Did Fr. Raphael provoke them in some way? Did he draw Muhammad? Did he opine that Islam was not a religion of peace? Or could his murder simply have been provoked by who he was, as an Infidel, a Christian priest?
Why are Church leaders in the West so uniformly silent about the Muslim persecution of Christians? Jean-Clément Jeanbart, the Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, gave an interview to a French reporter in which he was highly critical of the mainstream media and even of his fellow bishops for ignoring the Muslim persecution of Middle Eastern Christians. “The European media,” he charged, “have not ceased to suppress the daily news of those who are suffering in Syria and they have even justified what is happening in our country by using information without taking the trouble to verify it.” And as for his brother bishops in France, “the conference of French bishops should have trusted us, it would have been better informed. Why are your bishops silent on a threat that is yours today as well? Because the bishops are like you, raised in political correctness. But Jesus was never politically correct, he was politically just!”
Archbishop Jeanbart was not the first to say this. “Why, we ask the western world, why not raise one’s voice over so much ferocity and injustice?” asked Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, the head of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI). Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III Younan appealed to the West “not to forget the Christians in the Middle East.” The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Gregory III has also said: “I do not understand why the world does not raise its voice against such acts of brutality.”
But the Patriarch should have understood, since he is a major part of the problem. After all, he recently said: “No one defends Islam like Arab Christians.” It is to defend Islam that Western clerics do not raise their voice against such acts of brutality. It is to pursue a fruitless and chimerical “dialogue” that bishops in the U.S. and Europe keep silent about Muslim persecution of Christians, and enforce that silence upon others. Robert McManus, Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts, said it on February 8, 2013 as he was suppressing a planned talk at a Catholic conference on that persecution: “Talk about extreme, militant Islamists and the atrocities that they have perpetrated globally might undercut the positive achievements that we Catholics have attained in our inter-religious dialogue with devout Muslims.”
Remember that Mohamed Atta, about the plane he had hijacked on September 11, 2001, told passengers over the intercom: “Stay quiet and you’ll be OK.” The Catholic Church appears to have adopted that statement as its policy regarding Muslim persecution of Christians. When will Pope Francis canonize Atta?
“Leave them; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14)
“Egypt: Coptic Christian priest killed in ‘hail of bullets’ outside church,” by Florence Taylor, Christian Today, June 30, 2016:
A Coptic Christian priest has been killed in “a hail of bullets” outside The Church of the Martyr of St George in Sinai, Egypt today.
Raphael Moussa, 46, was shot dead by an unidentified gunman next to his car, having left the church in Arish where he attended a mass, according to Boulos Halim, a church spokesperson.
Security officials said there was more than one gunman involved in the shooting. They said the priest had been followed and shot at when he emerged from his car.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but extremists in the Sinai have targeted Christians before, accusing them of working with the government.
A branch of ISIS has been active in the Northern Sinai region and reportedly killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers in the region.
“The whole situation in El-Arish and North Sinai is under threat,” said Halim. “Many people [Christians] have left.”…

Barbara Vaughn says
et tu Brutus, springs to mind. So, Obama, et al, are not the only guilty parties in papering over the brutalities being suffered by Christians at the hands of Muslims. So hard to believe. What “moderate Muslim” segment of the population are they hoping to mollify? Sad, very sad. Political correctness while Christians continue to die.
linnte says
Prayers for his family and Congregation. This is so sad.
Bob says
Yes, it isn’t just the ‘moderate’ muslims who should surely speak out, but hut the presently silent western Church, were so many congregations seem almost to side with Islam, encouraged by their ministers leading islamochristian ‘services which can end only one way!
CogitoErgoSum says
I like the quote “But Jesus was never politically correct, he was politically just!” Jesus said He was the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus was the Truth. Follow the truth even though it may not be politically correct and it will lead the way to a life that is politically just.
Here is another video by David Wood that concerns the truth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGysOICFRlk
Angemon says
Poor man…
Cecilia Ellis says
. . . But a great man. May God embrace him in eternal life and grant his family and parishioners His peace.
Mike says
Come on! A tad bit sensationalist isn’t it? “Muslims?” These bloody terrorists are not Muslims, are not Christians, are not Jews……..they are simply not human! Which human being does these things? Only one devoid of humanity!
Please let’s not get our prejudices inflame an already volatile situation. Our need for cooler heads is needed now, instead of vitriol like this!
