Egypt’s quiet horror

The Egyptian coup that took place a few weeks ago is one of the most dramatic news stories of the year even though many aspects of it have been underreported by the American media.

Our media, led by the television news networks, tend to get focused on a small amount of stories that help with ratings. While that small amount of stories are important, an unfortunate byproduct of this approach is many newsworthy stories do not get the attention they deserve.

What kind of stories? Well, what about the personal economic impact we have felt because of the coup? Though not a lot of oil is produced there, the location of the Suez Canal near the country insures that unrest in Egypt will impact prices. The Suez Canal provides one pathway for oil to be shipped to the world. We have seen our local gas prices rise more than 20 cents since the coup, and it will be interesting to see where prices go from here.

Also, our country sends more than $1.3 billion in aid to the country. This is money collected from our taxes. So, when we view events there, we need to remember that our financial support leaves our fingerprints (especially when it comes to the Egyptian military).

However, the most underreported story of the coup may be the impact the event is having on Christians there. According to multiple sources, violence against Christians is growing.

When Muslim Brotherhood President Mohammed Morsi was overthrown, the Christian community was vocal about the need for him to be ousted. The Associated Press has reported the group is paying the price for its activism.

For example, Christian priest Mena Aboud Sharoben was killed in a drive-by shooting while a pro-Morsi crowd destroyed homes in villages that have a relatively large Christian population. As happens in most countries, when there is governmental instability, it is the minority groups that suffer. This is the case when it comes to Christians in Egypt.

There are plenty more examples that are similar to this, but if people want to read about them, they better be prepared to do some digging on the Internet. The mainstream media won’t focus much attention on these events because they are not ratings producers. I’m not holding my breath waiting for Nancy Grace and Sean Hannity to dedicate significant time to stories like these.

When considering these events, it should provoke questions inside us. Should we be sending so much money to an area that is so unstable at this point? I would answer ‘yes’ because Egypt is probably our most important Arab ally in the Middle East, and it would be a mistake to divest ourselves from them at a time like this. However, shouldn’t we be applying pressure when it comes to human rights?

As for Americans, situations like this should grab our attention. This applies to all people and not just to Christians here. As a nation, we have designated certain rights to be protected by our Constitution. Though I believe most of us understand that it is unreasonable to expect other countries to be carbon copies of us when it comes to government, we should still be vocal when it comes to issues we deem important.

When one country wobbles when it comes to human rights, it becomes easier for that wobbling to spread. Though Egypt is half a world away, don’t think that it can’t happen here. It is already here in some respects, and though we like to pat ourselves on our backs when it comes to our alleged enlightenment, dark times could come if we are not careful.

Thankful for family, friends

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year. I hope everybody reading this had an opportunity to spend time with loved ones and enjoy the holiday.

Thanksgiving can mean different things to different people, but most of all, it should be about thanking God for the ways He has blessed our lives.

I know times are tough for many. It is difficult to see a silver lining in the dark clouds that sometime float in and out of our lives. However, if we will just pause for a moment we can see His hand at work.

The last few days I have been reflecting on how thankful I am for the family I have. 'Family'can be defined in many ways, and most of us think of our parents or siblings or spouses when it comes to our family.

Indeed, I am grateful for my immediate family. With so much isolation and loneliness in the world, it is nice to have people to which I can cling.

From a sociological point of view, isolation and loneliness may be the two greatest challenges our world faces. More and more people barricade themselves in their homes because we have all become so self-sufficient.

Then, we start experiencing emptiness in our hearts, and it is difficult to make it go away. Almost like a living organism, it grows, and it aches.

Unfortunately, some go down destructive paths to soothe this pain. Drug and alcohol abuse are all too common whether it happens in a big city or smaller communities like Manchester, Tullahoma, and Coffee County.

When confronted with this emptiness, the challenge is how to deal with it in a positive way. Perhaps the most positive way is to focus on the definition of 'family' stated at the beginning of this column.

The definition I provided earlier is incomplete. A family is not just people who share the same flesh and blood. A family can include a wide variety of people that share a common bond.

For example, I have been reflecting recently on my church family.

For many, going to church has been watered down to a ritualistic exercise that people go through because they feel they have to.

Because of this, the experience of going to church does not develop into what it could be. While the main purpose of attending church is to worship, it is also important because it gives people the opportunity to be with each other.

