Egypt’s Morsi advised hatred of others as part of worship

Mohamed Morsi, Official Photograph

Some are calling for Egypt’s President Morsi to repudiate some statements he made a couple of years ago:

January 15, 2013

STATE DEPARTMENT — The United States said Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi should repudiate remarks he made in 2010 calling on Egyptians to “nurse our children and our grandchildren on hatred” for Jews and Zionists.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Washington condemns the comments made by President Morsi at a time when he led the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood. In one of the 2010 videos, Morsi said Egyptian children must feed on that hatred as a form of worshipping God…

President Morsi has not commented publicly since video of his 2010 remarks was broadcast in Cairo last Friday. They have since spread to the Internet and come at a tenuous time for U.S.-Egyptian relations, especially as U.S. lawmakers consider withholding additional financial assistance…

In his 2010 remarks, Mr. Morsi criticized what he said are Zionist supporters – “America, France, and Europe” – singling out President Barack Obama, whom he called a liar for promising the Arab world “empty meaningless words.” Mr. Morsi took power as Egypt’s first democratically elected president. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-morsi-should-repudiate-anti-semitism-remarks/1584517.html

Hatred of others is not part of pure religion (cf. James 1:27). The God of the Bible is love (1 John 4:8,16) and wants people to love one another:

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also (John 4:20-21).

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Geographically, the Jews in Israel are neighbors to those in Egypt.

Dr. Morsi has long been a member of the Muslim Brotherhood. When Dr. Morsi was responsible for the official website of the Muslim Brotherhood, it put up an article that stated the following:

The Muslim Brethren…believe that the caliphate is a symbol of Islamic Union and an indication of the bonds between the nations of Islam. They see the caliphate and its re-establishment as a top priority, subsequently; an association of Muslims people should be set up, which would elect the imam”. (zhyntativ. HASAN AL-BANNA AND HIS POLITICAL THOUGHT OF ISLAMIC BROTHERHOOD. IkhwanWeb, May 13, 2008. http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=17065 viewed 09/22/11)

What is the Muslim Brotherhood?
The world’s largest and most influential Islamist movement…“The Islamic nation,” its charter states, “must be fully prepared to fight the tyrants and the enemies of Allah as a prelude to establishing an Islamic state”—ideally a re-established caliphate, stretching from Spain across the Middle East and Central Asia to Indonesia, to be governed according to Islamic sharia law. (Understanding the Muslim Brotherhood. February 14, 2011. © The Muslim Brotherhood. http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=28019 viewed 11/21/2011)

The Muslim Brotherhood apparently wants as its top priority a pan-national Islamic caliphate ruled by an Imam/Caliph. And while it will not get all the territory it wants, it is likely to end up in some type of confederation with at least most of North Africa and the Middle East. Apparently, espousing hatred to others has been one of his ways to accomplish his objectives.

But if Dr. Morsi really wanted to worship the God of the Bible, he would learn the true meaning of life, and espouse love.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Arabic Nazarenes May Have Kept Original Christian Practices Were their faithful Arabs who held to original Christianity?
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Should Christians be Nazarenes today? What were the practices of the Nazarenes.