IRD Warns Against Threat of Muslim Brotherhood in Egyptian Protests: Group Urges Church Support and Prayer for Copts, Other Egyptian Christians
"What would happen to Christians under the Taliban-like rule of the Muslim Brotherhood?" -- Faith J.H. McDonnell, IRD Religious Liberty Director
Contact: Jeff Walton, Institute on Religion and Democracy, 202-682-4131, 202-413-5639 cell, jwalton@TheIRD.org
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- As millions of Egyptians take to the streets demanding their right to freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and democratic governance, the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD) expressed concern over where the demonstrations might lead.
Reports coming out of Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East indicate that the Muslim Brotherhood, an opposition group that strictly adheres to a fundamentalist brand of Sunni Islam, is primed to exploit the chaos. The Muslim Brotherhood has a long-stated intention of consolidating all of the Middle East under one Islamic Caliphate.
Coptic Christians, as well as all non-Muslims, experience tremendous persecution in Egypt. Attacks against Christians have accelerated in recent months, with one of the most horrific occurring at the end of the year when a jihadist suicide bomber attacked the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mark and Pope Peter in Alexandria, killing 22 and severely wounding 70.
IRD Religious Liberty Director Faith J.H. McDonnell commented:
"Unfortunately, anti-democratic forces such as the Muslim Brotherhood maybe better prepared to engage the longings of many Egyptians for a better way of life than secular democratic groups. Advocates for secular democracy and human rights within Egypt will struggle to compete with Islamists.
"A Muslim Brotherhood led government would not improve the condition of the Egyptian people. The Muslim Brotherhood is certainly not interested in the human rights and freedom, only Islamist control.
"We have seen a miraculous event in the peaceful referendum on secession this month in South Sudan. We believe that it was the prayers of Christians all over the world, including the South Sudanese Christians and of hundreds of American churches, which enabled South Sudan's referendum for freedom and independence to occur peacefully, and with great joy.
"Likewise, American Christians must pray for the people of the Middle East, particularly Egypt, as they demonstrate for freedom and democracy. We must pray that their demands will be answered with leadership that does wish for true freedom and democratic, including religious liberty, for all Egyptians, including Christians."
The Institute on Religion & Democracy works to reaffirm the church's biblical and historical teachings, strengthen and reform its role in public life, protect religious freedom, and renew democracy at home and abroad.
www.TheIRD.org