CogitoErgoSum says
So they are not Muslims, Christians or Jews and are not even human. I guess we have either been invaded by hostile space aliens or else a new species of animal is roaming the Earth which has learned to drive a car and shoot a gun and hates Coptic Christian priests. Hey, it could happen …. in Bizarro World.
JFAH says
You obviously haven’t seen the ramadam Bombathon published these past weeks on Twitter. Last count was Christian terrorist attacks and deaths: nil. Jewish terrorist attacks and deaths: nil. moslem terror attacks: > 200 now I think. moslem terrorist attack deaths: > 1400. I bet Buddhists, Sikhs, Shinto and all the others are nil. So yes, it’s just all in our minds (and aren’t we so beastly for picking on them) that moslems love killing people in the name of their dreamt up bloody god and his perverted child raping prophet mohomit.
Yes I misspell and use lower case for very good reason. They get no credence from me
Mike says
So you’re a fan of stats eh? How many Muslims have been murdered by ISIL? If this was simply a matter of killing nonmuslims then a statistically significant number of Muslims are murdered by these bastards. Not to discount this tragic event just stating that ISIL doesn’t give a rats ass who you are Muslim or non Muslim.
Angemon says
Mike posted:
“So you’re a fan of stats eh?”
Aren’t you?
“How many Muslims have been murdered by ISIL? If this was simply a matter of killing nonmuslims then a statistically significant number of Muslims are murdered by these bastards.”
Does ISIS consider the muslims they kill to be muslims or do they count them among the hypocrites and deviants, whose claim to muslimhood goes no further than their mouths?
“Not to discount this tragic event just stating that ISIL doesn’t give a rats ass who you are Muslim or non Muslim.”
Ah, that must be why, for example, the attackers in the recent mass-murder in a Bangladeshi restaurant went out of their way to try and figure out who was a muslim – they let those who could recite from the quran go and tortured and murdered those who couldn’t.
linnte says
Mike, I would bet you a thousand billion dollars that this was perpetrated by Muslims. But really, your statement doesn’t even deserve a reply.
Mike says
You’re stating the obvious mate…..who else could it statistically be in Egypt where >90% of the population is Muslim! It’s like telling me there are black people in Kenya!
You’re missing the point here. it’s about your intent which is to spread your propaganda about your perceptions on the religion and their followers. You’ve got all the right to bellow all the smoke and mirrors you want to appease the devil within you, but it’s just that…..smoke and mirrors mate.
SoliDeoGloria says
Mike, “mate”, inform yourself, read the Kur’an, study the life of the prophet and read about his pronouncements. Then you can write and we’ll read what you have to say.
It seems to me that you are the one with smoky “perceptions” and more than eager to spread your “mirrored propaganda”, devoid of informed knowledge of the subject.
linnte says
Good reply to “Mike”, Gloria!
Mike says
well let’s agree to disagree shall we? I’m a firm believer of my Lord Jesus who showed me the true way to deal with your stupidity simply turn and walk away?
linnte says
Qur’an, Hadiths, Sunnah, Sira, Sharia/Islamic law et al paint all Muslims with the same brush, not me. Muhammad commands(not requests, asks or insinuates ) that NOTHING be changed or altered in his “holy Quran”, not me. If Qur’an says “Strike terror into the hearts of the non believers” or “Strike at their necks” then that’s what it means.
I don’t make up Islamic texts, and it is these horrifying books that I use to make personal and Universal judgements about ALL Muslims BECAUSE they are the ones who adhere and subscribe to Islam. You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you CAN judge a book by its CONTENT. Contrary to popular belief, there is no mystery or esoteric content in the Qur’an. It is straightforward and demonically obvious about what it says. And OBVIOUSLY you have not read any of these vile books. Muslims, ALL Muslims would never in their wildest dreams deny violent verses exist in the Qur’an but they WILL lie about the meaning because they are commanded to, to prevent slander of their “god” and his messenger.
After you have read these books, get back to me, and let me know what your pitiful opinion is.
Angemon says
Mike posted:
“You’re stating the obvious mate…..who else could it statistically be in Egypt where >90% of the population is Muslim! It’s like telling me there are black people in Kenya!”
But you assured us that the killers were not muslims:
“You’re missing the point here. it’s about your intent which is to spread your propaganda about your perceptions on the religion and their followers.
What “propaganda” would that be? And what’s this about the alleged intent? Are you a mind-reader?
