Friday, March 29, AD 2024 2:35am

21 Coptic Christians Dead and What To Do About It

A Muslim homicide bomber maimed 97 innocent Christians and killed (and still counting) 21 other innocent Christians at the conclusion of Mass outside a Coptic Church in Alexandria, Egypt.  Of course our impotent President Obama condemned… no one essentially, only the act itself.

First of all we as Christians here in the West should do is pray, pray, and pray more for the victims and perpetrators of this attack as well as our ignorant American president.

Secondly we should demand that President Obama tie foreign aid to countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, etc., to the protection of Christians in their respective countries.

If said countries sufficiently protect those Christian minorities, then said aid will flow.  If not, cut off all aid immediately.

A simple solution to an allegedly complex problem.

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Donald R. McClarey
Admin
Saturday, January 1, AD 2011 9:23pm

The best favor any Christian who lives in the West can do for any Christian who lives in an Islamic state is to get them a one way plane ticket to the West. The Copts of Egypt have faced this type of casual murder since the time of the Islamic conquest of Egypt in the Seventh Century. Some periods have been better than others, but, at best, the Copts exist as a barely tolerated and despised minority. Their fate is basically the fate of all Christians who live under the Crescent of Islam.

Stephen E Dalton
Stephen E Dalton
Sunday, January 2, AD 2011 8:56am

Tito, we should also send a lot of missionaries to the Middle East too. They’ll probably have to work underground for years, but we have to start evangelizing the Muslim world to save their souls and our Christian culture.

RR
RR
Sunday, January 2, AD 2011 10:15am

Obama condemned… no one essentially, only the act itself.

Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do as Christians?

bill bannon
bill bannon
Sunday, January 2, AD 2011 1:53pm

Stephen,
Would you go into such a missionary life? When Isaac Jogues went into Indian territory, there was no TV, nor radios nor pamphets dropped from planes as a possible alternative in preaching the Gospel.. Now there are alternatives to risking your own de-capitation. If Islam was not impressed with Mother Teresa’s work into conversion….then Islam may be the swine Christ forbade us to cast pearls before.
Let revisit what Christ said while imagining the beheadings that can take place:

Mat 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.

Christ seems to be warning us away from your missionary project. The blasphemy law of Pakistan has 60% public support. That’s a lot of non moderate Muslims we are spending billions on as we purchase their clothing in Macy’s. The other Pakistanis can easily access the gospel and dogma online….no need for
Isaac Jocques to get his fingers chewed off again. If Mother Teresa could not do it, there will only be individual conversions and those can happen by the word…
Paul…” Faith comes by hearing”. Good Muslims…anonymous Christians…can find the word online.

Don the Kiwi
Don the Kiwi
Sunday, January 2, AD 2011 3:43pm

The Faith is built on the blood of martyrs.
I have heard reports that there are literaly millions of Muslims each year converting to Christianity, and the witness of these people is probably the reason.
I am not suggesting that this is a desireable thing, but we have to keep in mind the bigger picture, and prayer, and the entreaties of Our Lady to our God – the one whom the Muslims acknowledge as the virgin mother of Jesus, and the one who, as Fulton Sheen told us, will lead the Muslims to conversion.
Did the English, in the 16th. and 17th centuries give up? No – and the fruits may only be being realised now after the visit by Benedict, and the issuing of Anglicanorum Coetibus.
These evnts are certainly trajic to witness, and I do not claim to want to be in their place – but we cannot throw the toys out of the cot and give up.
Prayer and fasting and being obedient in our own lives will be a start, and convincing/demanding our state leaders to speak out is paramount.

bill bannon
bill bannon
Sunday, January 2, AD 2011 4:59pm

Don
In 2006, Georgio Paolucci, the Italian editor of magazine, Avennire (Catholic) and a Libyan journalist, Camille Eid, wrote a book on Islamic converts to Christianity (Christian from Islam) published by Piemme and they were interviewed by Zenit. They spoke of “several hundred converts, from the countries of North Africa, the Middle East and Asia.”
Be sure to compare actual real world publishing…as in paper books…. on such topics when you read internet claims of millions by small zealous groups on you tube or the net. The latter groups just might never get published by a real publisher…because they would have to produce data and they probably cannot.

Mark Noonan
Sunday, January 2, AD 2011 6:38pm

When I heard of this attack, something changed inside me – yes, pray for our enemies; yes, mortify any desire for revenge; yes, do our Christian duty…but doesn’t our Christian duty call us to succor the innocent who are suffering? Is it not time that we struck at Islam and let them know that we won’t allow their heresy to be used a justification for murdering our brothers and sisters?

I don’t know what to do – but I do know that Christian men should not stand aside while women and children are butchered.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Sunday, January 2, AD 2011 6:56pm

FYI: Osma bin Laden declared war on us in 1996. He killed hundreds of Africans at US embassies; in 2000 he killed our sailors on the Coles; on 9/11/2001 he killed 3,000 of us; . . .

