Religious persecution? Try Being a Coptic Christian in Egypt

I often think when I visit the ruins of the Keeil at Eary Cushlin that the ‘Christians’ must have been tough men in those days. It wasn’t just the living conditions and the environment (grand in summer but pretty testing in winter I would imagine). It was also just the chance that a passing Viking longship whose crew had not heard the word might pop in!

That was real dedication and I bet their wasn’t much doing when they handed round the collection plate - if they did back then - still!

I’m not much taken with Christianity these days (despite having been christened by a Bishop) it wasn’t so much that I lapsed it was my late wife who eventually spelled out clearly that if I was expecting ‘pearly gates and angels’ I was ‘off my trolley’. I found it best not to argue because she invariably won.

Despite being a non believer myself however if the Mormons etc turn up at the door (do they still do that missionary thing) or the Jehovah's Witnesses I always try to be polite - after all it would be a strange old Island if we all felt the same.

I think the Isle of Man is a pretty tolerant place these days although we did go through a rough patch in relation to our treatment of children in the Justice system years ago. Additionally the persecution of the gay community was a black mark not to mention wanting to ‘hang’ on to capital punishment

These days however most people are tolerant and although I occasionally have a go at ‘John the Baptist’ aka Tim Baker MHK on Facebook its more in a political bent than malevolent.

I was therefore surprised to read and hear in the media that a recent incarnation of the old faith was being persecuted. Apparently this persecution happens on social media so I presume its Facebook. If they are referring to the Forums well it's only a handful of folk and anyway they have a go at everyone - you should see the stuff they’ve written about me over the years.

In one of the news items there is reference to ‘Christianaophobia’ which was a new one on me but I can understand the feeling because whenever I wax lyrical about the TT there is usually an outbreak of ‘Bernardophobia’. Indeed I only got away with it this year because the TV crew I berated the TT to were Belgian - and not many folk here get their ‘telly’ from Belgium.

I was interested that the media rushed to publish the news of this outbreak of ‘Christianophobia’ its as if they thought it might spread like measles but I doubt that will be the case as most people on the Island are very reasonable. In any case we have a new ‘reforming House of Keys’ now and it bigotry does rear its ugly head I’m sure that they will jolly soon put a stop to it.

Anyway if you look on the bright side - as Christians surely should - its a chunk of free publicity for the ‘Church of Wasisname’ courtesy of Tim Glover and Richard Butt. It's very good of the two respective editors to ensure this heady issue is aired and I really hope that next time there is an outbreak of ‘Bernardophobia’ I’ll get the same treatment...hm!

Anyway I hope that all Isle of Man followers of the Christian faith will ultimately come to realise what a tolerant place the Isle of Man is. I mean if you want real persecution try being a follower of the Coptic faith in Egypt.

Image: Persecution of Coptic Christians is so entrenched that the Egyptian government has had to place armed police officers outside some places of worship

Bernard Moffatt