Remember folks, Saudi Arabia is a "friend" of the US.A


http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20021222_1372.html


Saudi Christmas Is a Hidden Affair
A Saudi Christmas Is a Hidden, Whispered Affair, Where Islam Is Only Accepted Religion

The Associated Press

 
 
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia Dec. 22 —
Past the stuffed animals and congratulatory baby baskets, sprigs of plastic evergreens are tucked in among the silk flowers. The rows of ribbon include a few spools of reds, golds and greens, and two half-empty boxes of blown-glass Christmas tree ornaments sit partly obscured on a nearby shelf.

As evinced by the atmosphere in this Riyadh gift shop, Christmas is mostly hidden in this desert kingdom, where Islam is the only accepted religion.

Expatriate workers hold discreet holiday parties within walled compounds, out of sight of the government's religious police, who guard against offenses to the faith. For many other foreigners, the anniversary of Christ's birth is a private day of reflection.

"I only pray in my room," said a Roman Catholic laborer from Sri Lanka, noting there is little else to do to celebrate Christmas.

Some embassies, he said, organize gatherings for their citizens during the holiday season, but generally not on Christmas Day to avoid offending Saudi sensibilities.

Saudi Arabia, as the birthplace of Islam, is charged with protecting the faith's holiest shrines at Mecca and Medina, and differing beliefs, like new ideas, are carefully guarded against as threats to the culture, traditions and official religion.

Churches are not permitted "freedom of religion does not exist," a recent State Department report said about Saudi Arabia though some expatriates gather privately throughout the year for religious services.

It is not that way everywhere in the Middle East. In the neighboring Persian Gulf state of Bahrain, luxury hotels are decorated with brightly lit trees and poinsettias, and signs advertise Christmas meals. At the Holiday Inn, strains of "Silver Bells" and "White Christmas" waft through the lobby.

Christmas trees are sold in the Yemeni capital of San'a and in expatriate neighborhoods of Cairo. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak declared last week that Jan. 7 when the country's minority Orthodox Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas was a holiday for all Egyptians.

In Lebanon and Syria, with substantial Christian populations, Christmas is celebrated openly in all its religious and commercial glory and even some Muslims go Christmas shopping just to see the holiday fanfare.

But in Riyadh, the mere mention of Christmas leads many expatriates to lower their voices and fidget, fearful of unwanted attention or risking their jobs. Just buying a Christmas card requires a whispered journey into a greeting card underworld.

At the Riyadh gift shop where a few festive decorations were tucked in among other goods, a Filipino employee shakes his head when asked about Christmas cards. But he gives directions to another shop, advising an inquirer to look for the Filipino manager.

"He'll give you one in secret ... secret because it's 'haram' here, you know," he says, using the Arabic word for "forbidden" known to anyone who has run afoul of conservative Islamic social norms.

At another card shop, an Indian employee reaches beneath the counter to pull out a half-dozen religious and secular Christmas cards, his eyes darting around his empty shop and out the window.

There would be trouble if caught: "They ask where you got them," he says. The ever-vigilant religious police have confiscated cards in the past, he said, and have even been known to haul shopkeepers away to be questioned about where they got such materials.

Clearly relieved once he is able to tuck the purchases into a paper bag and staple it shut, he points to a less offensive "Seasons Greetings" card, discreetly visible beside the cash register.

At $1.35, they're half the price of the Christmas cards, and half the risk.


photo credit and caption: Filipinos living and working in Saudi Arabia crowd a card shop in a Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, market Friday, Dec. 20, 2002. Such stores in the conservative Islamic kingdom don't openly display Christmas cards in their racks out of fear for the powerful religious police. As Christmas approaches, expatriates quietly ask foreign store managers to show them what is available. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)
 



Copyright 2002 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
 

Everyone should have the freedom to practice their religion.

This is bullshit and repressive.

Some of these muslim ran countries are still in the dark ages.  

