has been quite the case, the message of Pope Benedict XVI for World Day of Prayer for Peace, issued the same day that another Christian church, this time in Egypt, flying through the air, with more than 20 dead and 43 wounded. Egypt is one of the most "touristy" of the Muslim world. What many visitors do not realize is that it is one of the Islamic nations where Christians are less certain and where have cruel persecutions and constant.
I do not see tourists in Egypt is the real situation, especially in rural areas away from tourist spots (just like in the case of China). The killings of Christians and kidnappings of Christian women for sex trafficking (forced marriage), are constant. The Egyptian government is missing in action and entire villages are being attacked in the middle of the night. Coptic Christians-Catholic or Orthodox, are one of the earliest Christian communities suffered and older. Founded by St. Mark in Alexandria today is a vestige of the apostolic era. Awareness of their dignity is such that a tattoo of a cross under the skin on his hands as a sign of his belonging to Christ in a world so often hostile and has claimed his blood since time immemorial. Impress
hear first-person accounts of those who suffer from this situation, a while ago, I had the privilege. However, the response of Christian leaders in Egypt and the Pope himself, today, "is forgiveness (and hear someone quienle have kidnapped his sister and killed her father talk about forgiveness, it's awesome to hear accounts of the atrocities of the persecution). This is to temper the-fair-anger of those who have suffered from aggression, that does not lead to more bloodshed. For the wrath of man, although to be fair, does not produce the righteousness that God wants (as he wrote the Apostle Jacob, cousin of Christ).
If we travel to Egypt, do not forget to pray for Christians who live there and show them, if we can and we are left, gestures of solidarity, care for them, for example, travel agency, asking at the hotel, asking to visit their communities ... so as to see they are not alone and that the solidarity of Christians in other countries and people of goodwill.
is not the case, I do not like to mix things up, but I can not help thinking of a politician that has recently trivialized the issue these last days. Or Elena Valenciano said today that the Church is misogynistic because some bishops have publicly proposed citizens of Christian teaching on marriage and family, or a member of the current government of undemocratic crossing Christians who publicly express their beliefs, and even of wanting to usurp popular sovereignty. Finally, if where we believe we have rule of law, democratic and rights of freedom, we are well-certainly a part-time now, denying freedom of expression of religious ideas, how we will be surprised that in places where there is religious fundamentalism (Saudi Arabia, where it takes centuries tarnishing wahabbismo the Sanctuary of the Kaaba, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan ...), or secular fundamentalism (China, Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia), given these atrocities.
Hearing the message of the Pope from Rome on New Year's Day, I suddenly came the realization that virtually Europe and parts of North America are the only remnants of the world where Christians are persecuted, at least in explicitly violent. And that gives a little shudder, especially when in your own country you start to see warning signs, such as public disrespect against your religion, mockery gotescas, lies propagated ... or begin to burn churches, as has happened this Christmas. I consider it particularly suitable for the Pope's words today, which espouses the doctrine of John Paul II on human rights, religious freedom is in the backbone and spine of all other rights. Ironically, the good Lord seems that something like the ironies and paradoxes, is that a pope has to be a barbarous people, who old the keys to peace in the (alleged) "Western" civilization, the rule of welfare and materialism ... and warn of the danger of going in the opposite direction. And it should be sufficient that this Pope came face to face experienced Nazism and his tyranny ... and we should not say anything else.
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