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Pray for an end to anti-Semitism

28 Oct 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

Israel rejoices in being restored to wholeness in Sunday’s first reading and psalm. But not all people are as pleased with modern-day Israel, and their displeasure sometimes crosses the line into hateful speech and even prayers for destruction. The Simon Wiesenthal Center, which monitors anti-Semitic incidents worldwide, this week condemned Egypt’s new President Mohammed Morsi for responding “amen” with others at a mosque when the cleric prayed that God "destroy the Jews."A video emailed by the center showed Morsi at a mosque in the Mediterranean town of Marsa Matruh, where the congregation answers "amen" to a cleric who recites a list of prayers in a traditional ritual. In one of the prayers the cleric asked God to “destroy the Jews and their supporters and disperse them, rend them asunder." Morsi is then seen continuing to say "amen." The prayers were aired on Egyptian state TV and caught on video by MEMRI, a pro-Israel media monitoring group.In a statement the Wiesenthal Center strongly condemned the video, saying it is a sign of growing anti-Semitism in Egypt "a slap in the face to America as Egypt's President Morsi pockets billions in U.S. aid and says 'amen' to principles that are repugnant to all Americans," the statement said, quoting Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Wiesenthal Center, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the Center's associate dean.Prayers denouncing Israel or the Jews—terms often used interchangeably in Arab countries—are not uncommon in hard-line sermons, which were not a regular feature on state TV before the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak. Since taking office Morsi has refused to meet with Israeli officials or even use the word Israel in public statements, but his government has continued security cooperation with the Jewish state and says Egypt will continue to abide by the peace treaty signed between the two countries in 1979.Homily hint: This Sunday’s readings about an earlier time of Jewish persecution and restoration provide an opening for reminding folks of the historical link between the horrible persecution of Jews during World War II and the restoration of a Jewish homeland in its aftermath. Anti-Semitism is a virulent and persistent poison that must be condemned whenever and wherever it rears its head. Sources: Articles by the Miami Herald and the Associated Press

israel egypt jews anti-semitism mohammed morsi simon wiesenthal center

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Another chapter of war, and peace is elusive

25 Nov 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The readings for this Sunday’s Solemnity of Christ the King deal with questions of sovereignty and dominion. Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories have struggled with similar questions for decades, and their inability to agree on a lasting peace has led to yet another in a long series of outbursts of violence, destruction, casualties, and recrimination. What is new is the political configuration of some of their Middle Eastern neighbors, which has created a complex new geopolitical playing field.Hamas and Israel agreed to a cease-fire that took effect Wednesday evening following a week of intense diplomacy to stop rocket fire into Israel and airstrikes that have pounded the Gaza Strip and raised fears of plunging the region into a wider war.The deal was announced in Cairo by Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who flew to the region Tuesday night as hopes for a truce remained elusive amid heavy artillery exchanges. "After intensive efforts, calls, and negotiations with the Israelis and factions of the Palestinian resistance, we have come to an understanding," Amr said.In Washington, President Barack Obama thanked Morsi for his efforts "to achieve a sustainable cease-fire and for his personal leadership in negotiating a cease-fire proposal." The president also “expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the Israeli leader’s efforts to work with the new Egyptian government to achieve a sustainable cease-fire and a more durable solution to this problem," a White House statement said.The deal calls for Israel to stop all bombardment—from land, sea and air—of the Gaza Strip and for Hamas to halt firing rockets into Israel. It also notes that Israel should stop "incursions and targeting of individuals."The agreement further stipulates that issues related to border-crossings and the movement of people and goods will "be dealt with" 24 hours after the start of the cease-fire. These issues have long been central to the crafting of any longer-term solution, observers say.Homily hint: How can we support peace rather than taking sides when hostilities flare in the Middle East? This Sunday’s emphasis on God’s absolute sovereignty suggests that Jews, Christians, and Muslims could begin be focusing on the beliefs that, though expressed in different ways, are common to all three of the Abrahamic religions. Sources:Jeffrey Fleishman and Reem Abdellatif for the Los Angeles Times and Oliver Knox for The Ticket

barack obama gaza strip israel cease-fire palestinians hillary rodham clinton mohammed morsi mohammed amr

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Nothing orthodox about repression of Coptic Christians

