Posted on 04/11/2008 6:42:04 PM PDT by hanfei
Though he is little known in the West, Coptic priest Zakaria Botros -- named Islam’s “Public Enemy #1” by the Arabic newspaper, al-Insan al-Jadid -- has been making waves in the Islamic world. Along with fellow missionaries -- mostly Muslim converts -- he appears frequently on the Arabic channel al-Hayat (i.e., “Life TV”). There, he addresses controversial topics of theological significance -- free from the censorship imposed by Islamic authorities or self-imposed through fear of the zealous mobs who fulminated against the infamous cartoons of Mohammed. Botros’s excurses on little-known but embarrassing aspects of Islamic law and tradition have become a thorn in the side of Islamic leaders throughout the Middle East.
Botros is an unusual figure onscreen: robed, with a huge cross around his neck, he sits with both the Koran and the Bible in easy reach. Egypt’s Copts -- members of one of the oldest Christian communities in the Middle East -- have in many respects come to personify the demeaning Islamic institution of “dhimmitude” (which demands submissiveness from non-Muslims, in accordance with Koran 9:29). But the fiery Botros does not submit, and minces no words. He has famously made of Islam “ten demands,” whose radical nature he uses to highlight Islam’s own radical demands on non-Muslims.
The result? Mass conversions to Christianity -- if clandestine ones. The very public conversion of high-profile Italian journalist Magdi Allam -- who was baptized by Pope Benedict in Rome on Saturday -- is only the tip of the iceberg. Indeed, Islamic cleric Ahmad al-Qatani stated on al-Jazeera TV a while back that some six million Muslims convert to Christianity annually, many of them persuaded by Botros’s public ministry. More recently, al-Jazeera noted Life TV’s “unprecedented evangelical raid” on the Muslim world. Several factors account for the Botros phenomenon.
(Excerpt) Read more at orthodoxytoday.org ...
ping
Besides, the current Pope has done his part with the Regensburg address and the recent baptism of the Muslim.
Zakaria Botros is a hero in our time. Pure and simple.
Why does he say “we” (i.e. “God and I”) instead of “I”? Why do Catholics believe he’s God’s representative on Earth?
The Regensburg address was private. Like Laurence Summers’s private address, it became a public catastrophe.
Benedict converted (as far as we know) one Muslim. This man apparently converts millions regularly.
Until the Pope stops the Catholic Church from supporting Muslim invaders in Eurabia, stops complaining about secularism to the exclusion of Islam, stops kissing up to the KGB Church, and stops trying to Catholicize America through Mexicanization instead of through evangelization, I won’t respect him as much I respect this man.
Agreed!
go padre!!
Muslims can’t deal with the truth about their perverted “religion”. Neither can the dhimmis in the West, sadly.
Hope !
Great Article - Showing the light in the darkness
go papa!!
Is there some reason that dhimmis is so close to the spelling of democrats. I suspect if alphabets were aligned, both would be spelled the same.
Who gives a crap who you respect newbie?
Hahaha. We’re taking back Egypt.
How is the Church doing this? Be specific.
stops complaining about secularism to the exclusion of Islam
Secularism is the more pressing concern. It is because of secularism that Mohammadanism is invading Europe.
stops kissing up to the KGB Church
Some of the leadership might be KGB-installed, but the Orthodox faithful there surely isn't.
and stops trying to Catholicize America through Mexicanization instead of through evangelization
That is a right-wing version of 9/11 Truthers. Mexico maybe nominally Catholic, but the faith was devastated there for 70 years of the 20th century due to a radical left-wing regime there that most Americans don't know about. Many of them are joing Penecostal churches, or don't go to any church at all.
I won’t respect him as much I respect this man.
The Coptic priest may be more apparently gutsy, but he has much less at stake.
This guy is a man to pray for... May we all have such courage.
While the West slowly abandons its Christian heritage, Christianity is on the rise again where it was born; the Middle East.
The church is the first line of defense for illegals who lack food and shelter being sought by authorities. Protestant churches do it too, but the Catholic Church is a bastion of “liberalism”.
I disagree about secularism vs. Islam.
The Moscow Patriarchate is filled with Eurasianist neo-Commies, and its leadership is genuine FSB/SVR.
Look at the “Justice for Immigrants” project. This is an obvious attempt to increase the number of Catholics in America through corrupt means.
The Coptic priest has his life at stake. He should be made a saint.
No, that would be the Episcopagans, the United Church of Christ, and the Unitarians. The Catholic Church has subversives in it, including many in the clergy, who are liberals first before being Catholic.
Don't be ridiculous, Mexicans are becoming evangelical protestants so fast it's making my head spin. Lots coming to and joining my (evangelical) church, just in the last 2 years.
Islam’s “Public Enemy #1” ?
Note to self: Do not take the job of starting this guy’s car every morning!
you rock sir, and I salute your catholic faith.
Thanks! You’ve been “keeping up the fire” on FR for the faith as well. ;-) God bless, and please say a pray for me.
bookmarked
awesome to be noticed for that...thanx...
prayers for you indeed, my next rosary is due in the next hours so i shall add you to my petitions...
THIS guy should be nominated for a Peace prize. And a saint-hood, hopefully after a very long and productive life.
This is off topic.
It is foretold that this is the next to the last POPE.
If true, wow, what could be the difference for future generations?
This is where we exchange ideas, and we give reverence and respect to those people who express internally and externally consistent opinions and thoughts.
