A project to build a road around Fayum, Egypt, crosses the territory around the Coptic monastery of St. Macarius and threatens to destroy the ancient archaeological site around a church dating from the 4th century, or some 300 years before Islam was born and invaded Coptic Egypt.
In response, the monastery’s monks have objected with passive resistance — laying their bodies before the path of the bulldozers, which arrived with shouts of “Allahu Akbar” from the company drivers and workers (pictures above and below).
Previously the monks had submitted alternative plans that would allow for a road but also preserve Egypt’s ancient Christian site but authorities rejected them.
Truly heart breaking!
Islam the religion of peace??
I’m pretty sure that the monks agree with them.
As to “Allahu Akbar,” that would be true, since the Arabic word for “God” is Allah, and is used by many Arabic Christians; the other day I read an article by the Orthodox Bishop of Palestine who said that they commonly use the phrase “Allah Akbar” themselves. Of course, unlike so much of Egypt, the Christians in Palestine tend to get along well with their Muslim neighbors, since both are being actively persecuted and dispossessed by their Jewish ones.
I’m afraid you’re mistaken. The Christians of Palestine are dhimmis, and have been dispossessed and persecuted by moslems, but keep their mouths shut for their own safety. Muslims have almost completely cleansed Bethlehem of Christians.
I am afraid you are the one who is mistaken. The christians of Palestine have been dispossessed by the Israelis, like everyone else in Palestine. The Israelis don’t care what sky faerie you worship, if you are on land they want to steal, they steal it from you, or they kill you, then they run over your former home with a bulldozer.
-Oz
You are suffering from leftist delusions.
Can you explain that? Which “leftist delusions” am I entertaining here? Do Israelis steal land? YES. Do they steal it from “Palestinians”? YES. Do they care that some of those SEMITIC Palestinians are “christians”? NO. Do they care if those Palestinians are “jews”? NO. Do they care if those Palestinians are “muslims”? NO. They want the land, they take the land, it does not matter who is currently occupying it. What about this is a “leftist delusion”?
-Oz
Funny how the truth is called “stupid” and “delusions” while fairy tales and the biggest, most obvious lies are accepted as true “history,” isn’t it?
Meh….been dealing with it online since long before 9/11…don’t expect it will stop anytime soon.
-Oz
That’s Evangelical propaganda, and not what the Palestinian Christians, from laity to their bishops say (We Orthodox are a close community.), and many if not most of them oppose the Israeli occupation, oppression, land seizures (including Church land, with is a regular thing even today, not just when Israel stole their whole country), and support full Palestinian independence. The Muslims (secular or non-radicalized Sunnis) and Christians (Catholic and Orthodox with some Coptics, primarily) there support each other. During the recent Israeli attacks, the Palestinian Christians opened their churches to shelter hundreds of their Muslim neighbors…at least the churches that weren’t hit by the Israeli missiles, air strikes, and artillery.
“All this talk about Israel being behind the pain of Christians in the Palestinian Territories is nonsense. Muslims intimidate us. They burn our stores, steal our real estate. They build mosques beside our churches, and make sure that the calls for prayer disrupt our services. They attack our daughters. There are many cases of rape that have never been reported. Families hide it out of shame, they move away. They flee.” — Christian official.
The anti-semitism of the orthodox community is well-known.
what you say is insanely stupid. 80% of those attacks are from Hamas pretending to be Israeli soldiers and the 20% is made up.
Islam is a parasitic religion trying to finish off it’s host, the native church of Egypt. I’m amazed that the Coptic Church still survives. “Even so, come Lord Jesus” Rev. 22:20
If just one of these bulldozer-drivers flattens a monk (on purpose) will it get the same media coverage and outrage that Rachel Corrie got when she was flattened by a bulldozer (by accident)?
Just asking!
No.
God be with u ….be strong time will come
Yaeh Though I walk through the valley of the shadows of death, I will fear no evil. For the Lord is with me. Take courage brothers and sisters! Christ is near. Know that this evil is in its death throws, raging like a dying beast. But the Lord Lives!