Muslims and Coptic Christians Clash Again in Egypt

[High_Gravity]

Muslims and Coptic Christians Clash Again in Egypt

CAIRO — Muslims and Coptic Christians clashed with bullets, rocks and Molotov cocktails here for the second time in seven days on Saturday night, sending at least 55 people to the hospital, officials with Egypt’s Interior Ministry said.

The officials said that at least 33 of the wounded were Muslims, 22 were Christians and that 28 were arrested for playing a role in the strife.

Fears of such sectarian violence have kept Cairo on edge since a nightlong battle between mobs of Muslims and Coptic Christians in the working-class neighborhood of Imbaba a week ago left at least a dozen dead and two churches in flames. (Egyptian state news media said Sunday that the death toll had risen to 15.)

On Sunday, hundreds of Copts angry at the failure of the Egyptian police and armed forces to protect their churches more effectively held a sit-in outside the state television building, known as Maspero.

The clashes on Saturday began about 10 p.m., officials of the Interior Ministry said. Witnesses and officials said a small group of Muslims had fired shots at the sit-in. Soon groups of young men from each faith were battling each other for hours with rocks, sticks and Molotov cocktails.

In the aftermath of the bloodshed, Pope Shenouda III, the leader of Egypt’s Coptic Christian church, urged an end to the sit-in on Sunday, Egyptian state news media reported. “To our children who are protesting in front of Maspero, the protest is now no longer about expressing your opinion and has been infiltrated by those who use different means than the ones you use,” the pope said in a statement, according to the Web site of the state newspaper Al Ahram. “Now there is fighting and hitting, and that negatively affects Egypt’s reputation as well as your reputation. Therefore, you have to immediately end the protest.”

The paper’s Web site said that he added: “The patience of the rulers is starting to end, and you will be the losers if you continue in the protest.”

But thousands of Copts ignored their patriarch’s admonition and continued to rally into Sunday night. “With our blood, with our soul, we sacrifice for the cross,” they chanted.

Tensions between Muslims and Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of the population here, have risen steadily since the sweeping vows of unity during the revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak three months ago. Copts say they have felt increasingly embattled since clashes just south of Cairo left a church burning last month.

The battle on the night of May 7 in the neighborhood of Imbaba began with a dispute over a woman. Neighborhood Muslims were convinced that Christians were holding her in a church against her will to talk her out of converting to Islam and leaving her Christian husband for a Muslim man — a recurring theme in sectarian disputes here, where a combination of custom and law make it easier for Muslims than Christians to divorce.

With memories of last month’s church fire still fresh, about 500 Copts rallied to defend their church — some with firearms — even before more than two dozen Muslims had approached it. Casualties were roughly even on both sides.

The anger among the Copts had run so high that many continued to protest at their sit-in on Friday, even as thousands of other Egyptians held a rally for Muslim and Christian unity in Tahrir Square.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/world/middleeast/16egypt.html?_r=1&hpw

 

[Ropey]

This is the Arab spring? I wonder.

 

[Sunni Man]

Sounds like the Christians are provoking the Muslims.

 

[High_Gravity]

Sounds like the Christians are provoking the Muslims.

How so?

 

[Sunni Man]

By holding hostage the woman who wants to convert to Islam

 

[High_Gravity]

By holding hostage the woman who wants to convert to Islam

Well these communities have lived together for how long now in Egypt? and one incident is enough to start all this rage towards each other? I think there is alot going on that we are not seeing, at 1 point Egyptian Christians were saying they were the most protected minority in the world, now they are being slaughtered in the streets. Something is wrong there.

 

[Sunni Man]

I would bet the farm that Israel / Mossad are behind the scene causing the trouble.

It is their usual MO

They are afraid of the new direction Egypt is taking in relation to Israel.

So by clandestinely stirring up internal trouble the focus will not be on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Like I always say, "Anytime there is conflict, chaos, or war; just scratch the surface and you will find zionist involvement."

 

[PoliticalChic]

This is the Arab spring? I wonder.

There is an obvious thorn in the paw of the Islamists...

"Perhaps it is best to listen to the truth coming from the mouth of the horse. The Internet site aljazeera.net published an interview with Ahmad Al Qataani أحمد القطعاني An important Islamic cleric who said: “In every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity. Everyday, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity. Ever year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity."

What Muslims say among each other, is not the same thing that they say for the consumption of the Westerners.

These are huge numbers. If this trend continues we can expect to see Islam become insignificant in Africa in just a few decades. This is good news for those who are concerned about the on going slavery in Africa and the prospects of war and genocide.