Western Canadian says
“Mike says
July 1, 2016 at 1:18 pm
well let’s agree to disagree shall we? I’m a firm believer of my Lord Jesus who showed me the true way to deal with your stupidity simply turn and walk away.”
We don’t ‘disagree’ with you, as the subject is quite cut and dried: islam is the most vicious crime committed against humanity, in all of its history. That your ignorance, staggeringly oversized ego, and general stupidity prevents you from seeing that…. well, you are what you are. As for dealing with stupidity, the only one demonstrating any of that here, is you. And you’ve demonstrated enough to fill the entire grand canyon.
eur says
Here in Spain every week the police arrested Pakistanis, Moroccans … by jihadism . Today they have arrested three others in Catalonia , are not Muslims? they recruit people to go to Syria , extolling the killings of isis, want the implementation of sharia law … they are terrorists , ok . But they are terrorists because they follow the Islamic doctrine , the same as applied Muhammad.
Mike says
Bullshit mate. So what about the crusaders? Were they following the message of Christ?
Angemon says
Mike posted:
“Bullshit mate. So what about the crusaders? Were they following the message of Christ?”
The Crusades were a delayed, small-scale response to centuries of unprovoked, religiously-motivated islamic aggression.
linnte says
Thanks Angemon. Whew! Saved me from responding to Mike and you did well! As usual! Hahaha! Like I said to Mike before, he clearly has not read Islamic texts.
John spielman says
The perps are muslim and are obeying allah( Satan to non muslims) and his demon possessed mass murdering lying thieving pedophile false prophet muhammed pbuh*
pbuh* perpetual banishment unto hell
Mike says
I was raised Catholic and I still remember the scene where Christ attached the soldiers ear back knowing full well that the very soldier may be beating him up! We cannot act like as if we Christians haven’t committed any atrocities that’d be stupid and naive!
Separate your bullshit racist ideologies and open you myopic eyes to see that a few bad apples cannot represent an entire religion.
Heather says
Race has NOTHING to do with religion and therefore CAN NOT be ‘racist’.
Secondly, they DO represent their ENTIRE cult/religion.
Christ was a peacemaker. You should be ashamed.
Angemon says
Mike posted:
“We cannot act like as if we Christians haven’t committed any atrocities that’d be stupid and naive!”
Huh, what does that have to do with islamic terrorism? Are you saying that because someone a long time ago did something wrong we are supposed to ignore wrongdoers nowadays?
“Separate your bullshit racist ideologies”
What race is islam?
“ and open you myopic eyes to see that a few bad apples cannot represent an entire religion.”
You are correct – one can not ascertain whether a religion is good or bad by the actions of some believers. We must study its texts and teachings. And it turns out, the muslims killing in the name of allah are merely obeying orthodox islamic teachings. That many muslims worldwide don’t do it – whether because they don’t know their religion, don’t care about it or are simply not in a position to do so – won’t change the fact that islam does mandate muslims to wage war against non-muslims on account of their religion.
Western Canadian says
Oh, by the war moron, when self proclaimed Christians (you know, hypocrites like you) held hands with muslim slave traders, the muslims were following the teachings of their hate filled and unholy koran… the Christians, were acting in opposition to Christian beliefs…. and don’t be such an ignorant ass that you don’t know what the old and new testaments were referring to, was indentured servants….. NOT slaves.
When so called Christians (like you) were helping to round up Jews to send to the camps, they were NOT upholding Christs requirements… but then, you obviously know nothing about Christianity, or its polar opposite, islam.
dts says
Mike, why do you suppose Christians, just to name one group out of many the Koran heaps with opprobrium, fare so badly, uniformly, across the Muslim world? Could it maybe be something to do with the ideology of Islam itself, since that is the biggest commonality between such disparate places as, say, Morocco and Bangladesh? Even if you don’t feel like reading the Koran, you can, if you are familiar with the news out of these places, see a very clear pattern, imho. Anyways, with due respect, before you dismiss these “perceptions” represented here as blind bigotry, it may pay to look into what Islam REALLY has to say about its own self, in its own words (which I think are much more representative than the magic thoughts of Western politicians, hoping against hope that they can tell Islam that it is a “religion of peace” enough that it comes true).
linnte says
Boom!
Heather says
Not Muslims? What part of ‘alla akhbar’ is NOT islam/muslim. Answer: NONE.
W A K E U P to R E A L I T Y.
