Tuesday, June 12, 2012

The relationship between religion and civilization

Let me start with a very important question, which is: is there any causal or conditional relationship between religion and civilization?

Causal relationships are characterized by two important criteria: temporal succession of the events, and correlation between the occurrence of events. Temporal succession means that the cause must precede the result. Correlation of the occurrence of events means that occurrence of the cause and that of the result are strongly statistically correlated; i.e. the occurrence of the cause indicates a very high probability of the occurrence of the result, and the occurrence of the result indicates a very high probability that the cause has occurred (and in case of the only cause, the occurrence of the result mandates that the cause has occurred. If it is assumed that the event 'E' results from the cause 'C', then 'C' must temporally precede 'E'. The occurrence of 'E' indicates that 'C' has most probably occurred, and the occurrence of 'C' indicates a high probability of the occurrence of 'C'. If 'C' is the only cause for 'E', this means that the occurrence of 'C' indicates a high probability of the occurrence of 'E', and the occurrence of 'E' indicates that 'C' has certainly occurred.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Do Copts demand the application of Islamic Sharia Law?

I thought a lot before writing this article, and I concluded it was necessary to spread knowledge about this issue, because it is the most concerning one for Copts these days, because the Islamic political current has dominated the political arena in Egypt, and because the second round of the Egyptian presidential elections is near. I thought it was my duty to demonstrate certain important points concerning the tolerance of Islam, and in particular the Islamic Sharia Law, which the Muslim Brothers wish to apply. Furthermore, the Muslim Brothers adopt the project of the Islamic Caliphate, which is built on the concept of a single Muslim Caliph who leads the entire Islamic nation, which will encompass all countries with Muslim majorities. If this becomes the case, Egypt will be one Islamic state and not a sovereign country. All these projects that are defined by Islam as a motive and a characteristic stirred anxiety and fear in the hearts of non-Muslims. I mention Copts in particular because they are the largest minority in Egypt, and because I am one of them. On the other hand, Muslims in Egypt ascertained that they have lived with Copts as citizens for long peaceful years, and the Muslim Brotherhood ascertained that Copts have the same rights and same duties of Muslims, and they also have the right to refer to the Gospel in issues that concerns them in particular. Should these statements relive the anxiety of Copts? This is what I am going to discuss in this article.