For people who don't believe that Coptic Christians are oppressed and that it is a well known and even legal occurrance, I refer you to this link.
A Coptic leader has his life threatened...and why:
Father Boutros is an Egyptian Coptic priest who has peacefully inspired about 500 Egyptian Muslims to convert to Christianity, something considered a crime punishable by death in the Muslim world. For carrying out those conversions, he was imprisoned twice while he was living in Egypt in the early 1980’s and is now living in exile outside of the country.
In case someone says that something has been taken out of context:
TV host Adib, in threatening Father Boutros, said that no one will remain quiet about what Father Boutros says and does even today. He will be cut up into little pieces. If he were still in Egypt, he would never be able to return to his home alive. He was told he would not get away with those conversions of Muslims to Christianity.
Maybe they were talking about cut up into pieces in the next world? hmmm...but:
We know where Father Boutros resides and finding him is not difficult. We can get him by many ways and by any means.
The reporter says:
This story brought threats, common in the Muslim world, to a new level done by a TV host on an Arab television show. Frightened Christian Copts in Egypt are for good reason now terrified by the new openness and courage of their own priests.
Oh...and for people expecting an international outcry, the show aired in December of 2005. The reporter only saw it today.
I pray for Coptic Christians in Egypt and around the world. That one day they may live in and vist the land of Egypt in safety, and celebrate the faith brought by St. Mark. I pray that Egypt may one day shelter them in safety, as it sheltered the Holy Family.
12 comments:
Hey David
Just wanted to share with you a story from Father Zakaria Boutros's childhood. It is a bit disturbing and involves torture...so please feel free to remove it if you want.
His elder brother, Fouad Boutros was a preacher and loved to speak to people about Jesus and His love and salvation. In 1948 he (Fouad) was coming back from a small village where he had just spoken at a church. A group of Muslims who belonged to "al Ikhwan Al Moslemeen" (Muslim Brotherhood) set upon him, beat him up with sticks the cut off his tongue. As if this wasn't enough, they laid him on the ground on his side and inserted a "sikh" (iron skewer) into his ear...then left him there to die. Because he loved to speak about Jesus.
Pray for his attackers, so they may repent and attain salvation before it's too late. Pray for his soul, may he be resting in the Lord's arms. Pray for his family so they have solace and comfort until they meet him again in Heaven.
I wouldn't dream of removing the story. That is the kind of thing that needs to be known.
I will indeed pray for all involved. It is a tragic irony that most of the people who perform acts of horror like this usually call their group a brotherhood. I pray that God will transform their hearts with the true meaning of brotherhood.
I know a Coptic family that left Egypt because they would have been murdered had they stayed. They have family members that have been murdered.
Egypt is not a nice place to live or visit!
Sad and Tragic are words that are too weak to express the sorrow of the situation. Egypt has such history in the world and in the Christian faith. The Christian population has gone through so much, and now they live in a horrible dictatorship that the west ignores and calls the most liberal of the muslim nations.
Hi David,
I have personally been touched spiritually by father zakaria, he is a great diciple for Jesus. God loves him and I am sure encourages him to touch peoples lives that are less fortunate than ours. Yes Egyptian Copts have been persecuted for centuries by fundamentalist islamic minorites, unfortunately if Egypt was still under English occupation it would still be a civilised country were christians and islamic people learned to liv together in peace and harmony.
God bless father Zakaria and I am sure he is doing his best work to defeat satan and Islam which go hand in hand.
Father Zacharia has such clarity of understanding. Why do so many of us in the West refuse to see the truth? why are we afraid of the truth? Why do we maintain that Islam is a religion of peace, when it is plain from even a cursory look at the Quran that it is totally intolerant of all other religions? Why don't we face the truth, and then figure out how to deal with it instead of burying our heads in the sand? why don't we learn the lessons of history? God bless and keep such courageous people as Father Zacharia.
Hi all,
I too am a great admirer of Father Zakaria. I spent a year in Egypt studying arabic and grew to love the Coptic, and Catholic, and Evangelical Church there.
They do face persecution, are always watched, and never feel free in expressing their faith.
