Good People Unite

Interesting to see ‪#‎WhoIsMuhammad‬ trending on Twitter - a man who would smile if mocked (so presumably would have done so at the Charlie Hebdo cartoons), promoted respect for women and education and purportedly tolerated people of all races and creeds - to the extent that, when asked why he stood at the passing of a coffin for a Jew, he replied "Was he not a human being?". Regardless of where you think he stands in terms of salvation, these look like the marks of a good Teacher at the very least - why don't the extreme Islamists get this? Hoping these positive messages might lead to the unity between religions we've seen in France.

The mistake of the peaceful majority in the past was to remain silent - they're not doing so now and we should all promote peace - loudly!

Fred Nile - Extremist Preacher of Love

Don't get me wrong - Fred Nile upholds some values to which I subscribe, though mine tend to be in a more diluted form, but his idealism is in danger of blinding him to the will of the Egyptian people.

By getting involved in their political affairs by standing for the Christian Democratic Party now that Morsi has been ousted, he's failing to recognise that the voters are tired of their leaders foisting their religious agenda onto the way the country is run.

You cannot dispute the fact that Morsi was elected democratically.  If his Government had just focused on bringing stability back into the economy instead of trying to manipulate the country towards Islamicism, the recent uprising might not have occurred.

Egyptians do have a thirst for democracy - but a true democracy representing the interests of all its citizens, of all faiths.  Politics and religion should never be mixed.  As elected representatives, ministers should concentrate on social infrastructure and leave their beliefs at the door.  Let law and religion slug out the moral issues.

I posted something to this effect on the Fred Nile - CDP Facebook page yesterday, but it was removed.  In what way is that kind of censorship any different to the dictatorial behaviour being challenged in Cairo, if your zealousness overrides the expression of a balanced view?

There are preachers of hate, like the high profile clerics that feature so often here in the UK, but equally provocative are those extremist preachers of love who, with the same passion, drive wedges between the faiths - albeit that they are driven by their own honourable intentions.

But promoting democracy under a Christian banner will not give the Egyptians anything different to what they had before - only a different flavour.  The imposing of faith, or allusion towards it on a political stage, is not democratic and the terms are therefore mutually exclusive.

This is one Nile that shouldn't be running in Egypt.