Coptic Christians

60 Minutes featured Coptic (Egyption) Christians election of their new pope last night. Wheras the Catholics elect their pope, the Copts narrow the field to three, blinfold a child, and have him choose a name encased in a bubble inside a glass case, I couldn't help but think I was watching a BINGO game in front of 18,ooo people.

The story showed the persecution the Copts receive. They make up only 10% of a 90% Muslim nation. The Muslims destroy their churches, with all their treasures, with fire bombs. The most amazing part of all this is the Copts feel no anger or resentment. The persecution, they believe, makes them stronger.

My favorite moment was the last scene in the story. Every Copt has a cross tattooed on their wrist at at a fairly young age. They showed a young girl recieving her cross to bear, then meeting her family outside the tattoo parlor. She proudly displayed her new mark, but what caught my eye was the brother standing next to her. He, too, wore a symbol of hopr, but it wasn't a cross. He was too young for that yet. No, he wore a sweatshirt with a large yellow oval over his heart. Inside the oval was the unmistakable symbol of the bat, representing no rival to Jesus, but still a formidable foe for the Muslims, Batman.