In fact with the weakening of Islam, we can hope to see peace in many war-ridden parts of the world including Palestine. By now it should be clear that any road map to peace between Israel and Palestine will be blocked by the Islamists and the terrorists. Peace in Middle East is not possible as long as Islam is the ideology of the masses. "
http://www.faithfreedom.org/oped/sina31103.htm

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdVnILalpeo]YouTube - 6 Million Muslims convert to Christianity - Al-Jazeerah ![/ame]

 

[Sunni Man]

No problem.

We have enough people converting to Islam in Europe and N. America to make up the difference.

 

[Ropey]

^^ You must be kidding. Europe is where the world wars begin. North American conversion to Islam?

OK, if you say so. Even Africa is showing the move to Christianity. Look at North Sudan. No oil and all Muslims. Look at South Sudan. All the oil and Christian.

LOL

 

[logical4u]

Muslims and Coptic Christians Clash Again in Egypt

CAIRO — Muslims and Coptic Christians clashed with bullets, rocks and Molotov cocktails here for the second time in seven days on Saturday night, sending at least 55 people to the hospital, officials with Egypt’s Interior Ministry said.

The officials said that at least 33 of the wounded were Muslims, 22 were Christians and that 28 were arrested for playing a role in the strife.

Fears of such sectarian violence have kept Cairo on edge since a nightlong battle between mobs of Muslims and Coptic Christians in the working-class neighborhood of Imbaba a week ago left at least a dozen dead and two churches in flames. (Egyptian state news media said Sunday that the death toll had risen to 15.)

On Sunday, hundreds of Copts angry at the failure of the Egyptian police and armed forces to protect their churches more effectively held a sit-in outside the state television building, known as Maspero.

The clashes on Saturday began about 10 p.m., officials of the Interior Ministry said. Witnesses and officials said a small group of Muslims had fired shots at the sit-in. Soon groups of young men from each faith were battling each other for hours with rocks, sticks and Molotov cocktails.

In the aftermath of the bloodshed, Pope Shenouda III, the leader of Egypt’s Coptic Christian church, urged an end to the sit-in on Sunday, Egyptian state news media reported. “To our children who are protesting in front of Maspero, the protest is now no longer about expressing your opinion and has been infiltrated by those who use different means than the ones you use,” the pope said in a statement, according to the Web site of the state newspaper Al Ahram. “Now there is fighting and hitting, and that negatively affects Egypt’s reputation as well as your reputation. Therefore, you have to immediately end the protest.”

The paper’s Web site said that he added: “The patience of the rulers is starting to end, and you will be the losers if you continue in the protest.”

But thousands of Copts ignored their patriarch’s admonition and continued to rally into Sunday night. “With our blood, with our soul, we sacrifice for the cross,” they chanted.

Tensions between Muslims and Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of the population here, have risen steadily since the sweeping vows of unity during the revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak three months ago. Copts say they have felt increasingly embattled since clashes just south of Cairo left a church burning last month.

The battle on the night of May 7 in the neighborhood of Imbaba began with a dispute over a woman. Neighborhood Muslims were convinced that Christians were holding her in a church against her will to talk her out of converting to Islam and leaving her Christian husband for a Muslim man — a recurring theme in sectarian disputes here, where a combination of custom and law make it easier for Muslims than Christians to divorce.

With memories of last month’s church fire still fresh, about 500 Copts rallied to defend their church — some with firearms — even before more than two dozen Muslims had approached it. Casualties were roughly even on both sides.

The anger among the Copts had run so high that many continued to protest at their sit-in on Friday, even as thousands of other Egyptians held a rally for Muslim and Christian unity in Tahrir Square.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/world/middleeast/16egypt.html?_r=1&hpw

After we were told that these demonstrations in Egypt was for the peaceful formation of democracy? No, say it isn't so, the religion of "peace" is making another ME country from bad to worse. Wonder how long it will take them to destroy the pyramids because they represent "idol worship"?

 

[Ropey]

No problem.

We have enough people converting to Islam in Europe and N. America to make up the difference.

9-11 was a disaster for Arab Extemist and Fundamentalist Islamic Ideology. The world is now awake and you have little idea of the movements against Arab Extemist and Fundamentalist Islamic Ideology. If all you do is watch media and read news, then you have no idea of the vast controls and acts being put into place worldwide to fight this Arab influenced attachment of an ideology to the religion of Islam.

Islam will become a worldwide religion and Arabian control of Islam will end. Then the attachment of an ideology to the religion will end.

I say Arab Extemist and Fundamentalist Islamic Ideology because that's where the problem lies. They have turned their religion into a war against both Western Ideologies and Philosophies as well as a war against America and Israel.