Angemon says
Mike posted:
“Come on! A tad bit sensationalist isn’t it? “Muslims?” These bloody terrorists are not Muslims, are not Christians, are not Jews……..they are simply not human! Which human being does these things? Only one devoid of humanity!
Please let’s not get our prejudices inflame an already volatile situation. Our need for cooler heads is needed now, instead of vitriol like this!”
Like it or not, the killers were muslims acting in accordance to islamic teachings. Pointing out facts is not “sensationalist” or “vitriol”, it’s simply recognizing the problem so that an adequate solution can be found.
Western Canadian says
‘mike’ is either a muslim troll, or a hard left troll, raised on drivel by marxists who hate the west as much as muslims hate the west. He repeats every tired hard left lie (crusades etc.), and loves to resort to name calling, all the while trying to pretend he is a true Christian. Yeah, right… he is the same type of true ‘christian’ that refused to say no to nazis, to the slave trade, etc.
Andrew says
Another “politically correct” moron. That’s what’s wrong with the world now. Too many accepting idiots, from the left, trying to whitewash Islamic atrocities.
Kelly says
It is really sad that western Christians of all denominations have not done more to help their persecuted brothers and sisters.
Two groups that do help are
International Christian Concern
and
Open Doors.
Benedict says
Mr. Pope are you going to say something when a fellow Christian is killed or are you going to kiss the gunman’s feet
tullia says
MR Pope, will you be attending the funeral of the murdered priest? It’s a Muslim country, you’ll be made welcomed.
JMB says
The Pope should be on international TV condemning this attack just like Obama should have been condemning the cold blooded murder of a 13 year old Jewish girl. Both Obama and the present Pope should be condemned for their attitude.
Pere LaChaise says
Robert editorialized:
” “Stay quiet and you’ll be OK.” The Catholic Church appears to have adopted that statement as its policy regarding Muslim persecution of Christians. When will Pope Francis canonize Atta?”
This and comments above are absoltuely unhelpful, disrespectful and divisive. They also fly in the face of the fact that Pope Francis does not demur from calling out the Turkish Genocide of Christian Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians, as he did once more last week in Yerevan.
I understand the need for forceful rhetoric, but this is obscene and gives a false picture of the Holy See’s position on islamist jihad. We could always wish for louder decrial of the evil that is Islam, but a worldwide church with millions of its own members stuck inside the ‘umma would be irresponsible to expose them to retributory rage of their oppressors by fruitlessly egging the violent on to more crimes.
Leaders of churches have to appeal to people’s better nature, rather than foment uproar. Pope Francis has spoken many times about the need for more concern for Eastern Christians now facing what may be the worst persecution in the history of Christendom. There is always more to be done, certainly His Holiness knows it better than you or I. By excoriating the Papacy, you drive wedges between Christians. You write as a Melkite Catholic – you will be held accountable for every idle word, every exaggerated piece of rhetoric. Be more careful, Robert. As an Orthodox priest, I am on your side. Do not thrust aside or belittle those placed by God in positions of ecclesiastic authority over you.
Paul Clark says
Why? Because most Christians are apathetic, cowards. Their churches are social clubs. They don’t want to be bothered by the mere slaughter of other Christians. Just as long as the killings, rapes, kidnapping and the burning alive Christian children does not disturb their Wednesday night meal, it is for these okay.
I know of no one in the Christian church that will take “up the cross”. This includes most of the Protestant leadership and especially the Pope”: ” I knew you not.”
I am a Christian and I will and I want to “take up the cross.” I have heard of others, but I know of no others, and; I know thousand of Christians.
If denying the Holy Ghost is unforgivable, I wonder where the lack of faith and cowardliness of Christians stands with God.
John spielman says
agree
Baucent says
The Sinai will only be cleaned up of Jihadist if the Israeli Army sweeps in there, as they did in 1973.Israel gave the Sinai back to Egypt as a gesture of peace.
UriahB says
And here I thought that these vermin weren’t educated. Killing a Christian priest. Okay. They actually do have some semblance of knowledge. In fact, they are most likely to be familiar with Latin. After all, whats a a Christian priest to them. Well, actually they do know Latin and apply it appropriately. “Vivere commune est, sed non commune mereri.” Translation, for us infidels, as we are so ignorant….” Everybody lives; not everybody deserves to.”
david Jones says
THE RELIGION OF PEACE ( OF PIECES ) STRIKES _____AGAIN
PRCS says
Students.