The Coptic Christians in Egypt are being killed for their faith by Muslim extremists but you wouldn’t know that by turning on the evening news. We live in a world that has made it hard to turn a blind eye to much. The nightly news is full of stories about fires in the West, a traitor who wants to be a woman and the weather. Meanwhile, across the globe Christians and churches in Egypt are being targeted by Muslim extremists. The media doesn’t even seem to notice. Why the apathy?
The power of narratives…I mean, stereotypes
In my opinion the media doesn’t want to push a story that portrays Christians as the victim. They know that once you sympathize with someone it is harder to see them in a bad light and the last thing some in the media want are people siding with Christians. Christians don’t need sympathy, so the narrative goes, because they are the ones who are intolerant. They are the ones who stereotype. Christians are the ones who are trying to force their views on everyone else. Now, if the news story was that Christians were murdering Muslims and burning Mosques by the dozens it would be front page news because that fits their narrative. Here is the irony – the same news outlets that have made stereotyping and discrimination the ultimate sin do it every single day in the stories they chose to cover. They hate Christians for trying to force views on others (who really does that?) while all the while that is the same thing they are subtly doing through their selection and reporting of the “news”. I am just going to say it, there is so much intolerance in mainstream journalism that it saddens me. They are so heavily invested in maintaining a stereotype that the truth doesn’t matter and evidence that is contradictory of their bias is ignored. Let me give an example. One leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed El Beltagy, was quoted as saying, “operations against Christians will start now.” Intolerance! Discrimination! Newsworthy? Guess not. So let’s just be real honest about the unjust and hypocritical value system of our news outlets and call them out on it.
Do something to raise awareness
Go to cnn.com and see that none of this even makes the front page. It doesn’t make what’s trending. David Cassidy is trending because the ex-teen idol got a DUI. Really? Murdered Christians in Egypt doesn’t make the cut. If you do a search on Cnn’s homepage the word Egypt comes up twice. Once for whether or not it is safe to travel there and again for a story about Egypt’s struggle for identity. That’s it.
So that’s where we come in. While we blog about all sorts of doctrinal issues or the newest trend in worship, Christians in Egypt are being attacked for their faith and someone needs to be talking about it. I would challenge any of you guys who have a blog or on your facebook to do spend a few minutes reading up (and here – Voice of the Martyrs) on what is going on out there and give at least one post to it to raise awareness. If nothing else, please pray for the safety of the Coptic Christians and for reconciliation with their Muslim neighbors.
3 Responses
Matt, the Huffington Post, which is regarded as liberal, and is well respected, carries the story in its RELIGION section, and has over a period of time.
I am not justifying the blind eye of any news organizations, but most religions, especially fundamentalist Christianity, have committed their share of violence that was ignored for fear of “creating prejudice” toward it. I can go back to the area in which I grew up and in certain Christian company mention the violence of Muslms and the verbal anger would spew like a volcano. But if I were to mention the Christians, who as members of the KKK committed unspeakable acts of violence against people of color, there would be dead silence. Why? Because they would not want to say anything that would sound like they are attacking their own. The guilt is easily shared.
Matt, great article my friend. The persecution of disciples of Jesus has always been. I love hearing stories of Christians stepping into help other disciples that are facing the full wrath of their government. See Sudan. We need to be lifting up our brothers and sisters in prayer…right now!
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