[C19fan]

The Saudis run Mecca like Disney runs their parks. Expansion to handle more and more pilgrims. The author mentions how the Saudis have destroyed much of the cultural heritage of the place especially sites that were important to the early days of Islam. Pilgrims would venerate at the sites associated with Muhammad, his family, and early leaders but the Salafists view that as idolatry so they destroyed most of those sites. The Saudis destroyed a historical Ottoman fort to make room for the gaudy Las Vegas style mega-hotel the article mentions.

[bolobaby]

This title made me soooo hopeful.

[WayneS]

Interesting. Perhaps the Saudis aren’t ALL bad...

[Mrs. Don-o]

A very important article, both in itself and because of the amazingvvfact that the NYT published it. By the bottom of the page it is blaming the Saudis for jihadism, at the very least on the cultural/spiritual level.

Remarkable.

Thank you for posting this.

[cripplecreek]

Funny, no mention of the disgust Malcolm X felt at having been lied to about islam and slavery.

[Joe Boucher]

get ALL these bastards together and Duke Nukem.

[Paine in the Neck]

I've heard that the only reliable way to save oneself from ebola is to make the hajj and circle the kaaba whilst coughing vigourously and shaking hands, after spitting on them, with one and all.

[wink, wink. nudge, nudge]

[Responsibility2nd]

The house of Khadijah, the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad, has been turned into a block of toilets.

Needs no comment. Speaks for itself.

[RginTN]

Notice no violent protests over muslims destroying their own holy city!

[Vermont Lt]

I wonder how many ebola virus particles are walking around the rock today.

[glorgau]

> Makkah Royal Clock Tower hotel, which, at 1,972 feet...

It would be a shame if somebody flew an airliner into it.

[Rummyfan]

Who the heck knows, as inifdels are not allowed into the city. Secondly, WTFGAS?????? The city, and the black rock, should be turned into glass.

[LibertyOh]

“The Saudis running Mecca like Disney [running] their parks” is actually appropriate in light of the history of Mohammed and Islam. In Mohammed’s time Mecca had a substantial “tourist” industry, based on pagan shrines... as I recall from a Middle East history course I took decades ago. Mohammed had considered Jerusalem and other sites as his center place but essentially made a deal with the leaders in Mecca, insuring that his followers would be obligated to visit their city. Maybe Disney had learned from Mohammed - build a place attracting visitors and then the hotels and other items to extract as much money as possible.

[Organic Panic]

Hajj... AKA A PERFECT change to spread Ebola with all the African Muslims. Multitudes of worldwide travelers. Saudi sanitation. People in close quarters sweating, spitting, coughing, shaking hands, kissing cheeks. What’s to worry about?

[IronJack]

I suggest we help return Mecca to its former glory as Sand Capital of the Barbarian World by turning it into the world’s largest glass parking lot.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Next Disney will be trying to start a religion where one of the Five Pillars is to have at least one mandatory visit to Disney World.

[2banana]

All to walk around a meteorite, worship the moon and pay homage to serial mass murderer, slave trader and child rapist...

[isthisnickcool]

Step ONE: Get a big plane. Make a very large water balloon type “bomb” filled with red paint.

Step TWO: Drop it on the black box thus changing the color to red.

Step THREE: Notify all countries that the next killing of any kind in the name of islam will result in another bomb but the next one will be filled with pig blood.

Step FOUR: Time for popcorn.

[The Working Man]

Interesting... I could make a case that one of the major reasons the Saudi’s are promoting and ‘exporting’ Islam everywhere around the world is that part of a devout Muslim’s life duty is to go on a pilgrimage at least once in their life to Mecca.

Lot’s of money to be made in religious ‘pilgrimages’ and a good fall back plan when the oil revenue dips to far down.

[Buggman]

Odd Fact: The Ka’aba is 666 nautical miles from the Temple Mount. Make of that what you will.

[minnesota_bound]