Saudis Shred Bibles

[FriendlyFire]

As one newspaper pointed out all the riots resulted was massive damage to there own property and anarchy on the streets which hurt there own country.

 

[Rambuchan]

In rides the trusty Historical and News Revisionist:

Let's get the fuller picture folks!

This stuff is going on all over the world. The Saudi treatment of all foreigners, whether Christian or not, is disgusting and unacceptable IMO. However, this is going on the world over and this just seems to be another thread to focus these global ills purely on those damn Saudis. I agree that the posted article is simply a piece of propaganda, there is no credible source there at all.

From here:http://www.center2000.org/

INDIA vs. PAKISTAN
Hindus vs. Moslems

India has one of the world’s largest Moslem populations - 120 million -among its more than 1 billion people.

The continuing controversy and present threat of nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan is religion: India is basically Hindu and Pakistan is Moslem. And, even within Pakistan itself there is conflict between the hard line Sunni Moslems and the equally as fundamental Shiite Moslems. One of the several contentions between India and Pakistan is the state of Jammu-Kashmir where India controls two thirds and Pakistan one third. The two South Asian rivals have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since 1989. Estimates are that about 25,000 people have died, as well as leaving the region socially scarred.

And, within India itself, In August, 2000 violence reached a high pitch when nine different attacks in one day by Islamic guerrillas mowed down unarmed Hindu pilgrims on their way to a religious shrine near Pahalgam, south of Srinagar leaving 101 dead.

THE CAUCASUS
Christian Orthodox versus Islam

The Caucasus is a cross-roads of the major religions of Islam and Christian Orthodoxy. The people of the area are an ethnic/linguistic mix of Caucasian, Armenian, Slavic, Greek, Iranian, Turk and Mongol. During the rule of the Soviet Union there was comparative peace in the region, but under the surface simmered ancient hatreds among these various communities, particularly religious jealousies. Since the demise of the Soviet Union these hatreds have erupted. This resultant disruption to peace and stability in the region has frustrated ongoing projects by East and West to develop and exploit the extensive oil and gas reserves in this area of the world. Border wars amongst the religious combatants are more and more the norm, taking their toll on lives and property destruction.

BRAZIL
Schism in the Roman Catholic Religion

Brazil is the world's largest Roman Catholic country. More than 80 per cent of the country's 165 million people identify themselves as Catholics, though now many - perhaps a majority have moved from strict Roman Catholicism to practice Candomble and its variants such as Macumba and Umbanda. Candomble is an African-derived faith, which has particularly strong roots in Salvador, a city of some 2 million inhabitants. What troubles the traditionalists who dominate the Roman Catholic Church in Brazil is Candomble's belief which merges the identities of African deities and Roman Catholic saints, so that St. George, for instance, is also Ogum, the god of war and metals.

Followers of Candomble, originally created by slaves, were persecuted by both religious and civil authorities throughout Brazil's colonial period, and continue to be so persecuted today. Even so, the number of Candomble adherents has been growing rapidly across Brazil in recent years, and what was once a lower-class religion has come to be seen as something to be valued as authentically Brazilian. Its increasingly assertive clergy have now begun to demand greater recognition and freedom. The traditionalists within the Church see this trend as "demonic" and they accuse the predominately black Candomble clergy of deviating from the one true faith. Some have closed their church doors to the Candomble, bringing charges that they are now being systematically excluded from the priesthood.

At this writing, the trend toward more divergence and conflict continues, though cool heads on both sides attempt to resolve differences which have now been going on for more than 500 years.

ETHIOPIA
Moslems versus Christians

For more than 30 years, the bloody war between Ethiopia and now more or less independent Eritrea has taken its toll. This conflict pits predominantly Moslem Eritrea against principally Christian Ethiopia. Initially the Moslems fought, with a measure of success, to gain their independence from Ethiopia. Today, even after a form of independence, the violence continues.

Christianity in Ethiopia dates from the third or fourth century. Attacked in later centuries by a hostile Islam, Christianity initially flourished in the remote isolation of Ethiopia's craggy, highlands. The Moslems of the north maintain that they are ethnically and religiously different from the Christian southerners.

Formerly an Italian colony, Eritrea came under British administration in 1941. In 1948 the fate of Eritrea was referred to the United Nations, which voted in 1950 for the federation of Eritrea and Ethiopia. The terms of the federation gave Eritrea considerable local autonomy. However, in November, 1962, the late Emperor Haile Selassie announced the end of the federation and absorbed Eritrea as Ethiopia's 14th province, asserting full control over the region in spite of the autonomy provisions of the 1950 UN resolution. The United Nations stood helplessly by - and the fighting began.

CHINA
Government versus Religion

From its earliest recorded history, going back more than 4,000 years, China has been ruled by a series of dynasties based on a powerful religious foundation. For generations, until the early 1900s, the principles and philosophies of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism signifcantly influenced successive Chinese rulers. Paradoxically though, this pervasive religious influence did not lead to lasting peace and prosperity. Rather, China's history is saturated with rampant violence, intertribal warfare and death.

Prior to 1925 and due to its geographical size, the country was seldom ruled by one government. Often two or three kingdoms would co-exist. Then, in the early 1920s, having fought against Western invasion for decades, things began to change for China. Under revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen, China accepted political guidance and support from the Communist Soviet Union, and Sun proceeded to sow the seeds of unity in China.

Though the Chinese government officially sanctions five religions;Buddhism, which has 100 million adherents; Islam, with 18 million;Protestantism, with 15 million;Catholicism, with 4 million; anda smaller number of Taoists;unapproved cults, sects and so-called underground religions are prospering, and given the government position, beginning to be the root of religious-based conflict. The government crackdown on the Falun Gong meditation movement is well known in the west. What is less well known is the government's use of the law outlawing the Falun Gong to designate 10 Christian sects as illegal, while turning to what it calls "the illegal network of house churches" (mostly Protestant and Catholic) which serve an estimated 30 million to 40 million believers. In 1999 alone, more than 100 Christian leaders were arrested on such charges.

