Should the Copts have their own state?

[Techno-Druid]

The Copts are a Christian ethno-religious group of between 10-20 million with a majority living in Egypt and a small percentage living in Sudan and Libya.

Their language and culture is descended from Ancient Egyptian with some Greek influences. Copts retain a culture distinct from Christian Arab groups across the Middle East/North Africa.

Currently, they face discrimination in the form of violence, kidnappings and forced conversions. This has sparked conflict between the Copts and the Muslim majorities in the countries they're prominent in. They also struggle with being underrepresented and socially ostracized.

So, do you think the Copts, with their distinct culture, language and religious sect should have their own state?

[Stelio Kontos]

If folks can get so uppity to give west Jordanians their own state, I don't see why the Copts can't have one. Otherwise what little is left of Egypt's native pre-Islamic pre-Arabic culture will eventually be stamped out.

[Squigglyo]

Gunna get a fence to make sure no one gets in that shouldnt?
Get some guards?
Get the citizens to wear some sort of badge so the guards know who should be inside and who shouldnt?


I dont think segregation is a very good long term solution here. No matter how its colored, it will turn out bad

[Sunseeker]

Holing yourself up in your own little magic fairy land where no other cultures ever enter has never worked out well in the history of the world. No, seriously it hasn't.

[Endus]

I don't think that providing ethnic groups with their own individual nation-states is a way to mitigate tensions. It certainly didn't work out that way for Israel. Better to encourage better integration and acceptance, wherever they make their homes.

Plus the pretty darned arrogant idea that we can "give" them a state of their own.

[Steelangel]

Better to encourage better integration and acceptance, wherever they make their homes.
.

That's really hard when there is a serious cultural antagonism toward Copts from sectors of the Islamic community. It's like the KKK writ large with a big "God Said So" attached to it.

[Endus]

That's really hard when there is a serious cultural antagonism toward Copts from sectors of the Islamic community. It's like the KKK writ large with a big "God Said So" attached to it.

I'm not by any means dismissing that antagonism. I agree it's an issue. But providing a separate state for the Copts will serve to inflame that antagonism, and allow it to boil over into outright warfare, particularly with the regional conflict over land, because that state's going to be carved out of SOME country that doesn't want to lose the land.

I don't see it as a solution to the problem. It'll make it worse, not better. I agree that the prejudice is an issue, but helping people to live side-by-side without conflict is going to provide better long-term results than making them sit in separate corners and stew.

[Steelangel]

I agree that the prejudice is an issue, but helping people to live side-by-side without conflict is going to provide better long-term results than making them sit in separate corners and stew.

I agree with this, but the question is how can you help people live side by side when there is a huge community that not only acts to foment hatred but also cannot be convinced that they are wrong because they believe they are doing their God's work? The Muslim Brotherhood is var more virulent than the KKK ever was.

[Mormolyce]

Mmmm, that worked out so well last time we tried it.

[Nathreim]

Holing yourself up in your own little magic fairy land where no other cultures ever enter has never worked out well in the history of the world. No, seriously it hasn't.

Japan and China did quite well doing just that.

[Stelio Kontos]

I don't get it, if we can demand to carve up Israel for the Palestinians, carve up Serbia for Albanians, and let Turkey carve up and ethnically cleanse northern Cyprus, why is Egypt suddenly a bad idea?

[Zeta333]

The Copts are a Christian ethno-religious group of between 10-20 million with a majority living in Egypt and a small percentage living in Sudan and Libya.

Their language and culture is descended from Ancient Egyptian with some Greek influences. Copts retain a culture distinct from Christian Arab groups across the Middle East/North Africa.

Currently, they face discrimination in the form of violence, kidnappings and forced conversions. This has sparked conflict between the Copts and the Muslim majorities in the countries they're prominent in. They also struggle with being underrepresented and socially ostracized.

So, do you think the Copts, with their distinct culture, language and religious sect should have their own state?

How about we dissolve religion and make this a better world to live in.

[Stelio Kontos]

How about we dissolve religion and make this a better world to live in.

No thanks.

[Zeta333]

No thanks.

yeh fuck a better world without imaginary gods telling people to kill each other, or people killing or discriminating against each other based on thier religion.

[primalmatter]

Either start crusading or don't. Its bad enough we have one Israel.

[Stelio Kontos]

yeh fuck a better world without imaginary gods telling people to kill each other, or people killing or discriminating against each other based on thier religion.

No, no thanks to having some internet angstheist promoting wiping out things that are important facets of many peoples' lives just because he doesn't like them.

But I'm sure we can keep going and get the topic closed if you want.

[Nathreim]

Not sure China is that great of an example considering a lot of their citizens might as well be living in a third world country. Japan is also facing several issues for this very reason. Along with the decreasing birth rate.

Communism sucks for the people doesn't change the fact the country is doing relatively well. If they adopted more democracy stopped trying to win a dick measuring contests with the US and instead used that money to help their people they would be a first world nation.

Japans decreasing birth rate has nothing to do with isolation its a cultural problem. Too much pressure to work late hours then socialize with the company late into the night afterwards. Young men are spending more time at work than with their wives which makes it hard to produce children. Coupled with the high cost of living most men and women are not bothering with children at all.

[Zeta333]

No, no thanks to having some internet angstheist promoting wiping out things that are important facets of many peoples' lives just because he doesn't like them.

But I'm sure we can keep going and get the topic closed if you want.

Sorry people will have to face the fact that they have been worshiping something that doesnt exist. Just becuase its important to someone doesnt mean its wrong. The world needs more reason and logic and clear thinking. It will never be there untill governments are allowed to rule secularly and free from religious interferement. As soon as we stop basing laws, fighting wars, killing, and segregating people due to religion we will advance as a society. As long as we keep thinking angels are real we are doomed to wallow in our stupidity as we fight wars over whos imaginary friend is more important.

[Stelio Kontos]

Sorry people will have to face the fact that they have been worshiping something that doesnt exist. Just becuase its important to someone doesnt mean its wrong. The world needs more reason and logic and clear thinking. It will never be there untill governments are allowed to rule secularly and free from religious interferement. As soon as we stop basing laws, fighting wars, killing, and segregating people due to religion we will advance as a society. As long as we keep thinking angels are real we are doomed to wallow in our stupidity as we fight wars over whos imaginary friend is more important.

Mother of offtopic posts...

[Macaquerie]

I don't get it, if we can demand to carve up Israel for the Palestinians, carve up Serbia for Albanians, and let Turkey carve up and ethnically cleanse northern Cyprus, why is Egypt suddenly a bad idea?

You sort of have your answer right there, how well did each of those three cases end up turning out?