It allows people to develop relationships that can be life changing. Much like our immediate families, these relationships can carry us when we need to be carried. Conversely, these people can be an outlet for us when we want to share the joys of life.

These circumstances can be profound or sometimes just plain silly.

Earlier this month, about 50 people from my church family attended a Nashville Predators hockey game. The game was thrilling, but the joy of the night was all of us spending a night out on the town.

It was an experience we will all carry for a long time, and it will remain a source of funny stories.

Of course, none of these stories will include me because I was a perfect gentleman the entire time. Trust me, nobody got anything on me.

The bottom line is that we all need each other. As the holiday season unfolds, let’s all be sensitive to those around us who may need a little kindness in their life.

The holiday season has become commercialized almost to the breaking point in recent years. Maybe the best gift we can provide others is to let them know how we feel about them and that we care.

We were born to love one another.

So, why don't we do it?

Returning to reality: Politics, Christianity, and the world

When absorbed in an intense election campaign, it is easy to forget about important topics that have little to do with politics (on the surface, anyway).

After all, politics is politics. While voters were focused on whether or not Delaware senate candidate Christine O'Donnell was a witch, more atrocities unfolded in the Middle East.

Earlier this month, a militant group with links to al Qaeda announced that it is turning up the heat on people of faith in Iraq. It announced that all Christians in the Middle East are now "legitimate targets" because of unresolved conflicts with some members of that community.

I can only speak for myself when I state that I thought all Christians were already targets for al Qaeda. Their radical interpretation of Islam denounces just about everybody who supports Israel. Since many Christians do that, I think it is safe to say many of that faith have been walking around with a big red target on them for quite a while.

In this current situation, al Qaeda in Iraq believes that Coptic Christian churches in Egypt are detaining women attempting to convert to Islam. Both the Egyptian Interior Ministry and the Coptic Church of Cairo have declined to comment on the matter, according to CNN.com.

Because of this, the militant group is ramping up the rhetoric and has already taken deadly actions against some. For example, terrorists recently attacked a church in Baghdad as it began its evening worship service.

Initially, 120 were held hostage, but after security forces raided the church, 58 were killed and many wounded.

Unfortunately, this gruesome event likely will not be the last one. The group continues to apply pressure.

During the recent election, the need to emphasize human rights to the international community was barely mentioned. Of course, this is understandable.

With our economy in a mess and a war that continues, circumstances like the one just described gets brushed to the side. This is unfortunate, but it is a fact of life. Maybe it would have been different if some rich people had been killed.

However, we must never forget just how powerful a force for good America can be when it comes to this. Despite our nation's spiritual apathy, religious freedom is one of the rights that makes our nation so unique.

As Iraq continues to develop itself in the post-Saddam Hussein era, it will need constant guidance regarding what is truly important when building a nation. It is in our nation's best interest if Iraq does not become a fundamentalist state that oversimplifies what western culture is all about.

If Iraq develops in a good way, it can have a tremendous impact on spiritual freedom. All right-thinking people understand that religion cannot be crammed down a person's throat. Any time we hear of a government telling its people what its religion will be, we should realize a lot of people will be persecuted.

This is because a person's faith is the most intimate aspect of his life. At least, it should be. When we hear of a government trying to force people into a specific faith, many people openly rebel.

We hear of this all over the word. As much as people try to sugarcoat what China is, it is not a friend to Christianity.

The bottom line is people of faith all over the world need our help. On a personal level, we can all help.

But our government can, too. With all the election rhetoric dying down, hopefully, politicians will see there is work to do when it comes to human rights.

There is a lot of self-righteousness in Washington. The time has come to truly practice what we preach on this matter.

Farther along

It would be an understatement to say that our nation is going through turbulent times.

The country is in a tizzy about healthcare reform, the economy continues to sputter, and we continue to deal with war on the international scene. In some respects, these problems might make a person not want to read a newspaper or watch television for several months.

However, events are not always as bleak as they seem. Though the challenges we face are daunting, we know we get to go through them in a society of freedom and liberty.

Let's face it; we take a lot of the basic liberties that we enjoy for granted. So, for a much-needed reality check, let's take a look at what some people are dealing with around the world.

The following information comes from various human rights organizations, including the International Christian Concern.