25 Nov 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

As Roman Catholics this Sunday celebrate the feast of Christ the King, a church solemnity that marks the transition from one liturgical year to the next, Coptic Christians in Egypt have transitions both liturgical and constitutional on their minds these days. Last Sunday in a ceremony rich in ritual, they installed a new pope, Tawadros II, who they hope will guide them through the shift to a new, largely Islamist-led Egypt.The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, as it is known officially, is the largest Christian church in the Middle East and belongs to the Oriental Orthodox family of churches, which became a distinct church body as a result of doctrinal differences during the Council of Chalcedon in 451.In a sumptuous liturgy filled with prayer, chants, and incense at Abbasiya cathedral in Cairo on November 4, the 60-year-old Bishop Tawadros' name was picked by a blindfolded child from a glass bowl in which the names of two other candidates had also been placed. The ceremony last Sunday at the same cathedral marked his formal ascendance as the 118th leader of the church.Coptic Christians make up a tenth of Egypt's 83 million people. Many fear their community, which has long suffered discrimination, will be squeezed to the sidelines of society under Islamists now ruling the Muslim-majority nation.President Mohamed Morsi, propelled to power by the Muslim Brotherhood, did not attend the ceremony, to the dismay of some Christians who said it undermined his claim to be a leader of all Egyptians, but he sent his prime minister, Hisham Kandil.Tawadros II says he will oppose any new Egyptian constitution that meets only Muslim concerns. Liberals, moderate Muslims, and Islamists are tussling over the shape of the constitution and extent of Islamic references in the document. A constitution must be in place before an election can be held to replace the dissolved parliament.Christians have long been sidelined in the workplace and in law. A spate of attacks on churches since Mubarak's overthrow has further alarmed them. Some even speak of an imminent second "age of martyrdom," recalling the era of persecution of Christians under Roman rule that remains burned into Copts' historic memory nearly 2,000 years later.". . . I think we are moving toward a confrontation that will have grave ramifications for Egypt," said Bishop Bieman, a charismatic church leader in the southern province of Qena. "I am not worried about us Christians on the long term, but I am seriously concerned about what happens to us on the short term. Efforts to impose a[n Islamic] religious state are accelerating."Homily hint: Many Catholics are unaware of the existence of the Coptic Christian tradition, much less of the repression its members currently suffer. With Christ as our common King, can we turn our backs on our brothers and sisters in other lands? Sources: Articles by Edmund Blair for Reuters, Hamza Nedawi for the Associated Press, and Wikipedia

egypt coptic christians mohammed morsi tawadros ii hisham kandil constitutions coptic orthodox church

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Meet the new boss, same as the old boss?

02 Dec 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“The time when promises are fulfilled and justice is raised up is on its way,” PreparetheWord.com says in summarizing this Sunday’s reading from the Book of Jeremiah. In an escalation of the tug-of-war between Egypt's president and the nation's powerful judiciary, judges in the country's top courts went on strike Wednesday to protest Mohammed Morsi’s seizure of near absolute powers, while Islamists rushed to complete a new constitution, the issue at the heart of the dispute.The moves came a day after at least 200,000 protesters filled Cairo's central Tahrir Square to denounce the decrees Morsi issued last week, which place him above oversight of any kind, including by the courts. Threatening to turn the dispute into violent street clashes, Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood and the more radical Islamist Salafi Al-Nour party called for a counter-demonstration this weekend in Tahrir Square, where Morsi’s opponents have been holding a sit-in for over a week.Morsi has said the decrees are necessary to protect the revolution that helped drive Hosni Mubarak from office last year as well as the nation's transition to democratic rule. The constitutional declaration also provides the 100-member panel drafting a new constitution with immunity from the courts.In a sign the dispute may take a sharp turn, the Supreme Constitutional Court said in a statement that it will go ahead with plans to rule Sunday on whether to dissolve the assembly writing the new constitution, which is dominated by the Brotherhood and its Islamist allies. Complicating matters, the constitutional panel was rushing to wrap up its work, and some members said a final draft could be completed as early as Thursday. This would allow the president to call for a nationwide referendum on the document even before the court convenes Sunday, circumventing its decision.Homily hint: Even with all our political and policy differences as citizens, we can be encouraged that we are able to resolve our disputes for the most part in civil ways that respect the rule of law. Lead those in attendance in prayers for those who are still struggling to achieve genuine democracies around the world. Sources: Articles by Sarah El Deeb for the Associated Press and Reza Sayah for CNN

egypt muslim brotherhood mohammed morsi constitutions islamists supreme constitutional court

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Egypt erupts anew

03 Feb 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“Gird your loins” to stand up to Judah’s kings and princes, the Lord advises the prophet Jeremiah in this Sunday’s first reading. “They will fight against you but not prevail over you.” Protestors in Egypt took to the street for a seventh day of violent confrontation with Islamic president Mohamed Morsi's presidency in clashes that have left more than 50 Egyptians dead. Prospects for a quick resolution are dim.Opposition politicians on Wednesday scrambled to find a solution to the turmoil and called for the formation of a national unity government. Mohamed ElBaradei, the former United Nations atomic energy chief who is a leader of the secular-liberal National Salvation Front, called for the armed forces to be included in any dialogue, a day after Defense Minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi warned that the political deadlock was threatening the nation’s stability, a remark that sparked concern the armed forces were considering an intervention.“Stopping the violence is a priority,” ElBaradei said. “We need an immediate meeting between the president, the ministers of defense [and the] interior ministry, and the ruling party.”The protests are the latest in the seesaw struggle between Egypt's first democratically elected president and dissidents who say his tenure is a throwback to past dictatorships, particularly the reign of President Hosni Mubarak, toppled in a popular revolt two years ago.Homily hint: The transition from dictatorship to democracy is never easy for any society, especially when religious ideology is added to the volatile mix. So we hold the Egyptian people and their painful process in our hearts and minds. Perhaps it is also good to remind people that only through the responsible participation of all citizens does a democracy remain healthy and open. Sources: Articles by Holly Yan and Saad Abedine forCNN and Borzou Daragahi for the Financial Times