 

[Caroljo]

No problem.

We have enough people converting to Islam in Europe and N. America to make up the difference.

God help us.....

 

[Sunni Man]

Thanks for the info Dopey; I will place it in the circular file.

 

[Ropey]

^^ Put it where you wish Sunni Man.

Edit:

That was a long term view in case you didn't get it by the way. Arab control of Islam will end.

The days of pronouncements from Arab Islamic Theocratic and fundamentalist pulpits are already in their death throws culturally speaking.

Already there are more non Arabian Muslims in the world than Arabian Muslims. Democracy will deal with Arabian Islam it would seem. Those are the controls I see coming in the future.

 

[PoliticalChic]

No problem.

We have enough people converting to Islam in Europe and N. America to make up the difference.

Now Sunni, my post included a differentiation between Muslims and Islamists...

did you note that?

 

[Sunni Man]

No problem.

We have enough people converting to Islam in Europe and N. America to make up the difference.

Now Sunni, my post included a differentiation between Muslims and Islamists...

did you note that?

Duly noted

 

[High_Gravity]

Muslims and Coptic Christians Clash Again in Egypt

CAIRO — Muslims and Coptic Christians clashed with bullets, rocks and Molotov cocktails here for the second time in seven days on Saturday night, sending at least 55 people to the hospital, officials with Egypt’s Interior Ministry said.

The officials said that at least 33 of the wounded were Muslims, 22 were Christians and that 28 were arrested for playing a role in the strife.

Fears of such sectarian violence have kept Cairo on edge since a nightlong battle between mobs of Muslims and Coptic Christians in the working-class neighborhood of Imbaba a week ago left at least a dozen dead and two churches in flames. (Egyptian state news media said Sunday that the death toll had risen to 15.)

On Sunday, hundreds of Copts angry at the failure of the Egyptian police and armed forces to protect their churches more effectively held a sit-in outside the state television building, known as Maspero.

The clashes on Saturday began about 10 p.m., officials of the Interior Ministry said. Witnesses and officials said a small group of Muslims had fired shots at the sit-in. Soon groups of young men from each faith were battling each other for hours with rocks, sticks and Molotov cocktails.

In the aftermath of the bloodshed, Pope Shenouda III, the leader of Egypt’s Coptic Christian church, urged an end to the sit-in on Sunday, Egyptian state news media reported. “To our children who are protesting in front of Maspero, the protest is now no longer about expressing your opinion and has been infiltrated by those who use different means than the ones you use,” the pope said in a statement, according to the Web site of the state newspaper Al Ahram. “Now there is fighting and hitting, and that negatively affects Egypt’s reputation as well as your reputation. Therefore, you have to immediately end the protest.”

The paper’s Web site said that he added: “The patience of the rulers is starting to end, and you will be the losers if you continue in the protest.”

But thousands of Copts ignored their patriarch’s admonition and continued to rally into Sunday night. “With our blood, with our soul, we sacrifice for the cross,” they chanted.

Tensions between Muslims and Coptic Christians, who make up about 10 percent of the population here, have risen steadily since the sweeping vows of unity during the revolution that toppled President Hosni Mubarak three months ago. Copts say they have felt increasingly embattled since clashes just south of Cairo left a church burning last month.

The battle on the night of May 7 in the neighborhood of Imbaba began with a dispute over a woman. Neighborhood Muslims were convinced that Christians were holding her in a church against her will to talk her out of converting to Islam and leaving her Christian husband for a Muslim man — a recurring theme in sectarian disputes here, where a combination of custom and law make it easier for Muslims than Christians to divorce.

With memories of last month’s church fire still fresh, about 500 Copts rallied to defend their church — some with firearms — even before more than two dozen Muslims had approached it. Casualties were roughly even on both sides.

The anger among the Copts had run so high that many continued to protest at their sit-in on Friday, even as thousands of other Egyptians held a rally for Muslim and Christian unity in Tahrir Square.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/world/middleeast/16egypt.html?_r=1&hpw

After we were told that these demonstrations in Egypt was for the peaceful formation of democracy? No, say it isn't so, the religion of "peace" is making another ME country from bad to worse. Wonder how long it will take them to destroy the pyramids because they represent "idol worship"?

The normal everyday Egyptian could give a shit about the Pyramids, unless they work in the tourism industry. The Pyramids were built before Islam came to the region and you are right if an Islamic Fundamentalist goverment comes to power they may want to destroy them completely however that will take away the tourism industry, but than again how many people are lining up to visit Islamic extremist shit holes anyway?

 

[Ropey]

but than again how many people are lining up to visit Islamic extremist shit holes anyway?

Word!