"Arab Spring" fuelling rise of discrimination and violence against Christians

I tried to tell you. "Christians face waves of persecution: Arab Spring has partly fuelled rise of discrimination and violence against Jesus's followers," by Harry Sterling for the Vancouver Sun, January 2:

...According to reports, Christians are being increasingly harassed, intimidated and even subjected to persecution and violence, including murder, in a number of foreign countries.
Paradoxically, one development which has unexpectedly worsened the situation for some Christian communities in the Middle East has been the dramatic Arab Spring revolutions which, while welcomed by many for overthrowing or weakening repressive and corrupt regimes, have also unleashed anti-Christian actions and violence against Christian communities.

In Egypt, following the forced resignation of former president Hosni Mubarak, numerous Muslim leaders and aspiring politicians began openly calling for restrictions to be imposed on Coptic Christians (and Jews), including no further construction of churches or repairing already existing churches. Several churches have been attacked, as well as businesses and homes belonging to Christians. Many Muslim clergy have called for Christians to be given a lower status than Muslims in accordance with the Koran, the Muslim holy book.

A number of candidates for the two political parties that did best during recent elections, representing the religious views of the Muslim Brother-hood and ultra-fundamentalist Salafi movement, have called for alcohol to be banned, women to wear mandatory head coverings and to sit separately from men.

A Muslim Brotherhood leader purportedly asserted that only "drunks, druggies and adulterers" oppose the implementation of Shariah law....

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8 Comments

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JMD | January 3, 2012 6:58 AM | Reply

The Muslim Brotherhood spokesman missed one category in his list of people who oppose Sharia -- those who believe in individual liberty.

Stephen Tweed replied to comment from JMD | January 3, 2012 7:53 AM | Reply

They'll deal with those people in good time, no doubt?

Wellington | January 3, 2012 8:34 AM | Reply

Sharia and freedom. Forever enemies.

Cole | January 3, 2012 1:38 PM | Reply

Call it the 'Arab Sprig'

A spiky, thorny, horrendous outcrop.

The writer must mean - they are calling for Christians to be given an even lower status.

After 1000 years they have gotten nowhere with this - they think another 1000 will bring them a different result.

It's Muhammad's madness - shared!

We can only wish - peace could be upon him - and those who fell under his malevolent control.

dumbledoresarmy | January 3, 2012 4:01 PM | Reply

Congratulations to former Canadian diplomat Mr Harry Sterling for writing this piece, and to the Vancouver Sun for publishing it.

I read the whole thing, and he covers a lot of ground familiar to jihadwatchers - e.g. the vicious content of Saudi, Pakistani and Palestinian Muslim official textbooks, all of which teach young Muslims to despise non-Muslims. He doesn't speak with complete plainness, but he speaks a LOT more plainly than we generally see in a mainstream media outlet.

And he draws attention to the contrast between western governments' response to Chinese persecution of Christians, and their very muted response to the - even worse - persecution of non-Muslims (most notably Christians, but all non-Muslims suffer) by Saudi Arabia:

"Interestingly, while Western governments, including Canada's, haven't hesitated to criticize restrictions placed on Christians by China, there's been only muted criticism of Saudi Arabia's total ban on Christian churches and other non-Muslim religions in that pivotal Gulf state. Saudi oil wealth clearly outweighs strong criticism of its human rights record."

Canadian jihadwatchers - be sure to write to the Vancouver Sun and thank them for publishing this article.

Mary | January 4, 2012 2:28 AM | Reply

It is interesting that it is called the "Arab" Spring and not the Muslim Spring or the Islamic Spring. There definitely is racism in Islam, with the Arab race being held as superior because Mohammad was an Arab. People who have gone to Mecca will tell you that camps are basically set up according to race, with the Arab Muslims given the best accommodations. Jihadists will tell you that that is merely a financial distinction, but not all Arabs are better off financially than all others. It is also part of large scale jihad includes raping conquered women to introduce the Arab bloodline. We see that in the large jihads of Africa and many testify to that. It is also an Arab Spring in replacing the culture of conquered lands with the ancient (and violent) Arab culture. And yet, ironically, it has been declared that Muslims are the victim of racism in the West.

guide inside | January 4, 2012 5:40 AM | Reply

guide inside says---Im your huckleberry.

gravenimage | January 5, 2012 3:43 PM | Reply

"Arab Spring" fuelling rise of discrimination and violence against Christians
...............................

It is heartening to know that the Vancouver Sun has realized this.

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