Some of these muslim ran countries are still in the dark ages.  

lol...90 % of muslims are still in the dark ages..

Quote

lol...90 % of muslims are still in the dark ages..

aye bro, are you fucking dumb or acting? fuck your a stupid cunt, i feel sorry for you, like get some education,

and CWalker187 so what if u cant celebrate christmas in an 'islamic' country? whats it to you? i mean like your not suffering or anything you dumb faggot. why dont you handle ur own business instead of being a dreamer or a pastor and feeling other peoples pain; who probably dont even give a shit aboutchu, u cant change the world with ur rascist thoughts faggot, grow up and get the fuck out of the rock and make peace with everyone else, oh shit better yet go get your fagoot ass off the computer and get a job and live your life, and go to church and pray for people who cant have christmas or someshit... your a dreamer.. Next Hitler on our way.. Exit: Cwalker187 Enter: Hitlerwalker187

fucking faggot

and by the way Merry Xmas to the christains out there and have a happy safe new year dont get 2 drunk silly peeps.. im out PeAcE

bitch i got years more education than your ass...( i got a bs)....so you can cut that shit out...i just threw out that number....but really most muslims still live in the stone age

and still you claim that you're an educated man

As my man  Jay ay Beee said:

Everyone should have the freedom to practice their religion.

This is bullshit and repressive.

I agree.

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Another thing, I dont beleive it says anything against celebrating chrtismas in the Qu'ran, which means these people claiming to be muslims, arent really muslims.

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but really most muslims still live in the stone age

Wrong, I was brought up in Dubai, U.A.E[Its a part of the middle east if you dont know], and its far more advanced than you think.  

  -{bLaDe}

your analogy is wrong,

would a Christain nation allow a holiday celebrating Jesus;s death?

it surprises and shocks you that christmas is banned in saudi arabia?

understand several things...

Saudi Arabia is the birth place of Islam, and the site of Mecca and Medina. It is the most "fundementalist" muslim country in the world.
Obviously, that shouldnt shock yall. Now, christmas is the celebration of Jesus aka God's birth. That very idea is offensive to Muslims, now tell me why the Saudi Arabian govt doesnt have a right to ban the celebration of what muslims consider heresy?

Sadly, most Muslims would actually agree with this deranged type of thinking. They actually think that they should have the right to prevent other people from practicing their religion, simply because it is not what they believe. Yet of course Muslims should be allowed to practice their religion in any nation of the world without any restrictions.

It is this type of Muslim arrogance that is the cause of most of the terrorism in the world.

your analogy is wrong,

would a Christain nation allow a holiday celebrating Jesus;s death?

His analogy is 100% right, and a Christian nation would allow a holiday celebrating Jesus' death. You are allowed to believe and celebrate anything you want in the west.

God bless Christianity and western civilization.

Do you honestly think christianity is allowed under a muslim state?  Some, sure but you realize that in many islamic countries christians are killed on site, right?  Like for instance, Afganistan was that way under the rule of the taliban.  Islam might equal peace, but yall got a weird way of showing it sometimes.  

Do you honestly think christianity is allowed under a muslim state?  Some, sure but you realize that in many islamic countries christians are killed on site, right?  Like for instance, Afganistan was that way under the rule of the taliban.  Islam might equal peace, but yall got a weird way of showing it sometimes.  

u do realize that the only muslim nation with a christain minority that is oppresive is Pakistan, and that is because there are ugly ties to colonialism and there presence irks some as continued legacy of british interference, enough babbling on that tip tho

Lebanon,Syria, and Egypt all have viable christian minorities, and they are all respected, (except post 1970s Lebanon but thats due to a civil war)

Why would u mention Afghanistan when there are no christains there? I mean u cant compare islamic nations to secular western nations, there are viable minority communities here and they have integrated into the culture, whereas in most muslim countries the christian minorites are few....historically christains, jews, hindus have been treated very well at times