For years, killers and persecutors of the Copts used to receive no punishment for their crimes. They were called unknown or insane before they are acquitted and this had greatly encouraged other extremists and criminals to repeat attacking them. Yesterday, seventeen people have been sentenced to death by an Egyptian military court over their involvement in bomb attacks on Coptic Christian churches.

The phrase “believing without belonging”, coined by British sociologist Grace Davie in the 1990s, describes the growing number of people who say they are “spiritual but not religious” and leave organised religion behind . Roman Catholicism faces a serious challenge from the rising number of people who believe in God but no longer see any need for a church, according to New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan. (6 Modern Myths about Christianity and Western civilisation , by Philip J.Sampson .6 Modern 12 Christian Beliefs that Can drive you CRAZY ! RELIEF FROM FALSE ASSUMPTIONS m by Dr.Henry Cloud and Dr.Jhon Townsend . Once in the midst of the last century , the Anglican Bishop John Robinson wrote a book which has become an event in the history of the so called traditional faith in God !

The rising up of enemies, hidden and manifest, take them away from us. this is part of Thanksgiving prayers that we say in all ritual prayers and liturgies. This shows us that we have two kinds of enemies. What are the hidden enemies? Pope Shenouda III in his article on The hidden and manifest enemies talked about the hidden enemies. The first and most dangerous enemy is the devil who wanders in the earth like a lion looking for prey to swallow it. Satan was the cause of the destruction of the house of Job and his illness. Satan envies the righteous people like Joseph the righteous and incited his brothers to sell him.

From one time to another, people discuss the importance of General Congregation Council of the Coptic Orthodox Church (the Milli Council). The current Council ended its term in April 2011, and was not re-elected and then the Council is not currently in place, and any decisions or statements issued on behalf of the Council only represents personal decisions and statements. The first formation of the General Congregation Council was issued by the Higher Order of Khedive Tawfiq in 1874 and the adoption of Boutros Ghali who had conflict with Pope Cyril V, who was a reformist and a saint, but he rejected the idea of the Milli Council but was forced to accept it.

While the entire world was assuming that the Middle East will never change since Israel was in control. Yet, as Israel celebrated feast of forgiveness, the Egyptian soldiers were laying a new line of Egyptian heroism using a creative weapon to pave the way in the heart of Bar Lev Line that was expected to function as a "graveyard for Egyptian troops". The Egyptian creativity changed the reality by denouncing racism and gave a chance to a Coptic Christian officer to develop the idea of destroying Bar Lev Line. The Egyptians used water cannons fashioned from hoses attached to dredging pumps in the canal. Other methods involving explosives, artillery, and bulldozers were too costly in time and required nearly ideal working conditions. In 1971, a young Egyptian officer, Baki Zaki Yousef, suggested a small, light, petrol-fueled pump as the answer to the crossing dilemma. Yet, Egyptian army didn t consider his religion, but his loyalty. Thus, the Egyptian army was able to triumph without terrorism or sectarian strifes.

The American president Donald Trump released lately a very dangerous statement against Saudi Arabia, saying that they king wouldnt stay tow week in power without a protection from the United States, asking the Saudi to pay to protect their country. Although this tough statement from Trump none of the Saudi utter a word or tried to respond on what the US president has said.

The Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Ghada Wali, was honored by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Minister was awarded the WHO s Best Non-Health Ministry award for her efforts to achieve sustainable development goals, prevent infection and improve health. The program she runs, Takaful and Karama, is the largest social protection program offered by the Ministry in terms of beneficiaries and funding plan, with the Ministry of Finance supporting part of its fund and the World Bank supporting the other technical part. Wali had joined the delegation accompanying President Abdul Fattah Al-Sisi, a participant in the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. My greetings to the successful minister and my wishes for the other Egyptian ministers to do their best and succeed like Ghada Wali.

In 1928, Alexander Fleming, the Scottish scientist, was able to discover the first antibiotic from the mould, but nobody was able to discover treatment to the cultural mold on the heads of those who wondered about the religion of artist Jamil Ratrb. Such a strange question that should have been replaced by questioning how useful and patriot the man was. Religion should be questioned by God who will judge everyone, but we, the sinners, don t have such right to judge others.

Chastity, obedience, obligatory poverty are three vows that form the core of monasticism that lwads to spiritual depth and the dedication of the heart and life to Jesus Christ. Father Youhanna Nasif, priest of the Blessed Virgin Mary Coptic Orthodox Church in Chicago, said in his article about Monasticism that it has been a great support of the church by offering the life of the bible and leaders of the church have been chosen among the monks.

