Which Nation Is More Oppressive of Religious Minorities?

The recent bombing of a Christian Coptic church in Egypt illustrates that much of the Muslim world still has a lot to go before religious tolerance is enshrined in the Islamic nations, but more than that: religious equality is upheld. To tolerate a people is one thing, to bestow a recognition of equality is the real test of a liberal society.

tt81 is2uv 19672

The bombing itself was not a mark against Egypt since it was likely the work of foreign agents, at least foreign actors were the mentors, and it was roundly condemned by the Egyptian public and the state. But the reason Egypt's Copts protested strongly against the state after the attack and the killing of numerous Egyptian Christians (including several Muslims) was because the bombing symbolized their neglected status in Egypt.

Copts, who predate Muslims in this ancient land, have long suffered state discrimination in the forms of, say, prohibitions on building churches or state employment. But also attacks against the community by Islamic fundamentalists or Muslims opportunists in conflicts which are economic in origin but quickly take on a sectarian grab have been met with impunity. The state has settled for images of brotherhood - a priest and iman shaking hands, say - in the absence of recognizable equality. The regime is also not above repression in order to placate the fundamentalists. 10% of the population, but long marginalized to a second-class status. The situation is untenable and this is the mark against Egypt.

Egypt is not along. Many Muslim nations, if not most, deny religious minorities equal rights. It is greatly regrettable: Arab Christians have had a major role in Arab civilization and a disproportionate role in contemporary Arab nationalist and Palestinian politics. Pluralism is an asset for the region, not a burden to be contained.

What makes this even more egregious is that Muslims sensibilities are so acute when it comes to any perceived insult, no matter how small, against Islam and Muslims. The Arab media and Arab commentators and regimes will cry foul if a European MP says something criticizing Islam or the Arab people are enraged when they read about, say, French discrimination against North African Muslims and their descendants. But in their own midst the Arabs treat their religious minorities far worse than what Muslims may suffer in petty discrimination in, for example, Europe. How can Muslims be so sensitive to discrimination against their kin but oblivious if not indifferent to discrimination against their neighbors? This is not peculiar to Muslims. I believe all people possess in equal doses tribal concerns. Americans are horrified by 9/11, but do not connect their suffering with the suffering and death of half a million Iraqi in the decade prior at the hands of U.S. sanctions. Jews keep alive the memory of the Shoah, but treat Palestinians in degrading and oppressive manners. The ability of man to often not see beyond his "tribe" is an abiding failing of human compassion.

The Islamic world, while never maintaining perfect relations, was once a symbol of religious pluralism. Muslims should rediscover that path, and I do have hope that they will in time.

In the meantime, a Christian organization has put together a list of nation where Christians suffer the most. I believe that list is mostly credible, but a few notes

1) Iran is placed higher in being anti-Christian than Saudi Arabia. This is absurd. Iran actually maintains Churches and open Christian prayers, while Saudi Arabia adheres to a more intolerant reading of Islam and bans any public displays of Christianity.

2) The Palestinian Territories are listed. But when you click to read why it is clear that the threat to Christians is not due to the Palestinian Authority, but to Israeli occupation. There is not independent Palestinian government, and the report makes it clear that Israeli occupation is the problem. But why not just put Israeli Occupied Territories?

3) Syria is on the list. Syria is a diverse society and Christians there do have a respected status. While it may be warranted to place Syria on the bottom of the list, as was the case, it is not discerning that while Syria is listed Israel, which expropriated Christian lands and demolished churches and refuses to recognize any Christian ancient sites as mandating state protection is not listed at all. I am referring here to Israel proper, not the 1967 Israeli occupied lands.

But Christian Zionism or maybe a federal grant lead to whitewashing Israel's own record of discrimination against Christians (and Muslims). It is clear that the organization for one reason or another is loath to criticize Israel. For the faults of Islamic nations it is important to remember that Zionism is also a Jewish mirror of Muslim fundamentalist intolerance: equally relegating non-Jews to second class status, oppressing non-Jews and upholding an ideology of tribal supremacy.