Egypt (MNN) –Egypt's president Hosni Mubarak has stepped down, handing power to the military. Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians have protested for days in Cairo's Tahrir Square and called for his ouster.
Carl Moeller with
Open Doors says it may be a nod to the protesters, but
"this is just one additional step in a process, and it really doesn't change
the dynamics of what's really happening in Egypt, although it would be seen as
a huge victory for the protesters."
Vice President Omar Suleiman was
thought to be the next in line to take over, but very likely Suleiman and Mubarak are
viewed as two sides of the same coin.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron said recent events present an "opportunity to have a government that can bring the people together"
and called for a "move to civilian and democratic rule."
However, democracy as North America experiences it is a different frame of
reference. Right now, there is a risk of
"democracy" under a very conservative Muslim mindset. Moeller says, "Given recent polling data,
if an election were to be held tomorrow, it's quite likely that Islamic
extremists would have a significant–if not dominant–role to play in the new
government."
Moeller explains that should that occur, there will likely be
greater hardship for Christians. "The Pew Research Study conducted a survey
that indicated that 84 percent of Egyptian citizens said they would favor
public execution of those who leave Islam for another religion. 76 percent favor stoning for those caught in
adultery."
The reaction to what is termed "apostasy" could outline what
will be a desperate future for evangelism and believers. Pray for peace and for boldness. "We need to
remember the church. We need to remember that the Christians in Egypt face the
‘frying pan and the fire.' Those
Christians face an uncertain future. Their hope is in Jesus Christ and in His sovereignty, but the reality for our brothers and sisters in
Egypt is that they face an increasingly uncertain future."
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