Egpyt: Muslims and Christians uniting against atheism

[RussBLib]

I found this on a website called, "World Bulletin." Hopefully it's not another cover for Glenn Beck or other yahoos.

To see atheism flourishing in the Middle East is very encouraging, especially considering the obstacles. Even though atheists are largely shunned and despised in this country, it's obviously easier to exercise your mind here than in many other countries.

Egypt's Muslim, Christian authorities unite against atheism

Christian churches in Egypt say they are joining forces with Egypt's Al-Azhar, a prominent center of Sunni Muslim learning, to fight the spread of atheism in the country.

Atheism is strictly taboo in Egypt's mainstream public discourse. But since the 2011 youth-driven uprising, which led to the ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak, many young Egyptians have begun to openly proclaim their atheist convictions – mainly on social media – which has alarmed the country's religious institutions.

Freedom of thought is enshrined in the Egyptian constitution. However, a handful of Egyptians have been prosecuted in recent years for "defaming religion" on social media platforms. "Society should resist this phenomenon because it will have a negative impact on upcoming generations," Salib Matta, a priest and member of the Coptic Orthodox Church's leadership body, told Anadolu Agency.

It is difficult to obtain accurate figures regarding the number of atheists in Egypt, where most people profess the Muslim or Christian faith. While some atheist activists put the number at two million, this figure cannot be substantiated.

No, atheism won't have a negative impact on upcoming generations you fools. It's the blind adherence to ancient norms that has a negative impact, but you cannot expect those deep into religion to see things very clearly.

More of the story here.

[CJCRANE]

1. IMO Egypt had the potential to become a thriving liberal democracy.

Someone obviously put a stop to that.

(Let's face it, liberal democracy is on the way out in the West. That's probably why we're unable to help implement it anywhere else).

[onager]

2. That won't last long.

The Muslims and Coptic Xians in Egypt spend a lot of time at each other's throats. Usually when the demographics of a neighborhood change, and somebody tries to build either a mosque or church.

When I lived in Alexandria, two major riots blew up between them, with dead, injured and property damage on both sides.

One riot happened uncomfortably close to my neighborhood, on my route to work every day. I saw the people in that area every morning, putting their kids on the school bus together, shopping in the same street markets, talking in the coffee shops. Then overnight they were trying to kill each other. Burning cars, clouds of tear gas, riot police with shotguns lining the streets, etc. etc.

...where most people profess the Muslim or Christian faith.

About 90 to 95% are Muslim. But the Copts were in Egypt first and like to remind the Muslims of that.

The Copts could be entertaining, I'll give them that. In 2006, Pope Shenouda III had to leave Egypt for medical care. While he was gone, the upstart Pope Maximus I declared himself True Pope of the Coptic Church. IIRC, Pope Max turned out to be only blessed by some splinter Coptic group in Nebraska - of all places - and had a Ph.D. from an American diploma mill.

Soon, the theology got too sophisticated for me to follow...

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. You've got to admire the nerve of 'Pope Maximus' - "just call me The Greatest"

It's a step above 'Il Duce' or 'Der Fuhrer'. At least their names were job descriptions too.

[Arugula Latte]

4. It's interesting how atheism is spreading as the Internet spreads.

For a lot of people all it takes to kill their "faith" is access to a few other people confirming that they don't see the Emperor's clothes either.

[Cartoonist]

5. Good news indeed

Sadly, there are still too many who do not have internet access due to poverty. There are also those who only go to sites that reaffirms their belief, or yatter away in forums in which their privilege is protected.

Still, as trends go, I can only wonder at the brave new world this will lead to. As John Lennon said, Imagine no religion.

[RussBLib]

6. ...or access to info previously unknown

Even though we here in the West may consider ourselves "tuned in" and well-read, I still run across people and things I'd never heard of while surfing the net. Those in poorer countries who are net newbies suddenly have a huge world open to them on the internet.