RNS' Adelle Banks reports on a Gallup survey indicating that 70% of Egyptians want religious leaders to play only an indirect role in a new government as opposed to the 14% that believe clerics should have create law. Even beyond this rejection of theocracy, the survey suggests that a solid majority of Egyptians believe in codifying religious liberty.
Even as they seek a limited advisory role for clergy, most Egyptians (67 percent) want religious freedom as a provision in a new constitution. A much higher percentage (92 percent) say freedom of speech should be included, and slightly more than half want a new constitution to include freedom of assembly.
…[D]espite sectarian violence in the country following Mubarak's resignation, Egyptians are among the most religiously tolerant in Gallup's ranking of populations in the Middle East and North Africa.
The Gallup report, intitled "Egypt From Tahrir to Transition" also notes the high level of religious tolerance shown by a Egyptians compared to other nations in the region.
With the disappearance of the Mubarak police state, there has been a perceived rise in violent crime in Egypt. However, the violence, including a sectarian street fight in May 2011 that left six Muslims and six Christians dead near the Church of St. Mina in Cairo, may reflect the criminal actions of a few as opposed to evidence of a generally intolerant society.
Egyptians rank near the top of all populations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) when it comes to welcoming religious diversity. Two-thirds of Egyptians say they would have no objections if someone of another faith moved in next door to them, second only to Lebanon in the region. Additionally, 78% of Egyptians are at least tolerant of (if not integrated with) other religious faiths. Among other MENA countries, only Lebanon is less isolated along religious lines.