 

[Rambuchan]

And I find myself quoting Provolution!!!

Originally Posted by Provolution
...there are no chosen people or religious texts. In fact, I am for all personal religion and against all organized religion. Human organization should be as secular as possible, and individual human beings as spiritual as possible.

 

[CruddyLeper]

Excuse me?

I did say "possible exception" of Ethiopia.

Anyway, can you think of any Christian governments? It's a contradiction in terms.

Oh wait... Bhutan? Not a Christian country, but it's not big on oppression either.

 

[Provolution]

I really do not care. All religion originated in the terrible Middle East, Jewdom, Islam and Christianity should be ignored and disenfranchised all political, organizational and economic power. Religion should be a spiritual matter, not a worldly matter.

 

[Mario Feldberg]

I support the shredding of Bibles and Qurans. Both books are pornographic, disgusting and promote deeply immoral behaviour. Slavery, (child-)rape, genocide you name it. It's insanity printed on paper. Collecting all this crap (including Torah's, Hindu scriptures etc.) and burning it in one big fire would be the most humanist act ever.

 

[The Last Conformist]

But Wahabism would be the reason for the alleged (very likely) destruction of bibles. Religious proselytising is forbidden in Saudi. Christians like the Americans have been accepted on sufferance provided they keep to themselves. So you can prolly depend on it, that bringing bibles into Saudi is illegal. (Unlike a place like Iran with considerable religious minorities.)

On my personal scale, illegalizing Bibles is a worse crime than hiring guards that thinking that desacrating Korans is an acceptable form of interrogation.

 

[joycem10]

You didn't see Americans rioting because our government may have desecrated the Quran...

You also dont see Americans rioting because of some of allegations of bible shredding by a foreign goverment.

If the US were the semi-fascist, right ring, fundamentalist christian, theocratic state ruled by the baptist taliban as many here like to claim on a regular basis; then wouldnt there be massive riots and demonstrations.

Or wouldnt the Nazi-esque US goverment's version of Goebbles have tried to whip up a public frenzy over the desecration of this sacred text.

 

[silver 2039]

I did say "possible exception" of Ethiopia.

Anyway, can you think of any Christian governments? It's a contradiction in terms.

Oh wait... Bhutan? Not a Christian country, but it's not big on oppression either.

Bhutan is Hindu/Christian and is a Monarchy. So there is no government based on religon.

 

[Tank_Guy#3]

Now they're just trying to piss off Christians.

 

[Yom]

@Rambuchan: To characterize the fight between Ethiopia and Eritrea as solely between Muslims and Christians is oversimplifying it far too much. Ethiopia is still about 40% Muslim, and Eritrea is also about 50% Muslim and 50% Christian. The situation is much more due to irrational regionalism on the part of Eritreans due to their colonization by the Italians.

 

[Rambuchan]

@Rambuchan: To characterize the fight between Ethiopia and Eritrea as solely between Muslims and Christians is oversimplifying it far too much. Ethiopia is still about 40% Muslim, and Eritrea is also about 50% Muslim and 50% Christian. The situation is much more due to irrational regionalism on the part of Eritreans due to their colonization by the Italians.

Those aren't my words Yom. They are from the link at foot and yes, they are simplistic, but the general point is that this kind of religious bigotry goes on all over the world and that the Saudis' manifold flaws seem to get the lion's share of the bad press.

Sorry should have made it clearer it was all a quote. Strolls off to edit the post.

 

[IglooDame]

Now they're just trying to piss off Christians.

Doubtful; by all accounts they've been doing this for years.

 

[HannibalBarka]

People who care about what other people do to their sacred books are just a bunch of idiots. I mean if you are muslim or a christian, why does that a fella thousands of miles away from you burning a book he doesn't consider more than some kilogrammes of papers should affect you

 

[luiz]

Who cares? And who cares if american soldiers destroyed some Korans?

"Oh, they are destroying Bibles! I must organize a huge protest and kill many of my countrymen!"

 

[amadeus]

Who cares? And who cares if american soldiers destroyed some Korans?

The difference is that if you bring a Bible (or the Torah!) into Saudi Arabia, you get your head cut off.

 

[Double Barrel]

Inquisition spain, is more of an example of christian-based government.

Not really. Regardless of what the Spanish claimed and tried to justify by hiding behind the church, there is nothing in the teachings of Jesus that would support the Inquisition. As a matter-of-fact, his teachings are the exact opposite of the persecution that has been inflicted in his name throughout history.

A true "Christian nation", one that followed the teachings of Jesus as a matter of policy, would not last for long, because they would not defend themselves from aggressors, pursuant to the words of JC.

 

[stormbind]

Anyway, what exactly is the point of this? Are you trying to make them look guilty? Like hypocrites? National leaders always are? Are you trying to defend the US actions by shifting the blame to another? Because that is not a valid defense for what the US does. Just because another nation does something worse than what you do, does not excuse what you do.

I agree with what you said here, but not in this context. What the US did to the Quran was worse. The US used destruction as a means of inflicting psychological torture. Saudi Arabia is accused of shredding Bibles behind closed doors. There is a difference.

 

[stormbind]

The difference is that if you bring a Bible (or the Torah!) into Saudi Arabia, you get your head cut off.

Where did you hear that?

 

[cgannon64]

Saudi Arabia is deeply imbedded in their Bedouin tribal culture. Their strict, "literal" interpretation is through a thick Bedouin filter.

Saudia Arabia is not the only country that practices Muslim fundamentalism.