Muhammadan mass murder: not a question of if, when. Not who, but which one will do it; which will supply the weapons, food, funds, shelter, transport; which one will reconnoiter; which one will assist the scape and evasion; etc.

Like Bush before him, Obama is not intent on winning the war. Unlike Dubya, B. Hussein actually hates America and our way of life.

And, there are way too many Obama-worshipping morons. We’re ruined.

bill bannon
bill bannon
Sunday, January 2, AD 2011 11:07pm

Tito,
Run that chastisement theory past your favorite priest. Christ (Mt. 5:45) said God makes His rain to fall on the just and unjust. Chastisement happens but even the Church is silent on such matters. We are not Isaiah or Jeremiah. It was Divinely disclosed to them; they did not conjecture it or reason to it as to Israel and the exile….and it was due to something very akin to abortion within Baal worship.
But run it past your favorite priest. The schism wasn’t yesterday. Punishment that is untimely teaches no one anything.

Harper MacDonald
Harper MacDonald
Sunday, January 2, AD 2011 11:13pm

Mark Noonan,
Yes, this is a difficult problem. But I, for one, think that we’ve been patient too long. To quote St. John Chrysostom–“That person who does not become irate when he has just cause to be, sins. For an unreasonable patience is the hotbed of many vices; it fosters negligence, and stimulates not only the wicked, but above all the good, to do wrong.”

Indeed, I’ve been considering enlisting in the armed forces myself. It’s just too much to stand by and watch this sort of thing happening.

Don the Kiwi
Don the Kiwi
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 12:47am

Tito.
Christians have been killed in the name of Mohamed for well over 13 centuries and not once have I seen a muslim country turn Christian.

All Muslim countries were once Christian. What about the Reconquista of Spain? – Muslim occupation started in the 8th century and it took till the 13th century to finally recover Spain for Christianity. Things are happening – Albania, and Egypt to a lesser extent. I saw on the news this evening the Coptic Chritsians of Alexandria mounting a very large protest at their govt. for not protecting Christians – not only Orthodox but Coptic Catholics as well.
And I can’t agree with your thought that this is a chastisement on the Orthodox – Ours is a God of compassion, and these people have been persecuted on and off for centuries – I don’t think our God is directing it, all Christians are suffering in these regions.

Henry Karlson
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 5:21am

There might be another side to the story. Of course, one could say it is damage control, but this side of the story, sometimes, turns out true (USS Liberty, never forget).

Seems some are saying it was a set up by Mossad:

A coalition of Egyptian lawyers accused Israel of being behind an terror attack in Alexandria that killed 22 members of the Christian Copt sect attending midnight mass on New Year’s eve, Army Radio reported Monday.

“The Mossad carried out the the operation in a natural reaction to the latest uncovering of an Israeli espionage network,” the lawyers accused at a rally in memory of the victims, organized by the Egyptian Bar Association, according to the report.

http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=202019

Now, of course, some will say “never.” But I know Mossad, and I can see this being done for such a purpose. I am not saying it was, but it is easy to forget that Israel is often causing trouble, and persecutes Christians too.

Elaine Krewer
Admin
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 7:14am

Henry,

Sorry, I don’t buy that at all. What would Israel possibly have to gain by doing this? Sounds like the usual reflexive blame game practiced in most Middle Eastern nations.

I am aware of the USS Liberty incident; that occurred during the Six-Day War and was most probably an attempt to prevent the ship from interfering in Israel’s war operations or gathering intelligence. I also am aware of Mossad’s “you don’t ever want to mess with them” reputation. But, how on earth are Copts attending a midnight Mass any threat to Israel’s security?

Donald R. McClarey
Admin
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 7:31am

Well, considering that some Egyptians have blamed the Mossad for shark attacks,

http://english.pravda.ru/society/stories/07-12-2010/116083-shark_attacks_mossad-0/,

I can understand why they also seek to blame the Israelis for this latest example of the 1300 year old game in Egypt of kill the Copts. Why anyone outside of a looney bin would take such an accusation seriously is another question.

Henry Karlson
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 7:48am

Elaine

What does Israel have to gain? Many things. The argument by the lawyers is revenge. But we must remember, Israel has a history of attacking even its allies, and trying to make it look like others were to blame. Israel likes to make more storms so as to garnish sympathy and support, all the while doing things to punish those they feel are going against their wishes.

Do I accept it? I don’t know, I would have to be shown the evidence. But I do know that it happens.

Oh, and Donald, so because some people think shark attacks happened because of Israel, Israel never does wrong? Talk about jumping the shark with a fallacious response!

Remember the USS Liberty.

Paul Zummo
Admin
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 8:02am

Don’t forget the Rand Corporation and the reverse vampires. Anybody could have been behind these attacks.

