We continue in this article:

* Characteristics of the Extreme Mindset and Practices of Atef Aziz

5- His discipleship groups operate as secret cells— not operating in the open as Christ did. Atef Aziz’s disciples recruit new members in many devious ways and in complete secrecy, and only gradually reveal to new members their true identity and affiliation. Only when these new members demonstrate their loyalty, would the group leader’s name (Atef Aziz) be disclosed. By contrast the Orthodox Church is always transparent, operating in the open. The way the church worships is not a secret and neither are its rituals.  There are no hidden secrets!

6- Atef Aziz (currently known as Fr. Seraphim/Fr. Makarios) is the single supreme leader of these groups, and all submit and are totally obedient to him alone. This of course is in contrast to the conciliarity nature of true Orthodox Church. Issues are debated and discussed between the bishops of the Church, we do not specific persons per se but rather follow the mind of the Church as a whole, and learn from all the Church’s Fathers. For our loyalty is to the Church and not to people, irrespective of their own personal holiness.

7- The group considers non-disclosure of facts, untruthfulness, deception, and even fraud as permissible if it serves its purposes furthers its interests.

8- There is a clear Pentecostal streak in this group which is evident in some of its practices: sentimentality and emotionalism is a main feature of their worship along with the repetition of some prayers as emotive group chants. This is in contrast to the Orthodox Church’s balanced mindset which does not place such a great emphasis on emotional feelings.

9- This over-zealous mindset is nurtured by the spirit of pride, judgmentalism, and separation from the Church. The members of this group considers themselves above others spiritually, as they follow very strict spiritual rules which they claim “weak people” and “most married people” cannot follow! They also do not encourage marriage but rather ask their married followers to consecrate fasts and prayers in order to gain the ability to abstain from ever needing marital relations!

10- This person aims to strike the Coptic Orthodox Church from within, through instigating a spirit of animosity towards it in her own members, and then recruiting them and drawing them out from her. He specifically targets priests’ wives, then some priests into his discipleship groups where he initiates them in his extreme ideology and practices. He also works on attracting youth who have an interest in pursuing church vocations.  Thus he is extracting the vital members of the true Church in order to nurture his own assumed church (which in his depraved mind is “the New Zion”) and to fulfill his own obsessive aspirations to leadership.   Perhaps St. Paul was warning us about this extreme mindset when he spoke to the bishops and presbyters of the region of Ephesus and its surroundings when he said: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch…” (Acts 20:28-31). In the words of St. Paul, we see the great value of the Holy Church which God purchased through His own blood. The Church is a divine charge entrusted to us. We  must not be negligent towards her  nor cause her damage through erroneous impure teachings.

I write this as a warning and admonition so that we may watch ourselves and our children and our Church. And the Lord is able to keep us in the Orthodox Faith in His Holy Church unto the last breath Amen.