It is ridiculous to call the Copts the indigenous people of Egypt. Christianity was invented less than 2,000 years ago. Coptic Christianity is only one of the many religions in the approximately 5,000 years of Egyptian history. Coptic literature is full of Greek words, and the entire set-up proclaims it to be more of a semi-artificial jargon than a direct lineal descendant of the old language. One problem in archaeological investigation is that newer religions in many cases have destroyed evidence of the presence of previous religions and cultures. Burnt wooden linings of tombs and scattering of fragments at Abydos have been tracked down to fifth or sixth century Copts.

Islam and Christianity, like other religions, have purposely destroyed evidences of older religions and cultures.

This is a most important article, far more important than the constant AGW bellowing. The author is to be thanked.

The plight of the Copts is bad and is getting worse. One whole section of the book 'Cruel and Usual Punishment' written by Nonie Darwish (she lives in US but is Egyptian by birth and upbringing) is about the problems faced by the Copts.

Bearing in mind that, as the feminist Darwish emphasises, any obedient Muslim must eliminate non Muslims - either by conversion or killing, it is inevitable that as secular thinking/authority weakens the Copts will be bullied more and more.

I urge everyone to read Darwish. She has the best possible credentials: she was prevented by Muslim threats from speaking at both Princeton and Colubmia universities. (Columbia did however welcome that liberal gent, the President of Iran.) She was allowed to speak at Boston but in a different room from that originally intended because a fire started in a room just below the one that had been booked.

The suggestion that copts are [the sole] indigenous egyptians is not necessarily correct; in fact I understand that 90% of present day egyptians are descendents of the pharaonic egyptians and only 10% are ethnically arabs, therefore the bulk of egyptian muslims are of pharaonic descent, as are copts. So the issues are not about ethnic descent.

Also, not all the nag hammadi texts are regarded by main-stream chrianity are gnostic; the gospel of thomas is designated as cannonical by most theological authorities.

Perhaps some of the treatment that the copts receive is a direct consequence of the way in which that some copts treat muslims. Shenouda uses a concilliatory approach that seems to achieve much more that the agressive stance of the author seems to propose.

A well written article.

With the growth of Islamism, the Muslim Brotherhood and fundamental Islam in the Muslim world, it is not surprising at all what is happening to the Copts in Egypt.

Another reason against the Copts is that of Father Zakaria. The Muslim Brotherhood is giving a reward of $60 million for him killed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iQqVz-lDF8&feature=PlayList&p=775935EB4D75C0E2&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=39

The Gospel of Thomas may not be totally Gnostic, but it is certainly not "canonical" in the sense of being accepted as scripture, as is the writings of the Bible! It just does not fit the requirements to be accepted as such, the main one being its use by the general Christian community throughout the centuries of Christian history.