Posted on 02/14/2006 12:49:20 AM PST by kipita
JEDDAH, 14 February 2006 — Saudi Arabia yesterday called upon all countries and governments to join hands in the efforts to ensure peaceful coexistence of civilizations and respect for the sanctities of all religions.
The Council of Ministers, chaired by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, also opposed violence while protesting sacrilegious cartoons depicting the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Culture and Information Minister Iyad Madani said the Cabinet made the comment while discussing repercussions caused by the publication of the insulting cartoons in Danish and other European dailies, triggering a wave of protests across the Muslim world.
“The Cabinet stressed that belief in and respect for all prophets and messengers of God is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and is the basis of a Muslim’s faith,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted Madani as saying.
“Saudi Arabia expects that all countries, governments and private organizations stand one in respecting nations’ sanctities, support coexistence of civilizations and understand special attributes of other cultures,” the Cabinet statement said.
Riyadh commended all governments who had taken a positive stand on this issue, condemning the provocative cartoons. “The Islamic world is able to protect its sanctities, its identity and special attributes as it did in the past, without causing any harm to others or violating their honors,” it added.
The weekly Cabinet meeting at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh also addressed a number of international and domestic issues. It blasted the continuing Israeli aggression despite Palestinian commitment to a cease-fire.
The Cabinet approved new laws that regulate activities of the General Survey Authority and its organizational structure. It said the Saudi Geological Survey would retain its equipment for survey and aerial photography.
The meeting made another important decision to strengthen Saudi-Russian relations. It authorized the minister of finance to hold talks with his Russian counterpart to sign an agreement to avoid double taxation and prevent tax evasion.
Including Israel one wonders?
So Christians can be open about their faith in Islamic countries?
wow, that's a relief!
One more, the most important, younger Saudi Muslim men must usually wait until they are 40 or so before seeking a bride as "older male values (money, power, social stature)" are most important to women.
Really? Forgive me if I sound skeptical...I stopped buying the 'Religion of Peace' BS a few years back.
I agree with other posters, this article is a PR campaign. The West needs to wake up to the threat Islam poses. To think that we can 'coexist' with barbarians is naive and dangerous.
We need to ship some missionary teams in, ASAP, now that we know they are welcome!
I spent two years in Saudi many years ago. They took my Bible out of my personal effects when I arrived in the country. They threw the priest in jail who surreptiously said Mass for us on Fridays. I was glad to get out, the hypocrisy of the place just wears you down.
The Arab News is an English-language mouthpiece of the Saudi government. Every Christmas they run a big front page photo of the grand mosque at Mecca, proclaiming it as the center of the world. We have little to learn from it...ever. Particularly on matters of religious expression.
Sorry "surrepticiously".
Well, I've never been to Saudi and only personally know a handful of people who've been there so you speak from a much more experienced perspective than I do. However, some of there previous articles included commentary from William Buckley and articles addressing their need to reform. Maybe, as you said, it's all propaganda and pure hypocrisy.
Listen, your sheikness, we will NEVER coexist in this world, or the one to come because Muslims don't want to, and quite frankly, knowing what I now know about them, I don't want to either. I can PROMISE you that I will NEVER bow to Allah because I'm not into devil worship, so you can save your breath!!
Try bringing in a Bible or Torah into Saudi Arabia and see what happens...
Palestine, once upon a time, had a Christian majority. Most were converted to Islam. So much for Islam's capacity to "protect" other religions.
Show some, first, Bitch.
True respect is earned by first of all respecting others.
No, you are right, they run wire stories and various columnists but very carefully selected.
I don't know if they still do it, but if you got a foreign newspaper or magazine, there would be pages missing or they would manually black out women's exposed legs in photos. Articles critical of the Magic Kingdom never made it into print.
One local cartoonist got into serious trouble because he drew a map of Saudi Arabia with a cow straddling it: The head was munching the oil rich Eastern Provinces (heavily Shiite) the utters were flowing to the center (Riyadh) and the business ended up on the Hijaz where Jeddah was.
Hey, SA, abolish your bans on Bibles and Christian churches and we'll believe you're serious.
The Saudis are more full of shite' than a Christmas Turkey. They persecute all other faiths. No crosses, no Bibles, no churches and no religious freedom in Saudi Arabia. They have some nerve in coming out with this horse shite'!
Yup. Kumbayah...or else we'll behead you...
I'm SURE this means that they will now allow open expressions of other faiths in the Kingdom. right? For example, Catholics could attend Mass openly, in a Church, rather than in their homes with the drapes pulled for fear of arrest?
I ain't holdin my breath.
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