Egypt is exceptionally fortunate and blessed that a sizable segment of it’s population comprises the original descendants of the Ancient Egyptians, the Christian Egyptians, The Copts.

The vast majority of Copts are Eastern Orthodox Christians, but numbers of them have converted to Catholicism and Protestantism.

The greatest current concern of Copts is that of equal rights in Egypt. Anyone with any sense of justice would have no problem supporting Coptic rights and demands. Their well-publicized demands are all absolutely reasonable and acceptable, and are basic human rights issues. In addition, the Coptic Church and its present cultural as well as its historical religious significance enriches the whole Egyptian scene. That heritage should be shown special reverence nationally, and should be included as a major element of promoting Egypt abroad.

Similarly, as a significant aspect of the Egyptian historical mosaic, Coptic history should be included in all its richness in every aspect of the Egyptian educational system. Those of us who went through the Egyptian educational system without the benefit of learning the history of the Coptic civilization are all the poorer intellectually and culturally for it.

Commendably, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is in fact doing a lot to rectify matters, and applying various corrective measures, some of which have already been implemented. He has not shown any reluctance to give Copts all the rights they ask for. But a president can only do so much. Things have to come from the grass roots level if the changes are to be smooth and harmonious, so a wise and gradual approach is the prudent way to go.

We have to keep in mind, however, that some people, unfortunately, always take advantage of conflicts by exaggerating, misconstruing, twisting and in some instances fabricating events, “facts”, and stories, which only leads to an escalation in hate, divisiveness, and violence. It seems like in every situation where a minority group -including Muslims, is struggling for more recognition and more rights, conflicting versions of the facts and events keep emerging from all quarters.

Much of the controversial material on the part of Copts comes from a few - we are sure well-meaning - groups of Copts in the west who, besides the real grievances that all Copts share, express extremely inappropriate hostile and hateful attitudes toward Muslims, Arabs, and Islam collectively. Average enlightened Muslims still view them as brothers and sisters, because they understand their anger and frustration. But they seriously do need to reconsider their position and understand that all ordinary, moderate Muslims - who are the vast majority of Egyptian Muslims - want them well, want them success, and want them all the rights that anyone else in Egypt enjoys, which makes their generalised hate against Muslims and Arabs most inappropriate, to say the least.

They should also consider the well-being of the citizens of Egypt. Starting a civil war would be devastating to all involved. Certainly everyone can work on resolving the grievances amicably and lovingly, without hostility, hate, and mutual derision.

Hopefully, they will consider toning down the hostility and introduce love and peace instead. There's no doubt that's what their ultimate goal is for Egypt and all Egyptians - love and harmony amongst all. And that's what Christianity teaches as well, not to mention forgiveness. An Egypt in which Copts have all their rights will be all the better for it, but not an Egypt in which Copts enjoy those rights at the expense of love, harmony and peace, replaced instead with hate, divisiveness, and discord.

Diaspora Coptic groups are people living in western nations, and therefore expected to be enlightened, worldly people, unlike the basically unenlightened fundamentalist Islamist groups that speak hatefully against Christians or Christianity in Egypt. Being enlightened, privileged people in the west, they certainly have a greater responsibility to apply the freedom of expression they now enjoy wisely and judiciously. A broad-minded approach to the issues of contention is no doubt within their westernized, modernized capabilities.

Grievances ought be addressed in an objective and professional manner, devoid of hate and vitriol. They are certainly up to it and more. And they can also proudly demonstrate that they are better than the haters on both sides in the less enlightened backwaters of Egypt, and that they do use their new-found freedom of speech responsibly, wisely and in a manner that not only brings attention to their grievances, but is also conducive to religious harmony.

They may also be encouraged to change their approach when they realise how hurtful and painful the negative generalizations they make about Muslims are to moderate Muslims who wish them well. Let us all work together to mend the rift and bring about Copts' rights through understanding and love, the very thing that will isolate the extremists. As things stand now, such Islamist extremists can easily use the hate spewed by some of the diaspora Coptic web sites as ammunition to recruit more extremists, and to drive even greater wedges between the two populations. In fact far from doing any good, they are probably responsible for more trouble for fellow Copts than good. And the cycle may eventually spin out of control, resulting in much greater death and destruction than anything any riots have managed up till now.

Needless to say, those particularly angry diaspora Copts surely neither want nor aim toward such an end. Egyptian Copts and Muslims are one people, all brothers and sisters. Hate only leads to more hate and no good can ever come out of it.

Though the issue of hate coming from some groups in America may seem minor and of no significance to the animosity in Egypt, in fact, we have learned that even one inflammatory statement made by some obscure radical Evangelist spreads like wild fire straight across the Muslim world. So such groups which post on their web sites a wide range of hateful remarks and statements about Muslims, Islam, and Arabs in general do have a huge and harmful impact on Coptic-Muslim relations in Egypt.

Worth noting, the vast majority of Copts living in western nations hold an objective attitude, and do not allow hate into the equation, even if they are rightly and undeniably angry with the situation of Copts in Egypt. Muslim Egyptians who empathise with them are as angry at the Muslim fundamentalists whose closed, feeble, backward minds make them hostile to giving Copts full rights, something totally unacceptable.

Moderate Copts - the vast majority of Copts - know that moderate Egyptian Muslims, the vast majority of the Egyptian Muslims, do not oppose in any way Copts building as many churches as they wish, or taking a more active and effective role in the country’s affairs, its governing, and so on.

Indeed, greater involvement of Copts in running the affairs of the nation would be the most positive influence on Egyptian affairs that Egypt could ever hope for. In that regard, no Muslim nation could be luckier in boasting such a great Christian heritage worthy of pride and praise. Egypt should consider itself blessed to have that special and unique heritage as part of its religious and cultural mix.

Moderates on both sides want to live and let live, but that’s not very easy when one side is deprived of some rights or is unjustly treated. We cannot ask of Copts to have an overall positive attitude when they don’t feel as equals on all fronts in Egypt. So there’s a lot of work ahead that needs to be done toward correcting that situation, but preferably through cooperation, rather than hostile attitudes.

COPTIC EGYPT | COPTIC CAIRO | ANCIENT MONASTERIES
A wonderful presentation of Coptic civilization and heritage

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