Christians on the Run in Egypt

[SF-TX]

Mr. El-Gowhary and his daughter are obviously islamophobes.

Christian in Egypt: ‘They Try to Kill Us’

Posted By Dana Lewis On January 26, 2010 @ 11:41 AM In Middle East, Religion, White House | 63 Comments

Egyptian Maher El-Gowhary and his 15 year old daughter Dina never pray twice at the same church, never stay longer than a month in any one apartment. They are constantly under threat, always on the run because they converted to Christianity in a largely Muslim country.

Maher and Dina nervously agreed to meet us at a Church in Cairo. The priest at the Church said he feared problems from the Egyptian authorities and while he agreed to have us watch his Sunday mass, the Priest declined to speak to us about what is happening in Egypt and to the El-Gowhary's.

They tell their story out of fear and desperation. Born Muslims they chose to convert to the Christian Church after both claim they had religious visions.

Now Maher says "Muslims try to kill us, and will kill us if they find us."

Several religious fatwas have been issued for "spilling his blood" after Maher asked an Egyptian Court to legally recognize his conversion, so he can one day be buried as a Christian and so his daughter won't be forced into a marriage by her Muslim mother.

The court ruled a legal conversion to Christianity would threaten public order. His lawyer told us it's a dangerous double standard because in Egypt a Christian can convert to the Muslim faith in a week, but a Muslim cannot convert to the Christian faith.

Ten percent of Egypt is Christian, largely the Coptic Christians who increasingly say they face daunting discrimination and even death.

We had to hide our camera as we followed the El-Gowhary's because we were told if the authorities discovered we were preparing our story we would be arrested.

Religious tensions are running high in Egypt.

On January 6th, the Coptic Christmas eve, three Muslim men sprayed gunfire at a Church in Upper Egypt killing six Christians and wounding up to a dozen more. Christians rioted the next day and the area is still closed to outsiders including the press.

Human rights activist Hussein Bahjet say's Egypt has the potential to become like Lebanon because of growing sectarian violence.

"Civil strife that could engulf the country" Bahjet says.

The U.S. State Department reports respect of religious freedom in Egypt is declining, Christians are denied Government jobs, Priests are threatened and harassed, Christians are increasingly attacks in what State describes as "a climate of impunity that encourages violence."

In some cases authorities turn a blind eye to attacks on Christians, in other cases there is evidence police sparked the attacks.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been largely silent about the problem, but this week he spoke out saying Egyptians must up-root "fanaticism and sectarianism, which threatens the unit of our nation."

Dina has written a letter to President Obama which has been published on Christian websites. She has been pulled out of school. She has only a blue jean jacket to stay warm and little food to eat. Her letter was a desperate plea. "I wrote that we are a minority Christian Community treated very badly and I want to tell President Obama to tell the Egyptian Government to treat us well."

Her father Mayer says he can't stay in Egypt anymore. He and his daughter are in such grave danger we can't report where they are in Egypt now, or where they are planning on moving tomorrow.

In recent days the two met with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in Cairo. They asked for refugee status to get out of Egypt.

A source at the Commission say's its a complicated matter because Dina has a Muslim mother and there are legal issues, but their request is being considered.

The Commission source also says because of religious discrimination in Egypt, last year the State Department down graded Egypt to being on a watch list. This year it could potentially be downgraded further to a Country of particular concern. That means the U.S. might even consider sanctions against a Country which receives some 2 billion dollars in U.S. aid every year.

As I write this Dina and her father are packing, moving to another area of Egypt. Out of money. And running of out hope.


http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2...ry-to-kill-us/

[ryno]

Originally Posted by SF-TX

That means the U.S. might even consider sanctions against a Country which receives some 2 billion dollars in U.S. aid every year.

I love to see my tax dollars supporting religious tolerance and freedom abroad. Someone should tell Mr. El-Gowhary he has nothing to fear from the religion of peace.

[dr. mabuse]

Patiently waiting for the "well, after all, everyone at some time or another does this sort of thing to somebody" crowd.

[Sigaba]

Originally Posted by dr. mabuse

Patiently waiting for the "well, after all, everyone at some time or another does this sort of thing to somebody" crowd.

At times, it seems to me that you are deliberately trying to undermine your own credibility.

After reading news of two Christians running for their lives, your frame of mind leads you to post a snarky comment directed at unnamed third parties who may disagree with your take on this and other events. You seem disinterested--at best--in the fact that genuine human suffering has made your joke possible. Because of this display, I wonder what is truly important to you: being righteous or being right.

It has been a long time since I've gone to church on a regular basis. However, I do remember the reverend and other members of the congregation urging each other not only to pray for the well being of fellow Christians but also, in thought, in word, and by deed to stand as good examples of their beliefs so that others might come to know Christ.