But probably it was a whacked out Muslim.

Donald R. McClarey
Admin
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 8:14am

Karslon, let me shorten your comment for you: “I blame the Joos!” I do appreciate however that you haven’t yet cited The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

RL
RL
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 8:31am

I’m not sure how killing innocent Copts garners sympathy for Israel, even if blame is deferred to Muslims, but let’s say that is satisfactory motivation, and that because of the USS Liberty incident 40 years ago that they are capable of doing such a nasty thing. It seems, based on recent history that Muslim groups and individuals have been responsible for the vast majority of these attacks, especially in Muslim countries. We also know that certain Muslim groups call for the killing of Christians and Jews and that they act on it. We also know from experience there are Muslims who may or may not agree with such means but nevertheless blame Israel. They also tend to blame Israel for every unfortunate thing that befalls them or those they identify with.

I do not believe it is reasonable to suspect to Israel in any way given the information we have. One would be no further from the truth to blame Dick Cheney or the Dali Lama at this point.

c matt
c matt
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 8:48am

The only possible thing Israel would have to gain from such an alleged act might be further antagonism of the West directed at Muslims leading to some sort of mid-east crackdown directed against its Arab neighbors. But this type of act will be excused/explained away by those who sympathize with Muslims, and those who don’t do not need further provocation. I find it really hard to believe it was a Mossad act, when Muslims do this rather frequently, and this is most likely just what it appears to be – another typical Muslim on Christian attack.

Ivan
Ivan
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 11:55am

President Mubarak’s cold peace is the best that the Israelis can expect from the Egyptians. Why would they undermine his postion and turn the strongest Arab nation against themselves? Without the Egyptians to threathen Israel from across the Sinai; Syria, Hizballah and Hamas mean little to the Israelis in military terms.

Nate Wildermuth
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 4:33pm

When Christ commanded us to love our enemies and do good to those who hate us, he not only meant it, but then showed us what such love looks like: the cross. Two solutions were offered in this thread: missionary work and warfare. Only one looks like a cross.

I take solace in the fact that Islam is doomed by its own fundamental error. Like secular humanism, like the idols of Rome, Greece, and every ancient kingdom (still waiting on the Hindus), the god of Islam will inevitably fall and be forgotten.

The greater danger to the Church is not Islamic violence, but Islamic lies. To the extent that we response as Muslims would respond (death-dealing), we give in to their lies. To the extent that we respond as the Church and the Gospel and Jesus Christ teach us (“love of enemy constitutes the nucleus of the Christian revolution”), we shatter their lies.

Dale Price
Dale Price
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 5:34pm

1. Muslim terrorists commit atrocity against their Christian neighbors–check.

2. Fellow Muslims reflexively engage in conspiracy-theorizing and deflection tactics to avoid facing the atrocity and what it says about Muslim civil society–check.

3. Select Westerners reinforce and nurture infantilization of deflecting Muslims–check.

Must be a Monday.

bill bannon
bill bannon
Monday, January 3, AD 2011 5:36pm

Christ….the actual one…said this….Mat 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.”

Catholics whether liberal or conservative do not quote the whole Christ. The Christ who said the above is warning you that He has rules about which crosses you choose. Cross is not an intrinsic good.
Christ casts pearls before swine only…only….. when it was their day…” Jerusalem, Jerusalem…if thou hadst known IN THIS THY DAY the things that are for thy peace…”
Every country now has a government unlike when Isaac Jogues was a missionary. If a Muslim government protects Christians, missionaries should go because Christ’s words about not casting pearls and being torn by swine is honored in virtue of Muslim police protecting missionaries. But if Muslim police in another country are not going to protect missionaries, then missionaries are not honoring Christ if they seek a cross that Christ warned against in Matthew. So no one here is going into danger anyway…..but to urge others into danger is to ignore the swine warning of Christ and is simply to ignore the real Christ who does not will each and every imaginable cross. He forbids a particular cross in the swine/tear passage.
He actually wants safety not adventurism for his missionaries.

Dale Price
Dale Price
Tuesday, January 4, AD 2011 11:35am

I am delighted to report that deflection and paranoia is not the only Muslim response to the massacre and overall increasing brutalization of the Copts:

http://english.ahram.org.eg/UI/Front/NewsContentP/4/2977/Opinion/J%E2%80%99accuse.aspx

Phillip
Phillip
Wednesday, January 5, AD 2011 10:28am

“Remember the USS Liberty”

I say it was the Spanish. Remember the Maine!

Black Adder
Wednesday, January 5, AD 2011 10:59am

I’ve never understood the conspiratorial perspective about the USS Liberty incident. Israel is in the middle of an all out war for its survival with several surrounding states decides to launch an unprovoked attack on an ally nation which is also one of the most powerful countries in the world. I thought the stereotype was that Jews are supposed to be really smart.

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