Has anyone seen this video
Some evangelical gives a talk about our Church. He starts by giving his condolences over our 21 martyrs. Then he starts attacking our Church, our faith and our sacraments. He says in his talk that every Christian (Evangelical) should evangelise us because we are not saved.
Now, you probably know this stuff already about their attitude towards us, but what bothers me the most is that they are using the Coptic Narrative (I am Coptic) to vent their angry anti-Islamic rhetoric because indeed, unlike any other Church, we cannot be accused of invading Islamic lands. We are the indigenous Egyptians that succumbed to the conquering of our lands by the violent banner of Islam.
Now, my advice, is to sincerely stay away from these "Christians"
Comments
Our country was given up mainly because of the actions of Cyrus (Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa) who at the same time was designated as the Byzantine prefect or governor. He was the "pope" according to the melchite line of patriarchs that claimed to be the legitamate line from St. Mark (as opposed to our Coptic line of popes) because they accused the Copts of being monophysites. Our pope Benjamin took advantage of the situation. Cyrus's line has since been powerless (politically), even though it still continues today (Pope Theodoros II, not to be confused with pope Tawadros II). If Cyrus stayed in power and their line of patriarchs continued in this power, the coptic church's line may not exist today because of the aggression between the 2 lines.
Either way, we are strangers to this world. Do not lay up for yourself treasures on earth.
http://pulpitandpen.org/2015/02/16/coptic-christians-not-christians-southern-baptist-leaders-need-reminded/
http://thechristiancurmudgeonmo.blogspot.com/2015/02/are-copts-christians.html
http://m.thenational.ae/news/world/africa/evangelicals-woo-egyptian-copts
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/februaryweb-only/egyptevangelicals.html?paging=off
I feel if you go back Ioannes and do what you are supposed to do without judgment or feelings of rejection by them then, then you are righteous before God.
There is also nothing to prove but that you know yourself in God.
I know that you probably know more about the Coptic church than any of them in your congregation but if you were to be Christ-like, then you would cover their sins so as not to dispute.
Disputes merely about words must not be suffered to divide those who think alike.
St Athanasius.
This is my disagreement with it; that protestants believe they have already received salvation when Jesus died on the cross. So when you listen to their songs or anything about them you can hear that they have already received salvation. It's not true that just to have faith in Jesus Christ you receive salvation.
Another point is independence. As we go through life we seek our own independence (the ability to do things ourself) and this has being subject to our parents teaching and what we learn from our environment.
If we follow the American protestant movement we can trace it back to the English King Henry the viii with his breaking away from the Catholic Church (independence). Then the puritans wanting independence from being governed by royalty and going to America. Then the Americans wanting independence from the English. They were able to do this themselves, however, when they gained their freedoms they lost their spiritual link to Christ in that we do the inner workings of the spirit ie repentance and other doctrinal workings of the Spirit in the Orthodox Church.
I feel sad at the introduction of the I have salvation already attitude creeping into our church and that it is evasive in our tradition.
Jesus isn't going to marry Himself but that God's works prepare the bride in purity till the day of marriage.
In their independence the protestants are alone but the works they do do not come about as a result of being saved, but that it comes about by the preparation of the bride (apostlic tradition, our doctrine and the sacriments). As in the five wise virgins and the five foolish virgins.
Maybe when I'm in church I'm a little disgruntled at a lack of preparation (wishing everyone to go to confession).