Muslim Brotherhood and The Copts

Coptic Christians make up approximately 10% of the Egyptian population and have been in Egypt for over sixteen centuries. They trace their founding to Saint Mark at Alexandria and their churches spread throughout Egypt. Islam did not enter into Egypt until the Arabs invaded in 641 AD. (here) After 1952 and the ascendancy of Gamal Abdel Nasser, the Copts came under increasing pressure by the government and proponents of Sharia.

Recently the Muslim Brotherhood has led the way in targeting the Copts in Egypt.  Under Morsi the Brotherhood increased the pressure on the Coptic Christians through both governmental procedures and street brutality. (here) And the brutality does not appear to end with the removal of Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood member. (here) Islam and the radical Islamists use any change in Egypt to threaten and kill the Christians. 

While the world quickly condemns the police tactics in removing the Brotherhood camps from the streets, the continued violence against the Copts is swept to the bottom of the news. Violence against Christians is nothing new in the Middle East with some people even assuming that Christianity is the newcomer and the interloper in an area that is reserved for Islam. After all, how often do we read about Christians brutalizing other faiths? How often do Christian preachers threaten to unleash a holy war if someone defames Christ? It doesn’t and shouldn’t happen, and Christians provide an easy target for street thugs, murderers, and diplomats seeking to ease tensions with Islam, that religion of peace.