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The Egyptian revolution: An interfaith movement
Today's guest blogger is Frank Fredericks, executive director of World Faith, co-director of Religious Freedom USA, and president of Çöñàr Records.
Seeing the Egyptian protests on American media may lead you to believe that this is an Iranian-style revolution, with a probable result being an Islamic regime. However, when you look at the details of what is happening on the ground, this is an interfaith movement.
Since 2006, I have been frequenting Egypt, spending a month or more at a time staying and working with locals in Cairo and Alexandria. It was in Egypt when I got inspired to found World Faith, and it's become a second home for me.
Broken messages from my Egyptian friends spiked an unparalleled mix of awe, fear and excitement. While a popular revolution was only a matter of time, the somewhat minute ignition was surprising to say the least. As we'd say, if Egypt was full of Iranians, they would have revolted 10 years ago.
But it's not, and as my friend Haroon Moghul outlined, it is not Iran nor an Islamic movement. Whether the restrictions put on Christians for interfaith marriages or conversion, or the government's strong crackdown on devout Muslims are an attempt to punish the Ikhwan (Muslim Brotherhood), religion has oftentimes stood as a tool of division in Egypt.
Many assume that the Ikhwan would become the dominant player in the protests, they were slow to formally join, recognizing that their explicit support would damage the movement. They even went so far as to release a statement Saturday explicitly stating that they have no desire to lead an interim government, but would rather participate in a multiparty democratic political system. Nobel Peace Prize Winner Mohammed el-Baradei has become the inpromptu voice of the people, who stated that Egypt needs a new government "based on freedom, democracy and social justice."
The protests have demonstrated explicit interfaith components. It was only a few weeks ago that Egyptian Muslims attended Christmas mass with their Christian neighbors and friends as human shields after the deadly attack on a Coptic church. Mohamed El-Sawy, whose cultural center has hosted World Faith Cairo events, said of faith relations in Egypt, "We either live together or we die together." Returning the favor, Christians stood guard at mosques across Egypt while their Muslim friends finished their Friday prayers before the day's protests. When a few demonstrators began chanting "Allahu Akbar," others convinced them to join together: "Muslim, Christian, we're all Egyptian!"
When the police and military withdrew from the streets, many feared that communal violence would fill the void caused by the chaos. This is not far-fetched when you look at the results of the Lebanese Civil War and post-Saddam Iraq. When looters, seemingly armed and sent out by the government, attacked museums, churches, mosques and businesses, demonstrators circled the buildings, taking shifts guarding the buildings and neighborhoods. These are all amazing examples of interfaith collaboration in the face of chaos.
While Egyptians are expressing the universal human right of free assembly, they are faced with rough repression. More than 100 have died, and thousands injured. The insincere and limited elections, brutal repression and widespread incompetence in providing economic opportunity by the government has incensed young Egyptians.
This should be troubling for Americans, as our significant financial and military support is incongruous to our foreign policy of supporting democratic ideals. A relic of the Camp David Accords, the support continues because many American foreign policymakers believe a democratic Egypt would not maintain peace with Israel. While regional peace is and should be a high policy goal, it should not come at the cost of the freedom of 82 million Egyptians.
In the face of the protests, American leaders have dithered, deflected or defended the Egyptian regime and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. It was like watching a game to see how many Democrats could defend a dictator in a 24-hour period. If the protesters are modern-day revolutionaries, in face of these young Jeffersons and Washingtons we are siding with the king of England. This puts us on the wrong side of history, and it will have a deep impact on the relations between the United States and the future democratic Egypt.
Interfaith movements across the world often find inspiration in American religious leaders. This is a core value of the American people, and of our foreign policy. Solidifying both the interfaith aspect to the Egyptian protests, and the American impact on it, when an Al Jazeera reporter asked how an Egyptian would respond if President Mubarak stepped down, he echoed the words of Rev. Martin Luther King, singing "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, I'm free at last!"
The content of this blog reflects the views of its author and does not necessarily reflect the views of either Eboo Patel or the Interfaith Youth Core.
By
Eboo Patel
|
February 2, 2011; 4:30 PM ET
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Interfaith Issues
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Morality
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Personal Religion
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Religion & Politics
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Posted by: wiki-truth | February 5, 2011 7:23 AM
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F A R N A Z 2 M A N S O U R 2:
Little SisSTAR; Pleazza, Use "EXCERPTS" when posting Links. Note: Some Links are Traps. it could be via Iranian Spy's who watch and blog here; Let alone Learn what WE [i] share here, to counter or rehash these innocent posts for ulterior [Al Taqiah] motives. other-WiSE;
Kuddah-ahffez!
