This is my first post in which I wrote regarding the situation in Egypt specifically the Copts. Even though we have moved in a new trek recently with the situation, it is always proper to have the first post for a firm foundation.
I am writing this note because I needed to share a few thoughts on yesterday’s heinous act of terrorism against the innocent Christians in Egypt. I was flabbergasted at the Breaking News headline “Bomb Hits Egypt Church at New Year’s Mass, 21 Dead”. Before finding out about this tragic event, I was preparing to go to my aunt’s house to ring in the New Year and start a new chapter of my life like everyone else in the world did, but I went numb from head to toe as the pictures started loading onto the screen. How could someone be motivated to do such an awful thing on one of the most exciting and hopeful days of the year?
Here is a brief overview of what has happened after the attack, the Muslims say that the Christians are at fault because they forced a woman to convert to Christianity (the previous dilemma that has led to this attack) and this is their retaliation, and the Christians say that it is Al Qaeda and Muslims in general trying to get them to leave the country so that they can live in harmony. What is the element that the Christians have caused to disrupt this harmony? I am not going to get into what I believe is the answer to this question but it is a simple factor that is causing all this trouble; hate. The hate that these people have is beyond what anyone here can relate to. When I visited Egypt this summer I was awakened to the discrimination and disrespect that Christians get in the country. We are oblivious to the freedom we have here as Americans in which we can walk around anywhere we want, whenever we want, and for whatever reason we want. They only go out for necessities. I started out writing an example of something that happened to me there so people could relate to what the conditions are over there, but I have realized that posting it on the web mean that anyone could access it, and I am not in the position to put anyone’s life at risk there because I was too disturbed by what happened and had to get some of the anger and pain out. You might be reading this and saying to yourself, “Wow he is really paranoid about this”, but I want you to ask yourself how a person cannot be paranoid after seeing innocent people dying in such a horrific event.
While this is a test of their faith and ours, there are some points that can be taken away from this. The first point is that those 21 souls that were lost in this attack are now in heaven with the Lord and are in peace. Point two is that we should not pray for them as they have earned eternal salvation and are praying for our souls. We should pray for their families to have comfort or anything near comfort from the brutal death of their loved ones right in front of them as it is being replayed on television even as we speak. Three, is that hate is the cause of all the attacks and terrorism that we see on television and it needs to be stopped. People need to stand up for what they believe in and not let a group of cowards have the power to cause fear and bloodshed around the world.
Now that I have gotten that out I will leave with only a minor note. I believe that this was another test of not only mine but millions of people’s faith. This event, even though it has shaken me to the core reminds me that each day we are all a step closer to heaven. In Matthew Ch. 24 the Lord tells us how we do not know the time or the day when the Son of Man will return and that we should prepare accordingly. Yesterday’s attack was an example of how short life is and how it can be taken away from us in the blink of an eye. So I pray for peace and protection for all of the Christians there and ask that all of you send a prayer for them that the Lord may protect them, and give comfort to all the broken hearts.
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