's arrest, charges were dropped by the court, but the police refused to set him free. This is a severe violation of the law, and the question is how could an innocent human being be imprisoned for 11 months after charges against him are dropped by the court and without further trial?

As a matter of fact I can't help but blame everyone who has a blog post on the internet for having neglected to talk about this issue. I believe if the media followed up on Hany's case, none of this would have happened, and he would have been released since the charges were dropped last November. The most that he should have spent in prison if any is three and half months.

I just don't understand the reasons behind the neglect from the media although Hany is a colleague, and what happened to him could happen to any activist or blogger in Egypt. Turing our eyes away from Hany, will encourage the authorities to do it again and again. Today it is Hany, tomorrow it could be you.

I take this opportunity to invite all to side with Hany, I invite all bloggers, writers, human rights activists and reporters to pursue this case and to keep publishing the story. Words are a strong weapon that is feared by all unjust governments. I invite all activists and human rights organizations in both Egypt and the world to pay a special attention to Hany's case.. I demand all Egyptian and international organizations to declare their position concerning this case..

I also ask Abba Krill's the Archbishop of "Nag Hamid" Egypt to call upon the Egyptian Security to release Hany.  They promised to release him right after the investigations are over..but he hasn't been released as of yet.

As for myself, I will keep my promise to write about the oppressed Hany Nazeer and his unjust case until he is released.

Mozes

[quote author=Sheba link=topic=8360.msg106527#msg106527 date=1253899898]
Hi Jibrahim. Nice to meet you. Yes, Christians have long being prosecuted (ofcourse in some cases prosecution has also been done in the name of Christianity)

I was just asking about the Coptic Christians because last time we were asked by some Egyptian orthodox priests to help them in the demonstration. I didn't take part because I was in another town. But I very much would like to know the result; especially what the Egyptian muslims said or what the government did.

You know recently some agression was observed in EThiopia and the goverment was reluctant to act. However, the Christian public made a huge demonstration and fiercely objected the attack performed by Muslim fundamentalists. The government was then forced to make a statement ( that somehow helped to sooth the situation)

Anyway, I hope things will go fine. However, it is wise to not only ask people their help but also let them know what the result was. Otherwise, how do they know?

GBU


Sheba


Demo's bring no valuable result.Some people go to have fun or meet other friends:-).
Following is the report on the recent strike in egypt. I know there was one, i think, in DC as well.Thank you for your concern.


Los Angeles Times

Around 7,000 Coptic Christians gathered at the Father Kyrillos church on the outskirts of Cairo to pray for an end to “discriminaton” during the celebration of the Egyptian Coptic New Year this weekend.

The gathering Friday came after calls by a number of Coptic organizations to abandon this year’s celebrations as a protest against the perceived oppression of Christians in Egypt were met by deaf ears.

Thousands of Copts attended ceremonial masses on the same day.


But groups like Youth Against Discrimination and Copts United for Egypt urged Copts to show anger by declaring Sept. 11 — Coptic New Year — a general sit-in for Christians throughout the country.

They asked people not to attend New Year masses, to stay home all day and wear all-black outfits in addition to decorating their windows with black flags.

While the Coptic Orthodox Church, headed by Pope Shenouda III, rejected such a protest, claiming that the Coptic New Year is a religious occasion that should never be politically orientated, priest Metias Nasr of Father Kyrillos’ church said that the gathering was arranged to show solidarity with the Christian groups’ demands.

“We are not here to support any sit-ins or strikes. We are here to call for the same demands those groups based the idea of a general protest on,” Nasr said. “All our grievances are legitimate enough to start a sit-in, but we have never discussed such possibility.”

The attending crowd carried signs with slogans asking the government to issue a uniform law for building worship houses and condemning what they called the forceful conversion of Coptic minors to Islam.

“Copts have been silent about violations to their rights for so long, but now it is time to speak out,” said Rami Kamel, general coordinator of Youth Against Discrimination.

“Solving Copts’ problems in Egypt will be the country’s only way of ever reaching democracy,” Kamel added.