If you want respect based on seniority, go join a teacher’s union, or the Senate. Otherwise, do please leave, and never come back.
I am talking to pkgdan exclusively in my last post, though I did CC hanfei.
You wrote:
“Why does he say “we” (i.e. “God and I”) instead of “I”?”
The “We” does not mean “God and I”.
“Why do Catholics believe he’s God’s representative on Earth?”
Because he is.
“The Regensburg address was private. Like Laurence Summers’s private address, it became a public catastrophe.”
No, actually it didn’t.
“Benedict converted (as far as we know) one Muslim. This man apparently converts millions regularly.”
Pope Benedict BAPTIZED one Muslim. Who knows how many he has converted. You might be surprised. Also, although Fr. Botros is effective there is no reason to think he has converted millions.
“Until the Pope stops the Catholic Church from supporting Muslim invaders in Eurabia, stops complaining about secularism to the exclusion of Islam, stops kissing up to the KGB Church, and stops trying to Catholicize America through Mexicanization instead of through evangelization, I won’t respect him as much I respect this man.”
It’s clear you won’t respect Pope Benedict no matter what he does or doesn’t do. Your laundry list of complaints has more to do with your fantasies than facts.
You wrote:
“The church is the first line of defense for illegals who lack food and shelter being sought by authorities. Protestant churches do it too, but the Catholic Church is a bastion of “liberalism”.”
The Church helps anyone who asks for it. The Church is a bastion of compassionate help. I live nowhere near the border, but I see the Church help people all the time.
“The Moscow Patriarchate is filled with Eurasianist neo-Commies, and its leadership is genuine FSB/SVR.”
And yet it is still the legitimate Church of Russia - it must be dealt with.
“Look at the “Justice for Immigrants” project. This is an obvious attempt to increase the number of Catholics in America through corrupt means.”
No. That’s irrational. 1) It’s about “Immigrants” and not about Catholics. 2) The Catholic Church helps non-Catholic “immigrants” as much as any other kind of immigrants.
“The Coptic priest has his life at stake. He should be made a saint.”
Maybe he will be one day. I like Fr. Botros and have been aware of him for well over a year.
Are you familiar with this man? He seems remarkable, impressive, astonishing...... I just home he enjoys a long life to come and that the jihadists do not get to him.
ping
Brave man, Zakaria — brave like the Pope. Both should be equally well known, but BOTH will be denounced by Western media.
I hope so, but I haven’t seen any proof for this — I hope I just am not seeing what’s truly happening. Pray for Father Zakaria!
Saddam only had Christian cooks because he feared assassination by muslims... yet the liberals still think they should be our secret service agents...
“It’s clear you won’t respect Pope Benedict no matter what he does or doesn’t do. Your laundry list of complaints has more to do with your fantasies than facts.”
And likely it is also influenced by the ravings of vagante “priests” and “hierarchs” motivated by a desire to perpetuate the schism within the Russian Church which was recently healed, thanks be to God. Members of the “One Honest To God We Really Mean It True Orthodox Church Made Up Of Really Holy People” think no better of the Patriarchs and hierarchs of canonical Orthodoxy than they do of the Pope, Vlad, so +BXVI is in pretty good company having run afoul of these types! By the way, the overwhelming majority of these holy folk here in the states are converts.
Speaking of which, hanfei, a few days ago I asked if you were Greek or a convert in light of your support for the disobedient, criminal and schismatic monks at the Holy Mountain. Never did get an answer; care to answer now?
On topic, though, Fr. Zakaria is a good example of the spiritual bravery of Coptic Christians. We have an Egyptian Copt in our parish and will soon have two young Coptic Egyptian women joining who will be marrying fellows in the parish this summer. The stories the present member tells us are hair raising and we get regular reports about the oppression of Coptic Christians in Egypt.
Meant to ping you to #39.
Take a look at the priest’s website if you haven’t already. Its very good.
Botros’s motive is not to incite the West against Islam, promote “Israeli interests,” or “demonize” Muslims, but to draw Muslims away from the dead legalism of sharia to the spirituality of Christianity.
Many Western critics fail to appreciate that, to disempower radical Islam, something theocentric and spiritually satisfying — not secularism, democracy, capitalism, materialism, feminism, etc. — must be offered in its place. The truths of one religion can only be challenged and supplanted by the truths of another.
And so Father Zakaria Botros has been fighting fire with fire.
Who do think you are? What makes a self righteous sanctimonious little prig like you think you have the right to invite me to leave FreeReuplic?
I replied to a post that intentionally and provocatively attacked the Pope by a poster who joined the same day. You pick a fight with Th Catholic Church or the Holy Father and you've picked a fight with me. And I don't care whether you like it or not!
>Who do think you are? What makes a self righteous
>sanctimonious little prig like you think you have the right
>to invite me to leave FreeReuplic?
Self righteous? Let’s go back to your first comment ...
>Who gives a crap who you respect newbie?
Who died and made you “hall monitor”?
I can invite you anywhere I please. Go or don’t go. I don’t care. But if discourse along the lines of “who gives a crap ...” is what you bring to this distinguished circle of ladies and gentlemen, then I again ask you to please leave.
If you want to defend the Catholic Church, please do it with substance, love, and eloquence. Name calling (calling people “newbie”), using profanity (using “crap”), is beneath the dignity of this forum.
Hanfei: This man is atypical of the fine people you will meet here. Of course, he could have been tired when he said those things to you, so please don’t be too hard on him.
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