For example, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari recently acknowledged that Muslim extremists in his country have been exploiting blasphemy laws in order to persecute non-Muslims and moderate Muslims, according to the ICC.

Basically, the laws there prohibit any attempts to convert people from one religion to another. According to reports, Muslim extremists with the aid of police and local officials have exploited laws that have led to the deaths of 33 people, most of who were Christians.

Religious freedom is one of our most cherished freedoms in the United States, but as this example shows, many people take their lives into their own hands just to do activities that we don't think twice about doing.

Examples like this are not isolated. For example, in Vietnam, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung recently stated that his government will not return property that it confiscated from churches. This is a long-standing practice there, and the government has been taking buildings and other possessions from the Catholic Church since 1954.

At a time when many in America are concerned about the intrusiveness of government, this example shows us that we should count our blessings.

This doesn't mean that we should not keep a close eye on our government. The public has been doing an excellent job of that lately. We should just be thankful that we do not face the type of tactics the people in Vietnam are facing.

Though the war in Iraq has gotten a lot less attention from the media in recent months, it remains a treacherous place. A common tactic being used by gangs there is the kidnapping of people from another religion and holding them for ransom.

For example, Islamic kidnappers recently released Dr. Sameer Gorgses Youssif after 29 days in captivity. He was tortured throughout that time and threats were constantly made toward his family as well.

The crime took place in Kirkuk, and this is the fourth time in two years that a doctor has been snatched in that city. People who have money in that war-torn country have to keep looking over their shoulders to avoid becoming another statistic.

As America begins drawing down in Iraq, the problems of that country will likely be unbearable to watch. Obviously, it is in the world's best interest if that country develops into a strong democracy. If that happens, more stability will be brought into that region, and it will definitely help the United States.

Unfortunately, it will not be that easy. Iraq likely faces decades of turmoil like any country does when it starts from scratch. Though the country has been around for a long time, it basically is starting over in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein's reign of terror.

Let's pray they do well.

Single Christians being failed by churches?

It is no secret that during times of strife people become a lot more open to spirituality and religion.

We can apply this to what people have experienced during the recession. People have been losing jobs and suffered all types of assaults on their lives. Spirituality has played a role in dealing with this situation.

However, there is one segment of people that appear to be getting uneasy as they have attempted to investigate spiritual avenues.

In increasing numbers, unmarried people are expressing frustration with their efforts to grow spiritually. They feel like they may be falling through the cracks when it comes to involvement with churches.

Let me say right up front that the information I am about to relate was derived from discussions I have had with single friends and comments I have read on the Internet.

Therefore, this column is primarily going to be an observational one based on what I have heard others say or write. Don't expect much research data to be presented because it does not seem to exist.

The general consensus from these people is that churches mean well when it comes to serving single people, but they lack the desire or the focus to do it.

For example, a friend of mine who attended a large church in Nashville approached an associate pastor. He needed guidance regarding the issues a single man deals with in every day life.

He said the response he received dealt with the church's attempts to begin a singles ministry and the hope that it would increase the fellowship among unmarried folks.

When my friend heard the term 'singles ministry,' a red flag immediately went up. From his past experience, these types of ministries were nothing more than social organizations that hoped to pair Christians up for marriage.

His needs were not like that. He was not feeling a need for marriage. He simply wanted assistance dealing with the landmines of every day life.

As our culture has changed, so has marriage's role in it. People are single for a variety of reasons. Some are waiting until they have established their careers to get married.

Additionally, there are others who do not have a compelling desire for marriage. Let's face it; marriage is not a cure for everything that ails a person. The divorce rate is high, and many marriages are kept together simply for the sake of children or financial debt.

On the other hand, there are singles who desperately want to be married, but for whatever reason, it has not happened for them. Then, when they attend church functions that seem more geared toward married people and their children, it can be like pouring salt into an open wound.

Because of this, isolation can set in for the single person. A person feels more like an outsider in a church body that is meant to be a family.

This doesn't mean that singles are critical of the focus on families and children. However, many do begin to ask themselves: What about me?

Even good things can be carried too far and this may be the case with the attention churches give to married people and children. Obviously, these people need a lot of attention, but it should not be at the expense of others.

It is apparent that the classic approach of dealing with the needs of singles is not working.

These people are begging for help, but are feeling like lost voices in the wilderness.

There are no easy answers for this. Let's hope churches become more aware that questions are being asked.