Copts form around 10% of Egypt’s population of nearly 80 million. Sunni Islam is the country’s main religion and Islamic Sharia law is the cornerstone of all legislation.

– Amro Hassan in Cairo

godislove260

You should not believe everything you read on in the internet...

There is discrimination against Copts in Egypt, but not all, and not always
(and persecution is a very strong word that might not be fitting here..)

Copts are not all holy victims and martyrs, not the ones in Egypt, nor the ones outside of Egypt

The government is weak and corrupt

All Egyptians (muslims and christians) are being treated badly by the government

God is our protector, lawyer, judge and father...

Sheba

[quote author=Godislove260 link=topic=8360.msg106551#msg106551 date=1253956432]
You should not believe everything you read on in the internet...

(and persecution is a very strong word that might not be fitting here..)

I dont know what made me use the word "prosecution". I think I have over estimated the abuse. The first time I heard about the presence of an Orthodox Church out of Ethiopia (I used to assume that Orthodox Church was found only in Ethiopia when I was a kid), I heard about the Egyptian Orthodox Church and together with it, I heard about the pressure from the Muslim govt. I think that stayed with me.

I do not think Christians in Ethiopia have any problems. As far as i know, hasn't Ethiopia always been a christian country?

Oh you are wrong. Wherever Christians are, there is a problem. Because of the devil.

I din't need to mention the many problems that were faced by the Ethiopian Church in the past. I can only mention one example from the recent memory- the Derg (socialist regime) was a God-less materialist government which killed many Christians. The one that is existing now is also materialist and God-less (eventhough it doesn't openly say so). So, it has corrupted every cultural and religious system by putting its cadres everywhere. Those who stand for the Church and bitterly oppose the government's implicit anti-religious strategies are always prosecuted. The government, however, couldn't make the prosecution openly because still the Orthodox Christians are the majority, and there are some influential Orthodoxe members in the government too.

So,... problems always exist. But the best part of it is, it makes people grow and strengthened. What anti-Christian governments did in Ethiopia always backfired on them at the end. If you meet a lost, confused God-less educated scholarly Ethioipan parroting the cliche of the "modern globalized world" junks, he most probably is "one of the previous"-combination of atheist-communist-angry guy who can't keep up with the present day Ethiopian youngs that are zealously religious and patriotic. :) The government is full of such peopole today. When that generation passes, it will be renessance.

So, work with the youngsters. I believe Pope Shenouda was right when trying to convince the people that religious cermonies shouldn't be covered by political orientations. The reiligion can walk slowly and nail the rotten politics in its coffin. It is just a matter of time.

Sheba!!

elsi70x7

[quote author=Mozes link=topic=8360.msg106542#msg106542 date=1253928922]
Hi Sheba,

Welcome to the forum!

I do not think Christians in Ethiopia have any problems. As far as i know, hasn't Ethiopia always been a christian country?


Ethiopian Christians have many problems! As wisely stated by 'Sheba'; the Devil is always there to attack people who are striving 4 true Christian values! I think since the beginning of time!
  "The afflictions of the righteous are many, but GOD delivers him out of all"

In the 1500's Ethiopian Christianity was almost wiped out by 'Ahmed Gragn'. If Ethiopians did not accept Islam, they were murdered. It was a big battle. Ethiopians had to call on the Portugese for assistance and even though out-numbered the Ethiopian-Portugese Army defeated Ahmed Gragn.....with GODS help!!!
Ethiopians have fought very hard for the freedom of Religion they enjoy today....and still fight hard to maintain it. It is a constant struggle because our adversary the Devil is serious about his attack. He knows history, strengths, weaknesses....he is no joke.
Of course our ALMIGHTY GOD is in control! We just need to realize it and work towards the goal......the Prize!
Copts and Ethiopians have fought side by side in battle before and defeated their common enemy. I am glad to hear that the 'youth' realize that and are working towards the great new Renaissance! "As it was in the beginning, so shall it be in the end!"

GOD Bless u all!!!