In the early twentieth century, the great liberal man Ahmad Lutfi al-Sayed, run for the parliamentary elections. However he didn't need so much effort to win the elections; his enemies decided to defame him claiming he is a democratic man who left Islam and embraced the Western democracy that promotes freedoms and pornography. The ignorant people asked Lutfi al-Sayed: Are you democratic? Of course, I am, said he. This simple answer was more than enough to burn his electoral platform and cause him great loss. This story happened in Egypt several times as the ignorant people are being manipulated to achieve certain goals.
There were several disasters and calamities experienced in Egypt this month. First, 500 tons of phosphate sank in the Nile a week ago, which occupied the Egyptian public opinion amid floundering statements by officials and experts who tried to reassure the citizens about the polluted water. Experts assured that the phosphate contains a number of Heavy metals such as uranium and cadmium, which cause adverse effects on human beings in case of melting in the water. However, some Ministers claimed it’s hard to dissolve in the water since it’s a metal, which is totally wrong. It's a scientifically known fact that phosphate is a salt of phosphoric acid.
After the end of the unwarranted visit of Pope Tawadros to the Netherlands with a delegation of several bishops and priests, he is going to travel to Austria for treatment. Then, he will fly to Italy to hold a conference with bishops and priests of Europe in the most expensive city in Europe, Venice. Here, I wonder why this tourist city was chosen to hold such conference? Do the bishops and priests need such tourism and entertainment with the very limited resources of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The conference could have been held in one monastery of the Coptic church in Europe in order to save a lot of money.
To be an Egyptian journalist on World Press Freedom Day (3 May), one must have a healthy sense of ironic juxtaposition. In Egypt, as most journalists and readers know, the words freedom and journalism, particularly under the harsh light of the Al-Sisi regime, in the same sentence elicit a loud and bitter laugh. Freedom of speech has never, in many years in this profession covering Egypt, been a mainstay. But in the past 20 months, while Al-Sisi ruled initially De jure and now De Facto, holding a pen has become associated only with fear and oppression-especially if you write in the political/economic realm. Indeed, as respected Egyptian journalist Yosri Fouda said, last week: “The current scene in Egypt is among the worst in journalism history.” I disagree – in 25 years of practicing, reading, watching and listening to Egyptian media this is, without equivocation, the darkest hour for Egyptian media. But the regime neglects an important detail, just as it plies the journalistic drink with fear it greatly fears the very pen it attacks.
Any one who looks at the political parties today will feel without a doubt that It is impossible to have a sound political life in this situation. We all recently read about what happened with the Alwafd Party and how a group of people inside the party itself wanted to isolate the president of the party for the sake of a reform. It has not only been the Alwafd party suffering from this hassal, but all political parties in Egypt are suffering from different diseases. I wonder how the political parties will enter the next parliament election while most of them suffer from internal conflicts.
I met with many atheists in the United States of America, and was surprised to find the words "In God We Trust" on its banknotes, which was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956. I’ve always wondered which God they mean or accept if many of them don’t really believe in God. Finally, I found it responds to mercy and tolerance rather than any other God or religion. In the Middle East, we have so many religious people that the Egyptian people for example are generally called “religious people”; however, we are losing many beautiful human values and morals including mercy and tolerance, and left those morals and values for the atheists to adopt and apply since they have mercy by nature and apply them away from written commandments.
It is amazing to know that Egypt has received support by many states and tribes in its war against terrorism. Yes, tribes are acting more like states with many soldiers and heavy weapons. The state of Tarabin is one of the tribes that offered to help our military and police in the evacuation of terrorists from the villages of Mahdia and Agraa that are considered strongholds of terrorists in Sinai. More than 300 soldiers moved with their heavy gear to liberate those villages and they succeeded. I really don’t know what they did to the terrorists or how they punished them.
After the revolution of January 25, Egyptian media has turned into a great circus that full of ignorant and disloyal clowns. Soon, another kind of clowns that is full of narcissism and inferiority appeared. This naive kind of clowns believed they are able to mobilize the Egyptian people by flattering them. They think they lead and even manipulate the Egyptian people. During the state of chaos after the revolution of January 25, such clowns appeared to deliver certain messages to the people. Soon, President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi appeared to change such policy and fix the situation.
I always wondered what is the meaning of freedom? Does it mean to do whatever you want without harming other people? I repeated this question with the great dispute in our society concerning the veil and sexual harassment. Recently, some people called to take off the veil by many women in a big demonstration in Tahrir Square. I believe that our real problem doesn’t have much to do with covering the heads, but rather those many covers inside our heads. Many men don’t wear the veil, but they have many covers over their brains that distort their thinking.