Have things changed that much?

[dadof18x'er]

Originally Posted by Sigaba

At times, it seems to me that you are deliberately trying to undermine your own credibility.

After reading news of two Christians running for their lives, your frame of mind leads you to post a snarky comment directed at unnamed third parties who may disagree with your take on this and other events. You seem disinterested--at best--in the fact that genuine human suffering has made your joke possible. Because of this display, I wonder what is truly important to you: being righteous or being right.

It has been a long time since I've gone to church on a regular basis. However, I do remember the reverend and other members of the congregation urging each other not only to pray for the well being of fellow Christians but also, in thought, in word, and by deed to stand as good examples of their beliefs so that others might come to know Christ.

Have things changed that much?

here's more info on persecution of Christians now occurring. It is almost universally ignored by the media.
http://www.persecution.com/public/ho...m=bWFpbl9tZW51

[Richard]

Persecution is a universal trait common to humanity - I've seen lots of ffolkes being persecuted throughout the world for lots of reasons - it isn't just a theological issue - too bad it's still around.

Richard's $.02

[dadof18x'er]

Originally Posted by Richard

Persecution is a universal trait common to humanity - I've seen lots of ffolkes being persecuted throughout the world for lots of reasons - it isn't just a theological issue - too bad it's still around.

Richard's $.02

I saw on Fox yesterday that France is considering restricting the wearing of vales
by Islamic women yet what you see on the VOM web site gets little media attention. How can things get so out of tilt?

[Team Sergeant]

Christians on the Run in Egypt, likely one of the most stupid headlines I've ever read.

Being a vocal "Christian" in Egypt, a muslim country that places individuals in jail for religious crimes, is about as intelligent as a jewish journalist doing an interview with "islamic extremists" on their turf.

What part of "stupid" don't people understand?

"They're trying yo kill us", no shit stupid.

Zero sympathy, absolute zero.

Team Sergeant

[Buck]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Christians on the Run in Egypt, likely one of the most stupid headlines I've ever read.

Being a vocal "Christian" in Egypt, a muslim country that places individuals in jail for religious crimes, is about as intelligent as a jewish journalist doing an interview with "islamic extremists" on their turf.

What part of "stupid" don't people understand?

"They're trying yo kill us", no shit stupid.

Zero sympathy, absolute zero.

Team Sergeant

Agree 150%, it's one thing for a Christian to share his faith, and loyalty to his God, which he should do, it's another to know you're in unfriendly teritory, and wear a billboard that you are against 90% of the country's beliefs. I catagorize this in the same arena as a white male going to Bellevue Blvd./Lamar Ave in Memphis wearing a white KKK outfit, Great Idea...NOT !!

Here's your sign stupid

Buck

[dadof18x'er]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

Christians on the Run in Egypt, likely one of the most stupid headlines I've ever read.

Being a vocal "Christian" in Egypt, a muslim country that places individuals in jail for religious crimes, is about as intelligent as a jewish journalist doing an interview with "islamic extremists" on their turf.

What part of "stupid" don't people understand?

"They're trying yo kill us", no shit stupid.

Zero sympathy, absolute zero.

Team Sergeant

I must say I agree, if you're a true believer following a teaching that promises persecution and even death then you should do what the apostle Paul said and
"endure hardness like a good soldier of Christ". The underground Christians I met in Hungary in the 70's would never complain about their circumstances. They did gladly receive donations but never ask to be rescued. Thats the difference between people who follow Christ's teachings and people who are religious. If they were rescued they would run to Oprah to be on stage.

[craigepo]

It wasn't a "good idea" for a bunch of guys to storm the beaches at Normandy(they could get killed), but it was their duty. Maybe these whacked-out Christians think they have some duty to tell people about their beliefs, no matter where they live?

I wonder how much courage it would take for these folks, living in Egypt, to convert to Christianity?

[greenberetTFS]

I don't know,wasn't there once 12 guys that went into extremely dangerous areas with a message that turned the world upside down........ Of course they all paid for it by being tortured and murdered...... But just think about it,if they didn't take that risk this world wouldn't have become what it is now.......

Big Teddy

[dadof18x'er]

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

I don't know,wasn't there once 12 guys that went into extremely dangerous areas with a message that turned the world upside down........ Of course they all paid for it by being tortured and murdered...... But just think about it,if they didn't take that risk this world wouldn't have become what it now.......

Big Teddy

I think some guy named Paul also said" Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12

[Richard]

Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers did an excellent book and six-part PBS series on the 'power' of such beliefs.

Richard

[greenberetTFS]

Richard,Several "inspired" guys wrote 66 books that were quite "power" pacted also,they made it easy to read by putting them into one book................

Big Teddy