Egyptian Soccer Team: Christians Need not Apply
Not only are Christians in Egypt being physically attacked and killed, now even the soccer team is discriminating against them. Lets please face the reality of the situation here. Things are getting stricter across the Islamic world, and “moderate” Islam is not coming to the rescue. It will be their way of life or ours. Take a side.
Egypt coach Hassan Shehata wants only players who observe Islam on national team
By Hamza HendawiCAIRO, Egypt — Egypt coach Hassan Shehata wants only players who observe Islam, and says team selection is based equally on religious piety and skill.
Shehata’s comments, published Thursday in Egyptian newspapers, show how sports and religion are increasingly mixing in the overwhelmingly Muslim nation of 80 million.
The intrusion of religion into sports is part of the country’s gradual movement toward religious conservatism over the last few decades, with more people praying at mosques, most women adopting the Islamic veil in public, and diminishing tolerance for secular Muslims or minority Christians.
There are no Christians on the squad defending its African Cup of Nations title in Angola.
For years, Egyptian athletes have demonstrated their piety in front of fans and the media – kneeling down to offer a prayer of thanks after scoring or winning, or praying before games to implore God to come to their team’s aid.
Shehata’s comments take religion in sports to a whole new level. He was quoted by Cairo newspapers as saying skill alone won’t guarantee anyone a place on the national team.
He said “pious behaviour” was the main reason for selection.
“Without it, we will never select any player regardless of his potential,” he said. “I always strive to make sure that those who wear the Egypt jersey are on good terms with God.”
One newspaper, the independent al-Shorouk, quoted Shehata as saying that striker Ahmed “Mido,” on loan from England’s Middlesborough to Cairo’s Zamalek, was cut four days after his initial selection because he did not fit the manager’s prerequisite for piety.
The move last month came as a surprise because Egypt already was missing injured striker Amr Zaki, formerly with England’s Wigan, and attacking midfielder Mohammed Abu Trekka.
Mido, who enjoys a reputation for hard partying, said he was insulted by his exclusion.
Shehata, a former Egypt international best remembered for his midfield creativity, has not made a secret of the role religion plays in what he does. He is often seen by millions of fans and TV viewers praying during games, and asks supporters to pray for the national side.
In Thursday’s comments, Shehata boasted of how he convinced Egypt striker Mohammed Zidan, who plays for the German club Dortmund, to begin praying.
“I did not like how he used to be aloof and not mix with the rest,” Shehata said. “I convinced him of the need to pray and how important it is. He has been praying since.”
It reminds me of the Monty Python sketch – the philosophers version. If muslim piety weighs more than pure competence we will see something similar, only infinetively more chaotic.
I talked with an Egyptian Christian a few days ago. He was lamenting the weakness of the Christians in Egypt – this he blames for the easy rise of Islam there. Interesting. Is Islam strong, or are we, the Christians, Western opposition to Islam weak? We are so soft and gentle that we have forgotten that Jesus is also called Mighty Warrior, and he resisted the Devil and all his work. Islam is of the Devil! We have to fight, America!
Oh my God, you are crazy. Jesus also was tolerant and turned the other cheek. We can look to the bible and pull from it what we want to prove a point. Using it to encourage intolerance and throwing stones at the very thing you are encouraging is hypocritical. Religion has always been a cause of bloodshed and divide. Religion is a personal relationship an individual chooses and should remain as such.
Jennifer, have you actually read a Bible? Or just that bit? Jesus taught what was right and wrong, good an evil. If people or actions were of the devil he said so. He still says so and will always be intolerant of sin and evil. Just a few examples. Words of Jesus: John 8:44; Words of Paul: Acts 13:10; 2 Timothy 2:26; Words of John: Revelation 20:10
Past Popes fought Islam head on. Do you claim to know more about Christianity than they did?
I talked with an Egyptian Christian a few days ago. He was lamenting the weakness of the Christians in Egypt – this he blames for the easy rise of Islam there. Interesting. Is Islam strong, or are we, the Christians, Western opposition to Islam weak? We are so soft and gentle that we have forgotten that Jesus is also called Mighty Warrior, and he resisted the Devil and all his work. Islam is of the Devil! We have to fight, America!
I believe that it is both.
In a recent BBC radio broadcast, Carey shared his desire for a “country that values its Christian heritage and democratic standards and all that this country has fought over.” He also asserted that Britain needs a “tougher church” as “Christians are so very often so soft” and “allow other people to walk over us” because “we don’t want to upset other people.” Britain’s retired senior archbishop declared Christians must be “more outspoken.” The Christian and Jewish idea to ‘welcome the stranger” must be affirmed, Carey said. But uncontrolled immigration could allow Britain to be “destabilized” and the creation of “ghettoes.”
http://frontpagemag.com/2010/01/15/former-archbis...
Religious conservatism? This is how the media describes Egypt's apartheid system?
I'm expecting any moment for leftists from around the world to show up at soccer matches to protest whenever the Egyptian team is competing. I am also expecting them to demand Egyptian athletes be barred from competition and for that matter boycott anything that comes from Egypt and rail against its apartheid system. This of course is what they consistently do with regards to Israel, the only free country in the Middle East and the only country in the region which is NOT an apartheid state.
I think all the western and african teams of Christian majority nations should bycott this team. Let the all Muslim teams play against each other and see where that will lead them
You are correct, the silence by Christians arcrss the world does not cut it.
we need to distinguish between arab christians and arab or nonarab moslims like bangali and pakistani ..
And we need to move all christians of the world to help eachothers and love one another against all evil
Non-Muslims of all other religions and Atheists, need to unite against this common enemy.
eygypt is the best team in africa and all teams in the word..coz they worships their lord and respect him very well in any where and any place….look wht ghan didi the final african cup in angola they raised an Israel flag ..all the people know wht isreal is doing in plestine they killing childrens and mothers..and they final eygptian players scored and took the cup immediately..so eygypt is the best and
I can't wait for them to lose. Will you blame that on the will of allah?