With the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak today, pro-democracy protestors, Muslims and Christians, are celebrating in the streets of Cairo and other cities around the country. Power was handed over to the Egyptian military.

According to Open Doors, a Christian organization founded by Anne van der Bijl, to help churches in Eastern Europe and later the Muslim world, responses of Christians in Egypt to the resignation are mixed. Open Doors states they fear “a new government under a conservative Muslim mindset.”

Dr. Carl Moeller, President/CEO of Open Doors USA, stated: "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 explained if that should occur, there will likely be greater hardship for Christians.

"The Pew Research Study conducted a survey that indicated 84 percent of Egyptian citizens said they would favor public execution of those who leave Islam for another religion...called 'apostasy'...which is in place in some Muslim countries. Seventy-six percent of Egyptians favor stoning for those caught in adultery," Moeller added.

All these facts are correct but when one follow’s Moeller’s arguments one cannot but conclude that Moeller regrets Mubarak has fallen and that honest and fair elections may not be desirable for Christians.

Moeller’s arguments fall in line with earlier statements of Pope Shenouda who showed support for President Mubarak. Christians have benefited during the Mubarak regime. It was certainly not always easy but much has been achieved, certainly in the area of church building. Bishop Marcos of Shubra al-Kheima called this in an interview some two years ago “the best period Christians have experienced since the advent of Islam in Egypt.” Only days ago Bishop Marcos praised the unity between Muslims and Christians in popular committees that were founded following the withdrawal of the Egyptian police from the streets on January 29 to prevent looters from creating havoc in their areas. Dr. Amin Makram Ebeid, a board member of the Center for Arab-West Understanding, experienced this unity in his area and described this as ‘wonderful.’

It is now time that Muslims and Christians focus together on rebuilding the country, maintaining the unity that was achieved, instead of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy through expressions of fear instead of hope.

Sadly Open Doors has a number of facts wrong. The ten million Christians in their text is wishful thinking and not based on any research. Research shows that Christians make up around 6 percent of the population, in a country of 85 to 90 million inhabitants, a community of perhaps 4,5 million. This is large but not as large as Open Doors would like this to be. Open Doors ranks Egypt No. 19 on the Open Doors 2011 World Watch List of the 50 worst persecutors of Christians. That designation is not deserved. Egypt is facing lots of social problems that do indeed affect Christians but not Christians alone. Open Doors insufficiently takes these factors into consideration.

Please see our AWR reporting in the past few days which shows unity. Please also see earlier reporting which shows the tremendous social problems that Egypt is facing. If Western Christians would like to see changes they should encourage positive developments, help combat poverty and encourage education