I was shocked, like many Copts, after the painful and tragic incident that led to the death of Bishop Epiphanius, head of the Monastery of St. Makkar. Several incidents added to such pain including the death of Father Zinoun and the severe attack against the church and its leaders. For centuries, the Church is often surrounded by threats from outside and inside, but the dangers of this era are increased through social networks as well as television channels that have no rules or credibility. However, it should be known that the world cannot defeat the church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18)

In the current meeting for the general assembly of the UN, the UN secretary general “António Guterres” addressed one of the most important speeches in the last decade. The importance of his speech coming from what he has said and what he has warned the world from. Mr. António talked about the Depreciation of the international law to settle dispute between nations, not only that but also, he talked about not respecting the international law and the agreements from powerful countries which he didn’t name.

Coptic social media was grieving over the death of a young Coptic anchor Noha Adly who was killed by Cancer. The lady was quite polite and prominent in Aghapy channel and was known as the daughter of Pope Shenouda III. Other news about the death of a monk from St. Makkar monastery called Father Zinon al-Maqari was suspicious and initial investigations said he might have committed suicide to be named by media the second monk from the same monastery to commit suicide in one month. The incident brought the woes of one of the world s oldest churches back under the spotlight couple of weeks after head of his monastery was killed.

Everlasting life is the purpose for which was the incarnation of Jesus Christ on earth. It was a sacred invitation that showed us the appearance of our Savior Jesus Christ, who said of Himself, I am life. Bishop Bishoy of Kafr El-Sheikh and Damietta explained in his article Eternal Life that the Lord Jesus meant by the eternal life the one granted by the Lord Jesus to mankind. Thus, he said that who eats Him will live by Him.

In the 16th century, Azhar students noticed that their colleagues from Yemen drink a strong smell dark beverage with a bitter taste. The Yamani students were used to do this before exams and prayers. Soon, coffee spread inside Al-Azhar, and most of the students drank it. As usual, sheikhs started to interfere in all aspects of our life. One of them called Ahmed Abdul-Haq al-Sunbati forbade drinking coffee in any form assuring that everything that works to influence the mind is haraam. His fatwa was supported by many sheikhs and were discussed even in religious speeches and led to the destruction of several coffee shops.

While Al-Gouna just started its second Festival with high attendance from actors and actress from around the world, we have praise the owner of this Idea and the sponsor Mr. Naguib Sawiris for adopting such event. Some people might be mad and say why he needs to spend his money in something not helpful for the people especially with the economic crisis face Egypt recently. I have to big differ with all of these voices, because Egypt needs to show its pretty through such events, especially after what happened in the last 7 years since the 25th revolution 2011. In fact, such event might increase tourism rate in Egypt in that difficult time that Egypt needs foreign currency more than any time in the Egyptian history. In conclusion I want to congratulate Mr. Sawiris and tell him that your name will be always bright for you did and you are still doing for Egypt.

As many people denounced the call of Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of St. Mark See, to Copts in America to welcome president Abdul Fattah al-Sisi and support him during his upcoming visit to the states, an Egyptian newspaper published a letter by the late Pope Shenouda III, in which he calls Copts in America to welcome present Hosni Mubarak in the states in 1985. such call could be considered a national call with a political touch. Therefore, many people may don t like such political role for the Coptic church. Yet, it should be understood in its context and its goal should be supporting Egypt abroad.

The Lord Jesus taught us that words that come out of the mouth either justify and save him or destroy man and lead him to hell. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matthew 12: 37). Fahter John Nassif, priest of the Church of Our Lady in Chicago, said in his article about speech that it reveals the inner goodness of man or his evil. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

In one of the educational centers in Qalioubia Governorate, the 24 old Engineer Amr Salah was teaching some young people under the age of 16 how to make a robot. The steps of making a home robot was a campaign launched by Amr who offered free courses to teach young people about making robots.

As we fight terrorism at all levels, we have to pay attention to all our life practices at home, street, school, university and the club, and more importantly in the mosque and the church. We have to denounce intimidation and encourage enticement and reasonable speech. We may notice that our religious discourse is full of intimidation and exaggeration through its speech and even the way of delivering sermons. They are full of violence and shouting, especially when it comes to the other life and God s punishment to the bad people. This kind of speech has now its masters who pioneers.

One of the UN organization announced few days ago that half millions of children will die from hunger and most of these children are in Africa. Unfortunately, none of the media paid attention to that news as it is something normal to read or to see around us nowadays.