Ya Libnan

Arab League chief’s remarks spark anger among Christians

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Arab League Secretary General Nabil El-Araby(L) and Egyptian Foreign minister Sameh Shoukry speak in the press conference in Arab League on Sunday. (DNE Photo)
Arab League Secretary General Nabil El-Araby(L) and Egyptian Foreign minister Sameh Shoukry speak during a press conference at the  Arab League on Sunday.
(DNE Photo)

Arab League Secretary General Nabil El-Araby sparked anger amongst Egypt’s Christian community after remarking Muslims should be united, unlike “the Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians who have different holy books and different statuses”.

Secretary to the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church Bishop Raphaeil tweeted that “we respond only to intellectual comments”, when someone asked him to respond to El-Araby’s comments.

Meanwhile, Head of the Egyptian Union of Human Rights Organization Naguib Gabriel stated that the remarks are racist and accused him of contempt of religion.

“A man of such great stature should not have issued such words,” Gabriel said Tuesday.

Gabriel denied El-Araby’s allegations, adding that all Christian sects believe in one book, which is the Bible, and that differences come from mere Western and Eastern schools of thinking.

Gabriel demanded an official apology from El-Araby to all Christians for his “provoking and racist statements”. He said that these came “at a time when President [Abdel Fattah] Al-Sisi is demanding the uniformity of Arabs and Egyptians”, especially as Arab countries are rich with a multiplicity of religions.

Head of Media and Publication Council of the Evangelical Church Refaat Fekry said the old conflicts that occurred in Europe between Catholics and Protestants were political conflicts, not due to the presence of different books.

In this difficult time through which the Arab region is going through conflicts and hassle, and events of violence and terrorism, “we need words to gather not differentiate, to unite not disperse”, Fekry said.

He asked officials to be accurate in what they say for the sake of social peace in Egypt and the Arab region.

He stressed that Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christians believe in one holy book which contains both the Torah and the Bible.

El-Araby’s comments came during the Sunday press conference held following the Arab League Summit while he was talking about conflicts between Sunni and Shi’a Muslims.

The Daily News Egypt

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15 responses to “Arab League chief’s remarks spark anger among Christians”

  1. sweetvirgo Avatar
    sweetvirgo

    Take a back seat Nabil and ask yourself why Shiites and Sunni’s are fighting?? Is it because they believe in one book?? What he should have said was we ALL have to be united as Egyptians and not insult any religious groups.

    1. O Avatar
      O

      Actually my dear sweet stilupidity,shites and Sunnis do believe in one book. Coz there is ONLY ONES book. Maybe your next welfare check should be spent on education and not crack

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        One book maybe …. 20 million ‘Hadiths’ …. fatwah-head. 😉
        (or maybe 1.6 billion …. hmmmm)

        1. O Avatar
          O

          Mine is: go fuck your self good.

          1. 5thDrawer Avatar
            5thDrawer

            Had a feeling that would be it.

  2. Artimus Avatar
    Artimus

    contains the Thorah and the Bible? Who what Bible? The Jew Bible for sure.
    then those who follow that Bible/ Thorah aberración are not Christians,.
    Jesus Was not a Jew, Jesus spoke Aramaic, the first Christian Ritual Was in Syria by the sane Jesus Himself, Jesus was Phoenician and tried to teach Jews to be decent and honest and for that Jesus was killed by the Jews, Christians believe in the New Testamento who in turn is against all that Jews bileve, like being the chosen ones, which is the most racist and fascists ideology in earth.

    1. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
      Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

      OMFG. Know your own book moron. Jesus was a Jew. Yehoshua ben Yosef. I can’t believe how much racism towards Jews is on this site. Also, being ‘chosen’ means that Jews are chosen to keep 613 commandments instead of ten and to set an example. Stop inverting and misusing the word racist.

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Wow … 613?? We have trouble enough with 10 … especially that one about killing.
        I think the first is the only one most got a handle on … and after that, they cut Him up.
        But 613?? I can see where the problems is ….

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Are you sure you didn’t get the Drivers Handbook instead of the Torah?
          613 sounds like all the things a cop can give you a ticket for …. taxes for politicos …

          I may have met 613 people in a lifetime … damned if I can remember all their names.

          1. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
            Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

            Seriously. Look it up. 613

  3. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    “unlike “the Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians who have different holy books and different statuses”.”
    WELL now …. You see the PROBLEM, you idiot, is not ALSO recognizing that the Christians managed to get the crazy ‘BOOK-STUFF’ PUSHERS OUT of the governments of countries where they all wanted to get along together fairly well, in democratic fashions, FOR THE SAKE of ‘ALL’ the people – where ALL CITIZENS – male and female – have the SAME ‘statuses’. Nothing works perfectly, as we know, but look at yourself first, idiot.
    El-Araby is simply another ‘book-pusher’.
    Bishop Raphaeil responded correctly.

  4. Fauzia45 Avatar
    Fauzia45

    Why such remarks ??

  5. Andre Avatar
    Andre

    Books are evil, let’s all read one fictional book, and bury our heads in the sand.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      I recommend the series: ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy’.

  6. Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel Avatar
    Adam Yonatan Ben Yoel

    Don’t the Sunnis and the Shi’is have different Hadith?

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