All we heard from the media during the Egyptian “Arab Spring”, about the Christian community minority is that they were solidly behind the ousting of the Mubarak regime. The Tundra Tabloids reported differently, that in fact the Christians were feeling mightly distressed over the possibility of the Muslim Brotherhood gaining a central role in and over Egyptian society.
That looks like the case, as the Egyptian leader of the Arab League, (now running for president) Amr Moussa has predicted that “the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists will have a parliamentary majority.”
A Muslim Brotherhood win will indeed send shock waves throughout the Copt community, possibly resulting in a massive wave of Christian refugees fleeing the fundamuslim regime. No doubt many Copts are desperately exploring their options come June when the planned parliamentary elections are set to take place. KGS
Egypt: Situation Deteriorating Badly and Rapidly
In the wake of bloody Muslim attacks on Egyptian Christians the New York Times informs us:
“By lifting the heavy hand of the Mubarak police state, the revolution unleashed long-suppressed sectarian animosities that have burst out with increasing ferocity….”
No kidding! Did you think a single Egyptian Christian didn’t know this in February? Why didn’t the media report or the U.S. government understand that this was absolutely inevitable and predictabe. But the only mentions of Christians were to claim that they were really enthusiastic about the revolution.
The remaining Christians in most of the Arabic-speaking world may be on the edge of flight or extinction. All of the Christians have left the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip which is, in effect, an Islamist republic. They are leaving the West Bank. Half have departed from an increasingly Islamist-oriented Iraq where they are under terrorist attack. Within a few years they might all be gone.
In Lebanon while the Christians are holding their own there is a steady emigration. As for Syria, the community has generally supported the Asad regime fearing a revolutionary Islamist replacement. One dissident recalled that as he was being beaten in a Syrian prison a few years ago the police yelled at him, “Why are you doing this? You’re a Christian!”
Egypt has more Christians than Israel’s entire population. There have been numerous attacks, with the latest in Cairo leaving 12 dead, 220 wounded, and two churches burned. The Western media generally attributes this to inter-religious battles. Yet Egypt’s Christians, so totally outnumbered and not having any access to the power of the state, have generally kept a low profile.
It is hard to believe that gangs of Christians go out and attack Muslims, especially when the fighting revolves around mobs attacking churches. “How can they say we started it when we are defending our church?” asked one Christian. That makes sense.
The Christians cannot depend on any support from Western churches or governments. Will there be a massive flight of tens or even hundreds of thousands of Christians from Egypt in the next few years?