Posted by: wiki-truth | February 5, 2011 7:20 AM
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correction:
"... MENTALy Nothing Changes No Matter How Educated they (Ishlami's//Esaui's) Become; Except For JUDEO-JEWS, JUDEO-CHRISTIANS, JUDEO-VEDICS..."
Posted by: wiki-truth | February 5, 2011 7:13 AM
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TARIQ RAMADAN INTERVIEW (LESS THAN ONE MINUTE) ON THE SITUATION IN EGYPT:
Posted by: Farnaz2Mansouri2 | February 4, 2011 8:21 PM
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Begone old fool!
Posted by: Kingofkings1 | February 4, 2011 10:52 AM
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Well written and insightful.
Posted by: LPalau | February 2, 2011 11:30 PM
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The Beatles' words are timeless:
You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money
for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
Posted by: mt99 | February 2, 2011 10:40 PM
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Dear Patel and friends:
Please, remember that we Bahá'is are also human beings with God given human rights. We would like to share the world with the rest of humanity. Unfortunately many in Islamic countries, including Egypt, seem to forget that.
Best wishes from Puerto Rico!!
Posted by: Cesar1 | February 2, 2011 8:45 PM
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"Little Brother" [Mr. Fredericks]
Besides foreign Elements involved; The Old "Pharaoh's" Down Fall or problemo was/is that He tried to "NEPOTISTiZE" The Ancient Thrown, When it was supposed to go or become a (Sort of)Modern Thrown.
This is what ruffled the Educated Mass/Class's feathers (peacocks or Not) the most. But They are Only In The Minority. The POOR Have The POWER, Not The EDUCATED. And The Poor Have ALLAH, who benefited off these protests, as their States Religion.
The reason i say "sort of Modern" GovernMENTALy (not Fully Modern) is that AEGYPT, or EGYTPT however Ye spell it; Will NEVER BE MODERN, nor a [TRUE] Full Democracy If The Next Egypt, Regodless Who Is In Power, includes in their CONSTITUTION (Not M.L.K.'s {pbuh}) The Words "ALLAH" or "ISLAM" and or Even the Word "GOD" (However Spelled or Misused).
By Including This or Preserving this Religion In Their Constitution Is Going Backwards, Never Forwards! Lets See If They Have The CHUTZPAH to Exclude Religion or Remove ANY-RELIGION from The-[Real]Peoples Constitution.
AMERICA is NOt Egypt Nor Is Egypt America!
They Will Never Be "FREE" (first or Last) as Long As the STATE Of EGYPT Has a State Religion (Islam).
Putting a Bandage On a Big-Hole Does Not mean Bondage! In other Words,
As Long As The Aegypt WE'd Like To See, Includes "ISLAM" As It's State Religion then [KAFIR] brothers (and Kafir Sisters) Does Not Change Anything. NO VISION & NO HOPE, Only Delusion + Pipe-Dreams!
REALITY: All That America & FREE World Wants Is An Open Suez Canal; Steady Flow Of Oil/Petro & Shipping Lanes; Nothing More, Nothing Less! MENTALy Nothing Changes No Matter How Educated they Become; Except For JUDEO-JEWS & JUDEO-CHRISTIANS.
RECOMMENDATION: AEGYPT/EGYPT et al, Should , Word For Word, Line By Line "ADOPT" An Exact Copy Of The Holyi Bless'th U.S.A CONSTITUTION; The Same One M.L.K. & OTHERS {pbu Them} Died For. Period.
Else, ALL IS (still) IN VAIN!
Otherwise Just Keep The Canal Open and Preserve The COPTICS and KAFIRS.
PS: i'VE Been To Aegypt Many Times. Ye Should See The Pictures On our Wall!
SHiLOM!
Posted by: wiki-truth | February 2, 2011 8:13 PM
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REVOLUTION WILL SURVIVE?
Yes, it will even though the Jewish and American lobbies are against the new wave, it will survive. The new democratically elected government will spread freedom and democracy in the entire region replacing almost all autocratic regimes; who are nothing more than foreign puppets and are working for the interest of others than their own masses. Real change will come when rotten and most repressive Saudi Kings will be gone. Yes, it will cause problem for the USA and her interest and Israel who is dreaming to grab the entire Palestine fooling every one. The main looser will be Israel, who has no way left except declaring one unites Israel offering equal rights, human rights and democratic rights to all natives as 2 nation solution is dead many years ago.
Posted by: citysoilverizonnet | February 2, 2011 6:40 PM
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The beating of Anti-Mubarak protesters brings back memories of May 8,1970 when hundreds of Hard Hats were let out of a union meeting to beat the crap out of 1000 college students protesting the Vietnam war. More than 100 students required hospitalization, only six Hard Hats were arrested and later released.
Posted by: morristhewise | February 2, 2011 6:05 PM
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E B O O & CO.,,
i [WE] owe Ye & Yo's a slight Apology!
Shuokrea!