This Bishop reminds me of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. A dhimmi of epic proportions and one who threw his culture under the bus in favor of "tolerance and diversity"
The end of the Copts in Egypt is imminent. Makes me puke. One mans opinion. Barry When I read stories like this I become outraged, hence a few choice > editorial comments > BR > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ------------ > > Egypt pope apologizes over bishop's Islam remarks > By MAGGIE MICHAEL > The Associated Press / W Post > Sunday, September 26, 2010; 4:09 PM > CAIRO -- Egypt's Coptic Christian leader Pope Shenouda III apologized in a > television interview Sunday to any Muslims who were offended after his top > bishop reportedly disputed the authenticity of some verses of the Quran. > The remarks come during a period of heightened tension in Egypt between > the > majority Muslims and a Christian minority that feels discriminated > against. > Shenouda's apology comes a day after the premier institute of Islamic > learning in the Sunni Muslim world, Al-Azhar, criticized Bishop Bishoy, > the > Coptic Church's No. 2, for provoking sectarian tension. > Bishoy was quoted in the Egyptian media for wondering about the time frame > for the revelation of the Quranic verses disputing the divine nature of > Jesus Christ. The bishop reportedly said these verses were inserted after > the > Prophet Muhammad's death by one of his successors. [ many scholars take > the > view that major parts of the Qur'an are later interpolations.] > Muslims believe that the prophet received all verses through the Archangel > Gabriel during his lifetime and they are the immutable word of God. [ > exactly why should Christians or anyone else be expected to respect this > point > of view when it is so obviously false ? ] > Tensions between Muslims and Copts are on the rise over issues like the > construction of new churches and bitter arguments over conversions. The > two > communities generally live in peace, though clashes and attacks have taken > place. > "Debating religious beliefs are a red line, [ nonsense, why should they > be > if truth actually matters ? ] a deep red line," Shenouda said in an > interview aired on state-run TV. "Maybe they (Bishoy's address) thought > this is > for priests only and the remarks were not for publication." > "I am sorry if our Muslim brother's feelings were hurt," he added. [ > really ? what a wimp. If the feelings of Muslims are hurt maybe it is > because > they are narrow-minded bigots who need to have their feelings wounded > because > the premises on which they are based are wrong ] > Bishoy also sparked outrage last week when he told Al-Masry Al-Youm > newspaper that "Muslims are only guests" in the country. > For this incident, Shenouda blamed the press for possibly misquoting > Bishoy > and said that "we are the ones who are guests since Muslims are the > majority." Coptic Christians make up around 6 to 10 percent of the > country's 80 > million people. Prior to the 7th Century Arab invasion, Egypt was > majority > Christian. > Thousands of Muslims demonstrated on Friday against Bishoy's remarks and > Al-Azhar's Islamic Research Center held an emergency meeting to condemn > the > bishop's statements. > "Such irresponsible statements threaten ... national unity at a time when > it is vital to maintain it," said the statement. > The leader of the Muslim Brotherhood opposition group, Mohammed Badie, > urged Muslims to "respond to whomever slanders the book of God or the > prophet." > > Shenouda appealed for calm. > "You don't extinguish fire by adding more fire, you need water," he said. > Seeking to cool the controversy, political parties and the journalists' > association have urged their members to stay away from the debate. > Muslims complain that the Coptic Church is above state law and enjoys > protections and safeguards not extended to society at large. Christians > complain > of systematic discrimination by the state. > Tensions occasionally spills over into violence. In January, a gunman > killed six Copts and a Muslim guard in a drive-by shooting outside a > church > after a Christmas service in the southern town of Nag Hamadi, sparking > days of > rioting. > There are also repeated demonstrations over rumors that Copts have > converted to Islam or vice versa. > In the most recent case, a priest's wife, Camellia Zakhir disappeared in > July and reportedly converted to divorce her husband - fueling protests > from > Christians claiming that Muslims kidnapped her and forced her conversion. > After police found Zakhir and returned her home, weekly protests erupted > in > August, this time by Muslims who claimed Christians were holding her > against her will and forced her to renounce Islam > > -- > Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community > <[email protected]> > Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism > Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org > -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
