[Hollywoodghost]

Sounds like the fellow in the story is a Christian. The Egyptians were the first non-jews to accept Christ en masse. The Coptic Church, oppressed for centuries still exists and dispite the problems its members face--it is growing. Many visions of Mary have been witnessed in Egypt. This movie will be a Godsend to this minority living in Islamic Egypt.

[RaceBannon]

huh?

Paul didnt go to Egypt, he went to Greece and Turkey

[dinok]

"The Egyptians were the first non-jews to accept Christ en masse."

I hate to dissapoint you, but the Greeks were the first national group to accept Christianity in large numbers. And paid for it in the Roman arenas.

[spetznaz]

Sounds like the fellow in the story is a Christian.

Not necessarily.

Islam (when it is not blowing up innocents by strapping bombs to kids and promising them virgins and rivers of wine) believes Jesus (Isa) as the holiest prophet after Muhammed. The believe in the Virgin birth, and that Christ went straight to heaven (with an effigy on the cross). The viewership of The Passion in Egypt will actually be more Muslim than Christian (although it should be noted there are many Coptic Christians in Egypt).

The thing that shocked me is not the rather positive view of The Passion in Egypt. No. The thing was the fact the movie passed the censors. As the article touched on Islam does not allow any of their prophets to be portrayed on photographs, film and even drawings. That is the paramount reason most Islamic art is a meld of geometrical shapes. According to strick Islamic theology the only person that would raise more ire than Jesus being depicted is Muhammed. Hence the surprise the film is being shown.

However, even if one Muslim is going to find Christ due to this film then amen to them showing it. And i pray that more than one person shall find Christ.

[contessa machiaveli]

many visions of mary in egypt? i think that's because of easy access to ket.

[Imal]

If I recall correctly, over 90% of the Coptics were slaughtered by the Muslims when they first invaded Egypt, and the other 10% haven't been treated much better.

Being a religious minority in a Muslim nation is no picnic, and the trend in recent years has been for Muslims to chase non-Muslims out entirely, versus simply taxing them and abusing them under dhimmi laws like in the past (after killing most of them, of course).

As for what the future may hold for Coptics, I suspect the answer to that question is intimately tied to what the future holds for Islam.