egypt protests mohammed morsi abdel fattah el-sisi mohammed elbaradei

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Egypt erupts

18 Aug 2013 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The first reading this Sunday relates how the Babylonian rulers of Judah decided the prophet Jeremiah was undermining morale in the city and attempted to put him to death. Egyptian military forces decided Islamist supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi had to be cleared from their encampments in the city of Cairo, and in the ensuing assault Wednesday hundreds of protesters died and countless more were wounded.By Wednesday afternoon the interim government appointed by Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi had declared a one-month state of emergency across the country, suspending the right to a trial or due process. The declaration returned Egypt to the state of virtual martial law that prevailed for three decades under President Hosni Mubarak before he was forced to step down in 2011.After a six-week standoff with the demonstrators, the scale and brutality of the attack—with armored vehicles, bulldozers, tear gas, snipers, live ammunition, and birdshot—appeared to extinguish any hope of a political reconciliation that might persuade Morsi's Islamist supporters to participate in a renewed democratic process under the auspices of the military-appointed government."This is the beginning of a systematic crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, other Islamists, and other opponents of a military coup,” said Emad Shahin, a professor of political science at the American University in Cairo. “It is an attempt to begin a new phase of a police state under military control behind a civilian facade—this is what they are trying to do.”As for American threats to cut off aid or block international loans, Shahin said, no Egyptians—generals, liberals, Islamists, or scholars—ever took them seriously. “In the end, the West will back the winning side,” he said. “That is how dictators think, and to a certain extent it is true.”Josh Earnest, spokesman for President Barack Obama, said the United States was continuing to review the $1.5 billion in aid it gives Egypt, most of it in the form of military equipment. He said the violence “runs directly counter to pledges from the interim government to pursue reconciliation” with the Islamists.Homily hint: Egyptian immigration to the U.S. has spiked in recent years due to the violence in their native country. Many of the newest of an estimated half-million immigrants are Coptic Orthodox Christians who did not feel safe in Egypt. Perhaps your faith community can reach out to local immigrants to let them know they have friends and neighbors who care even though they are a long way from home. Source: An article by David D. Kirkpatrick for the New York Times

egypt protests muslim brotherhood mohammed morsi islamists martial law josh earnest emad shahin abdul-fattah el-sisi

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Egyptian court issues deadly sentence

30 Mar 2014 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In the Sunday reading from the Letter to the Ephesians, we hear that darkness is banished in the light of Christ, which awakens believers to fuller life: “Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord,” the reading encourages. One has to wonder whether the Lord of life would be pleased that an Egyptian court has chosen to sentence 529 people to death in the largest capital punishment case on record in Egypt.The mass-sentencing of alleged supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi underscore the severity of an ongoing campaign by Egypt’s military-backed leaders to silence opposition, eight months after a military coup ousted Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected leader.It was unclear what evidence prosecutors presented to support Monday’s ruling, which came after only two court sessions. A defense attorney in the case said that the defense was never given access to the evidence and that none of the defendants—or their attorneys—were allowed in court for the verdict.When lawyers for the defense objected to court procedures during the first hearing Saturday, security personnel threatened members of the defense team to silence them, said one of the lawyers, Ahmed Shabeeb. “This whole process is a sham,” he said.Human rights group Amnesty International called the ruling ”a grotesque example of the shortcomings and the selective nature of Egypt's justice system.” U.S. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said it would be it would be "unconscionable" for Egypt's government to carry out the death sentences."The imposition of the death penalty for 529 defendants after a two-day summary proceeding cannot be reconciled with Egypt's obligations under international human rights law" said Harf. "If Egypt's leaders want to ensure a political transition to democracy . . . they must unequivocally ensure an environment that is free of intimidation or retribution. This includes ensuring due process and fair trials for all Egyptians accused of crimes."Homily hint: The Catholic Church speaks out forcefully against the death penalty. While few of us are in a position to singlehandedly effect the outcome of a verdict in a court case thousands of miles away, we can add our appeal to that of millions worldwide: pursue justice through just means. Sources: Articles by Abigail Hauslohner and Lara El Gibaly for the WashingtonPost, Zvi Bar’el for Haaretz.com, RTTNews.com, and Amnesty.org

egypt amnesty international capital punishment death penalty mohammed morsi criminal justice marie harf

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