WE HAVE PRESENTED SOLUTION TO OUR PREDICAMENT, INCLUDING:
- CONSOCIATIONAL DEMOCRACY IN EGYPT
- CULTURAL (NON-TERRITORIAL) AUTONOMY FOR THE COPTS IN EGYPT
BUT, WE REALISE IT IS NOT ENOUGH. HOWEVER, IT WILL PROVIDE US WITH GREATER FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE WITHIN THE MUSLIM AND ARAB DOMINATED STATE OF EGYPT.
A keen follower and correspondent, A Free Soul, has written to me:
April 22, 2020 1:21 pm
I like you spirit and respect you for fighting a battle uphill, but unfortunately I don’t see any hope for the Coptic cause, especially when the so called Patriarch Tawadros II is brainwashing the youth to accept the brutal regime in Egypt, just because he was bribed with a couple of churches and cathedrals, he is a myopic person, who could be even an agent to the secret service of Egypt, if one could be cynical about it, but even in the best case scenario, he is a weak pope, like Benjamin who allowed the Arabs to take Egypt, with no resistance to be mentioned, nothing can be hoped from the Coptic Orthodox Church, in its best form it is a weak eroded institution, that doesn’t represent the interests of the Coptic people, and in its worst, is a strong oppressive tool used by the state to keep the Copts in check, so I am really sorry, if this upsets you, but that’s what I have observed so far, and lots of observational data has made this clear to me.
Here is my response: Dioscorus Boles
May 3, 2020 9:47 pm
I don’t agree with all you have written (particularly your harsh words on Pope Tawadros II), but I do think the Coptic Church is held hostage by the Islamic state, whether this state is Islamist or just run by the Muslim majority. The relationship between the Muslim state and the Dhimmis in general is that the Church is given some religious freedom, and in return the Church leaders control their flock and prevent them from revolt. Both sides know their role in this agreement. This has been the case with all Dhimmis, and we have a good example in the case of the Ottomans with the Greeks. Yes, the Coptic Church is not independent from the Muslim state – and this does compromise the integrity of the Church and its duties towards our people, spiritually and temporary.
What I have said is a fact which is well known. But I don’t want to stop at that: it’s incumbent on us to seek a solution for it. I don’t think the clergy are happy about the situation: they want to escape out if it, but like many Copts they don’t know how. Pope Shenouda III tried but failed.
The Coptic nationalists must try to find ways to regain the independence of our Church from Egypt’s rulers, whether it is ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ass or Abdel Malik ibn Marwan or al-Mamun or Muhammad Ali or Nasser or Sadat or Sisi.
We have presented new ideas which will increase our general independence from Muslim control. We have talked about consociational democracy in Egypt and a cultural autonomy for the Copts. But we realise that is not enough. Our thinking must develop and produce better and more effective solutions.
I hope to write about that soon.
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