Egyptian Muslims Serve as Christian ‘Body Shields’
We read plenty about Christian persecution in Islamic countries—Islamic countries dominated the Open Doors World Watch List this year—so when a headline emerges that reads “Egypt’s Muslims attend Coptic Christmas mass, serving as human shields”—it causes you to look twice, or even three times.
That’s the true story from Ahram Online by Yasmine El-Rashidi. El-Rashidi reports that Egypt’s majority Muslim population stuck to its word to protect Christians Thursday night:
“What had been a promise of solidarity to the weary Coptic community, was honored, when thousands of Muslims showed up at Coptic Christmas eve mass services in churches around the country and at candle light vigils held outside. From the well-known to the unknown, Muslims had offered their bodies as human shields for last night’s mass, making a pledge to collectively fight the threat of Islamic militants and towards an Egypt free from sectarian strife.”
More than 20 people were killed and many more wounded on New Year’s Day when a bomb exploded outside a church in Alexandria, Egypt. Congregants were just leaving a New Year’s Even Mass celebration when the tragedy struck.
Did this story surprise you? Did it change your perspective about Muslims?
