Incinerated Church, Dead Christians: But it Could be Worse

The score, when the fires went out, was three churches burned or damaged, 12 Christians dead, and 232 wounded; to 190 rioters arrested. I haven't seen an official ruling, but offhand I'd say that the rioters won.

The good news, from my point of view, is that neither the Egyptian police or army seem to have shot Christians or burned churches. Someone even arrested about 190 of the 3,000-odd Muslims who expressed themselves with Molotov cocktails and bullets. Those folks may even go to trial, if the army and police can work out how the trial should be run.

With Friends Like These - - -

I've already said this today, but - with friends like these, Islam doesn't need enemies.

Before I forget, an important point: NOT ALL MUSLIMS IN EGYPT BURN CHURCHES.

"...Hundreds of outraged Christians and sympathetic Muslims demonstrated in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Sunday, demanding better protection from the police and military for Coptic Christians...."
(Catholic News Agnecy, via EWTN)

Egypt, Florida, and Getting a Grip

I do not think that all Muslims are crazed arsonists. I also am as certain as I can be that some non-Muslims are, at best, jerks.

Another point: In my opinion, America isn't perfect. We even have folks in this country who act as if burning something like a church or a book is a good idea. Like that outfit in Florida.

One way in which Egypt and America differ, though, is in the matter of scale. Some 3,000 religious crazies in Egypt torched entire churches. And, a non-trivial point, killed a dozen folks they don't like.

In Florida about 50 folks - probably the entire membership of the Dove World Outreach Center - set fire to one (1) Quran. And killed zero (0) people they didn't like.

Briefly, in my opinion, burning a Quran

• Was a bad idea
• Should not have been done
• Was not a good idea
• Was protested by a great many people:
  • Muslims
  • Christians
    • Including me
• Was a very bad idea
  • And should not have been done

I've discussed the Florida book-burners before:

• "Pakistani Archbishop, Florida Book-Burner, and Living with Differences"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (April 27, 2011)
• "Why I'm With the Holy See on Quran Burning Position"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (September 8, 2010)
• "Actions have Consequences: Burning the Quran"
  (September 7, 2010)

Tunisia, Egypt, Even Libya: Cautiously Optimistic

I do not think that folks in Tunisia and Egypt kicking out their bosses was a bad idea. The Middle East, and other parts of the world, have "stable" governments that could - in my opinion - stand being swapped out for something that works for the governed.

On the other hand, I do not think that Tunisia and Egypt, now that they're no longer being mismanaged by old-school autocrats, will suddenly become rainbow-colored lands where everybody smiles and sings "Age of Aquarius." No, I really do not think that will happen.

Which is not the same as feeling that all is lost and "...the center cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world...." (Yeats)

I think we're looking at change - quite a bit of change - in most of the world. Change happens, change sometimes hurts, but I am convinced that change can be good.

I put an excerpt from what got me started on this topic at the end of this post.¹

Somewhat-related posts:

• " 'Allahu Akbar,' 'Just a Misunderstanding,' and Getting a Grip"
  (May 10, 2011)
• "Libya, Syria, Bahrain: Journalists Uncooperative; 'the Masses' Worse"
  (March 29, 2011)
• "Divisiveness, Cultural Chaos, and the Monkey's Paw"
  (January 30, 2011)
• "Tunisia, Twitter, Change, and Staying Sane"
  (January 23, 2011)
• "Actions have Consequences: Burning the Quran"
  (September 7, 2010)
• "Argentina, Regulating Broadcasters, Grupo Clarin, Ted Turner, 800-Pound Gorillas, and Freedom of Speech"
  (September 18, 2009)

In the news:

• "Attack On Egyptian Churches Leaves 12 Dead, Hundreds Injured"
  Catholic News Agency, via EWTN (May 10, 2011)

---

¹ from the news:

"Members of the Salafist Jihadi Islamist movement attacked three Coptic churches in the Egyptian city of Giza on May 7, killing a dozen people and injuring more than 200.

" 'We have no law or security - we are in a jungle,' said Giza's Coptic Orthodox Bishop Anba Theodosius. 'We are in a state of chaos. One rumor burns the whole area. Every day we have a catastrophe.'...

"...The attack began on the evening of May 7 when a mob of 3,000 Muslims, thought to be followers of the hardline Salafist school of Islam, converged on St. Mina's Church. Leaders of the mob accused members of the Coptic clergy of kidnapping a Christian woman who had married a Muslim man.

"Their kidnapping story sounded like a familiar pretext, a variation on a story used to stir up tensions and justify violence against Middle Eastern Christians in the past. None of the parishioners had ever heard of the woman being "tortured" inside of their church....

"...When the army arrived, nearly five hours later, they made an attempt to seal off the neighborhood. But they did not stop rioters from attacking St. Mina's Church, hurling Molotov cocktails at Coptic homes, and proceeding to two other churches in the area.

" 'The army was not able to control the situation,' Deacon Youssel Edward stated. 'The mob was chanting "Islamic, Islamic." '...

"...Hundreds of outraged Christians and sympathetic Muslims demonstrated in Cairo's Tahrir Square on Sunday, demanding better protection from the police and military for Coptic Christians.

"Nabil Sharaf el Din, an Egyptian journalist, told a Coptic television station that the army 'is either incapable, or is an accomplice to the Salafis.' He said that the Egyptian military, which took power after the Feb 11 resignation of former president Hosni Mubarak, could end up discredited if it fails to take a 'stern position' with the hardline Muslim group...."
(Catholic News Agency, via EWTN (May 10, 2011))