Future bleak for Christians in Iraq

Despite all the differences and controversies that engulf our nation on a daily basis, all of us would have to agree that the United States is a special place.

After all, in a little over a week, we once again will demonstrate to the world how an orderly transfer of power takes place when we elect a new president.

Some of these transfers have been bumpy in the past (like the 2000 election), but our ability to do this makes us unique in the world. There may be some more bumpiness in the coming days as allegations of voter fraud have surfaced, but our country will work through it.

Additionally, many of the fundamental liberties we enjoy are only a dream to many people outside our country.

Countries like Venezuela have clamped down on the media in recent months, and though we all grumble about the U.S. media, most of us would agree that a free press is one of our most important building blocks.

If we only got our news from outlets run by the government, many politicians would run amuck without any accountability. Many already do, but the numbers would certainly rise without watchdogs.

Additionally, religious and spiritual freedom is one of our nation's greatest traits.

While there seems to be a growing intolerance in our nation toward Christianity, most Christians can worship freely as can people of other faiths. The only opponent most spiritual people have to conquer is their own apathy about attending a worship service.

However, many people around the world are not so lucky. Recently, there were reports of widespread attacks against Christians in the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Until recently, Mosul was one of the few semi-safe havens for Christians there, but that has all changed. Provincial election laws were recently changed after community protests that resulted in the removal of an article that would have provided representation to Christians and other minorities, according to a McClatchy Newspapers report.

This means what little protection that existed for Christians is gone, and it is pretty much open season on them. Dozens of murders have happened there since.

The Iraq War has been a controversial issue for quite some time, but it continues to amaze me how little attention is devoted to the plight of Christians there. After all, if we feel religious freedom is such an important right, shouldn't we be putting more pressure on the government there to improve this?

After the billions of dollars that we have spent and the thousands of American lives lost, I don't think it is asking too much that people be allowed the courtesy of going to church without the fear of being murdered in the street.

Of course, the obvious response to this is that we can't force our culture down the throat of another country. Just because something may be important to Americans, it doesn't mean it will be important to Iraqi citizens.

Still, these types of situations are frustrating because Iraq isn't the only place where crimes like this are taking place.

This type of persecution is taking place all over the globe from the Middle East to Asia to Africa.

The real answer is that Christians shouldn't rely on the government to pressure other countries to ease religious restrictions. Christians should be proactive and become involved in the process.

Prayer and financial support of organizations that help fight this problem are all steps people can take to help ease this situation.

A person never knows how much he can help until he takes that first step.

Few Christians believe basic biblical teachings

I recently came across this in a biblical commentary:

"A survey of American Christian adults by the Barna organization a few years ago revealed that less than 10 percent believe in certain basic biblical principles. Those principles included believing that the Bible is accurate in all of its teachings and reveals God-given truth; that God is the all-knowing, all-powerful Creator who still rules the world today; that salvation is a gift from God and not something you earn; that Satan is real; and that Christians have the responsibility to share their faith with non-Christians."

Obviously, statistics can be manipulated to prove anything, but if this is true, it is remarkable.

It is also big trouble.

Quote of the day

John 3:16 – "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Obviously, this is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. It has been scrutinized and dissected from just about every conceivable angle throughout the years. I've seen people break down in tears when simply trying to recite it. It is both profound and simple. It has depths that have never been reached and won't be until the end.

A person could make a pretty compelling argument that the words "whosoever believeth" are two of the most important words in the Bible. They are important because they emphasize that Jesus is available for everyone. It does not matter if you are black or white. It does not matter if you are male or female. It does not matter if you are rich or poor. It does not matter if you are pretty or ugly. It does not matter if you live in the United States or Iran. It does not matter if you are the president or a person who works at Wal-Mart. It does not matter if you have lived a life of kindness or live on death row.

Jesus is an equal opportunity Messiah. As a culture, we seem to go out of our way to emphasize our differences. We segregate ourselves by color, economic status, and lots of other artificial categories.

However, when God looks at you, He sees somebody that He wants to spend eternity with. Think about it: the One who created the universe has a deeper love for you than any other person on Earth can have.

And it does not matter where you have come from or what life you have led. He has provided a way for whosoever believeth. It is up to you to accept His offer if you have not already.

If that doesn't make you feel special, I don't know what will.