The Egyptian Flag returned in the grounds of Sinai on 25th April that it becomes since then the National Day of Sinai! Our Army force that crossed Suez Canal and destabilized Enemy on 6th of October 1973 within less than 6 hours Sinai was covered with Army forces and Egyptian blood covered its grounds with the enemy within and was the glorious victory that re-iterated the fact that the Israeli Army is the never defeated Army! The never defeated Army was defeated within just 6 hours and the distress call issued to its allies in the States that rushed to save them! No doubts Sadat was the leader that ordered the attack nevertheless accusations on his issue with his commanding general Shazli which is not my point in this article but historically I had to recall him he participated in that war and only ungrateful people will deny his finger prints!
Bombs going off. People dying everyday. New protests. Old reasons. Widespread violence and bloodshed, and tragedy, is now an everyday scenario we face in Egypt. It seems like not a second goes by without some new tragic event. The reason I am speaking about this new way of life is because I feel as though violence, if not prevented or stopped, will sooner rather than later become a part of the Egyptian culture.
I wrote this article after the court issued its ruling concerning the Presidential palace incidents, which turned it into a torture chambers for enemies of the Muslim Brotherhood, I mean the peaceful demonstrators. The event was planned by the deputy of the president, Ahmed Mekky. I don’t comment on the rule. Indeed, the judge knows and sees more than we do. However, the judge pleased supporters of the ousted president by giving Mohamed Morsy this fake rule of innocence concerning killing the demonstrators. Yet, some of them are sad as they couldn’t mourn the beheaded of their hero who could have been sentenced to death penalty.
Pope Francis presided over religious services attended by the Catholic Armenian Patriarch and Armenian President Serge Sargsian to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the terrible massacre committed by the Ottoman Turks against the Armenians, in which 1.5 million Armenians were killed and thousands were displaced to neighboring countries. He also described this as genocide. Soon, the Turkish government denounced the statement claiming that the Armenians were able to mislead the Pope as well as the people and fabricate the story. It also claimed that it was only a civil war in which both Armenians and Turks have suffered.
3 soldiers have been killed after an armored vehicle had exploded in Rafah on Monday. Terrorist elements have planted the bomb in the way of armored vehicle aiming to cause huge destruction and losses. In fact, I am surprised to see the repeated bombing incidents of armored vehicles. Indeed, there is negligence in securing our troops. Army should provide mine sweepers to secure the way of the armors and save the lives of the soldiers. Such security measures should be taken in order to protect our soldiers.
The Middle Eastern countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states are facing fateful war with Iran that is working so hard to implement the Iranian project of the Middle East. This project aims to dominate over the Sunni country in the region as an alternative for the American evil scheme, which was turned down by Egypt's Great Revolution in June 30. The former scheme had the same purpose of burning Egypt and dividing the countries in the region as well as to destroy armies and economies of these countries.
Yes, really every new day comes with its own new HOPES, but here we talk of hopes for a brighter new day for Egypt that faces the war on Terror! Some time ago, precisely on 26th July 2013, Egyptians come out once again after their revolution to confirm their trust to the Egyptian Army that faced lot of conspiracies since their bright stand-up in October 1973 victory! Conspiracies on the Egyptian Army reached their pick after ex-president stepped down leaving or confining the country to the Military Council!
I totally believe that Egypt is suffering from a lot of things now days. On one hand, What the Muslim Brotherhood does like bombing and killing that happens everyday, on the other hand, The Economic difficulties that Egypt face due to lacking of stability.
An Egyptian journalist has called recently Egyptian women to demonstrate in Tahrir Square and take off the veil. This is how we care about the appearances rather than our actual problems. The veil is just style of clothing that expresses the character and style of one woman just like bikini.
I read an article in Rosalyousef magazine about the joy of the Coptic Church for Sisi’s gift at the Easter. The article said that the state gave a nice gift to the church at this Easter by allocating 30 acres to build a new Cathedral in New Cairo. The state should take its responsibilities and help the religious institutions to spread its good values against the spreading values of atheism and fanaticism in our community.
Since people are different, they have different ways to celebrate the feasts. Some people go out with their friends or visit their relatives. Others decide to stay at home. I can see women women suffering at feasts, not only to clean the houses and prepare the food, but also to visit beauty centers and take care of their beauty. Most men will not tolerate half of their hard and boring work. On the other hand, men take care of football games instead of such vital tasks.
In the last article I spoke about the Resurrection, and about it's deep meaning. I ended my article with the question, are you working to enjoy the moment of resurrection? If so, then that's what I want to focus on today. Many people, including myself, find that it's so hard to work on a spiritual life which will lead you to eternal life to enjoy it. I admit that it is really hard, just as Jesus said in the Bible, “Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat”
Others
An Arabic language teacher from the Qabaa school in the Nozha district flogged a Coptic pupil ten years old named Bibawi Faragallah 40 times with an electric wire last week.