But Jesus' love is greater than all this and many, such as Fr Zakaria, have risen above the hatred and suspicion so common on both sides to boldly declare Jesus and denounce the worthless idols that try to take his place.
We can learn from his courage.. and also his love for Muslims.
Hi David - thanks for posting this. I met Fr. Zakaria on the night he was let out of prison back in 1986. He's a genius and at the same time one of the most humble brothers I have ever known. Please join me in prayer that he live a long and fruitful life and that many who live in the darkness of Islam will come to know the light and love of Jesus Christ.
I will remain anonymous on this posting as I still travel to & from Egypt. One day may IS 19:23-25 become a reality again.
Hello everyone,
I am an Egyptian Coptic Orthodox person living in NJ. I travel to Egypt almost every year, and it really hurts every fiber in me to see how my fellow Christian brothers/sisters are treated. You live here in the states and you don't really know how good you have it until you go back to Egypt. These people have no rights whatsoever, and it's not fair. They are human beings just like the rest of the world. It's not like we're asking everyone in Egypt to become Christian. All we want is to be left alone to practice our own religion. I don't see why that is so hard. Abouna Zacharia (abouna is father in arabic) came to NJ a few years ago, and you should have seen how many Muslims were outside the church waiting for him to come out. They did all this for a person who has NEVER said one bad thing about their faith. All he has done is read to them what is in their Koran. If they are not ashamed of what is in there, then there shouldn't be a problem. I don't know how they call themselves a religion of peace. Thye try to sugarcoat things to gain as many converts as possible. Any reasonably intelligent person should be able to see right through it. I just don't get it. Anyway, Dave, i want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for making people aware of the situation in Egypt. I pray for you and for all Christians, that they may lead a safe, and productive life, doing everything in Christ's name.
dear all: i'm an egyptian coptic and i think i represent somehow my agegroup in egypt , we have lived most of our lives with peace and harmony among our muslims brthers and maybe sometimes we have witnessed some bad experiences but that doesn't represent the muslims in egypt , our country is a great country and a great history and just to let you know that one of the richest guys in the arab world is an egyptian coptic Mr. Naguib Sawiris and i love him to death and if in our country there's any discrimination amoung religions how this guy managed to be one of the richest and successfull in egypt and the arab world , Father Zakaria is no longer a priest in the egyptian church and i don't respect what he says cause he is cursing muslims and if we accept that then we should then accept that some muslims curse us and never to answer them , if this is what you want egyptians than accept the muslims to curse u and don't answer , Father Zakaria is causing troubles between us and our muslim brothers , plz ask him to stop that , we love our country and we wish the best for it and not the worst.
Re: Liza Comment
Hi Liza, in relation to your comment, Father Zakaria is a retired priest from the Coptic Orthodox Church. I do not know what Nagib Sawiris has to do with this article ? Mathew 19:24 - "And Again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God"
Father Zakaria is only pointing out what is in the Koran and there own literature, he has never sworn or abused them on any of his articles or show's, and is still waiting for an answer from there Sheiks which cannot answer him because what he is saying is the Truth.
Before Father Zakaria there was persecution of copts in Egypt, maybe now they the Muslims can wake up and see what there religion really is like and that the religion itself is from Satan and not God.
One day the Muslim world will all become Christians and what Father Zakararia has done here is the start, may God bless him and help guide him to continue on his current path.
Regards Nader
In response to Liza.
We agree with you. Zakaria Botros has caused a lot of trouble all over the world. If you want the truth go and visit www.copticleaks.org. It shows the mess he has made in the past the present and most probably in the future too. He is now in hiding afraid for his life. We understand that he is living in a country that respects freedom of speech. We have no problem with that but he should take off his black garments because they represent the Coptic Church. He can wear a full suite or a T-shirt as far as we are concerned. This man has been stripped of his spiritual duties by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. He is a disgrace to the Christian faith. We don’t think that this man would have so much impact if he had worn civilian clothing. Please refer to the above mentioned website to find out more about this trouble maker. All is true and documented with material evidence.
Our Lord Jesus Christ said Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves". Paul said in Acts 20:29 "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock".
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