Guest guest Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 --- Rajiv.Malhotra wrote: > Rajiv.Malhotra > SSUSINC, stevemckennon, > fgautier, > laurakelly, vrnparker, > sdyoungwolf, > Rajeev.srinivasan, > fernandolsirvent, > ricardoananda, heshs, > ecarion > CC: lordsummerisle73, > glovideo, Srinandan, > koenraad.elst, > rajiv.malhotra, nsrajaram, > kurundwad, kumarishakti, > KatariaN, monisha_malhan, > Fabioee > Re: What About Bible Desecration By Saudis > ? > Wed, 25 May 2005 10:44:09 +0000 > > why are the complaints being limited to Bible > descretation only, and why dont they also include > the fact that Hindu sacred books, and even magazines > or other pictures of Hindu icons are banned by > Saudis and get confiscated and destroyed. the over 1 > million Indians living in Saudi Arabia have plenty > of data.anectodes but nobody bothered to codument > this and make an issue. Furthermore, should > desecration criticism apply only to holy books or > should it also be applied to icons including those > which all Abrahamic religions routinely descecrate > as "idols". > > > > -------------- Original message > ---------------------- > SSUSINC > > > > What about Bible desecration by Saudis? > > By Patrick Goodenough > > > _http://www.insightmag.com/media/paper441/news/2005/05/23/National/What-About. > > Bible.Desecration.By.Saudis-953649.shtmlWhat_ > > > (http://www.insightmag.com/media/paper441/news/2005/05/23/National/What-About.Bi > > ble.Desecration.By.Saudis-9536 > > 49.shtmlWhat) > > > > May 23, 2005 > > > > (CNSNews.com) -- A U.S.-based think tank critical > of the Saudi government > > has added its voice to allegations that > authorities in the kingdom routinely > > destroy Bibles. > > > > "As a matter of official policy, the government > either incinerates or dumps > > Bibles, crosses and other Christian > paraphernalia," the Saudi Institute said > > in an article posted on its website. > > > > "Although considered as holy in Islam and > mentioned in the Koran dozens of > > times, the Bible is banned in Saudi Arabia, and is > confiscated and destroyed > > by government officials," it said. > > > > Last week a Christian pastor who worked in Saudi > Arabia during the 1990s > > told the Cybercast News Service it was widely > known among underground > > Christians there that Bibles were confiscated -- > and sometimes shredded -- > > by Saudi customs officials at ports of entry. > > > > The Saudi Embassy in Washington has yet to > respond to emailed queries about > > its policies regarding the Bibles and the > shredding allegations. > > > > Saudi Arabia was one of the first governments to > protest after Newsweek > > reported earlier this month that U.S. troops had > thrown a Koran into a > > toilet to fluster Muslim terror suspects being > detained by the U.S. military > > at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. > > > > A statement issued on May 12 said the Saudi > government was "following with > > great concern and apprehension reports that the > sanctity of the Holy Koran > > has been violated on several occasions at > Guantanamo Bay." > > > > Following rioting in Afghanistan and protests > elsewhere in the Muslim world, > > Newsweek retracted the report. It said its unnamed > government source was no > > longer certain about his original claim that he > saw the Koran flushing > > mentioned in a military report of abuse at the > base. > > > > Home to Islam's two most revered sites, in Mecca > and Medina, Saudi Arabia > > views itself as guardian of the religion. The > kingdom is committed to the > > fundamentalist Wahhabi ideology, and non-Wahhabi > Muslim traditions are > > frowned upon. > > > > Human rights campaigners name Saudi Arabia as one > of the world's most > > egregious violators of religious freedom. > > > > In another article posted on its site -- and > published as an op-ed in the > > Wall Street Journal on Friday -- Saudi Institute > director Ali Al-Ahmed wrote > > of his fellow Saudis: "As Muslims, we have not > been as generous as our > > Christian and Jewish counterparts in respecting > others' holy books and > > religious symbols. > > > > "Saudi Arabia bans the importation or the display > of crosses, Stars of David > > or any other religious symbols not approved by the > Wahhabi establishment," > > he continued. "TV programs that show Christian > clergymen, crosses or Stars > > of David are censored." > > > > Based in Washington, the Saudi Institute > describes itself as an independent > > organization that provides information relating > to "terrorism, democracy, > > human rights, charitable organizations, religious > freedom and the House of > > Saud." > > > > Wire services reported Saturday that 18 Saudi > Muslim scholars have demanded > > that "those involved in the alleged desecration of > the Koran at the U.S. > > detention facility of Guantanamo Bay be tried by > an Islamic court." > > > > 1998-2005 CNSNews.com - Cybercas > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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