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The profane crowding out sacred in Mecca (nearing its end?)
IHT ^
| 03/08/07
| Hassan M. Fattah
Posted on 03/08/2007 11:28:17 PM PST by TigerLikesRooster
The profane crowding out sacred in Mecca By Hassan M. Fattah
Thursday, March 8, 2007 MECCA: Five times a day across the globe, devout Muslims face this city in prayer, focused on a site where they believe the prophet Abraham built a temple to God. The spot is also the place Muslims are expected to visit at least once in their lives.
Now as they gaze here in their mind's eye, and make the pilgrimage clothed in simple white cotton wraps, they will see something other than the austere black cube known as the Kaaba that occupies the spot. They will also see Starbucks. And Cartier and Tiffany. And H&M and Topshop.
The Abraj Al Bait Shopping Center, one of the largest malls to open in Saudi Arabia, outfitted with flat-panel monitors, neon lights, an amusement park ride, fast-food restaurants and a lingerie shop, is being built directly across from Islam's holiest site.
Not everyone considers this progress.
"Mecca is becoming like Las Vegas, and that is a disaster," said Ali al- Ahmed, director of the Institute for Gulf Affairs in Washington, a Saudi opposition research organization. "It will have a disastrous effect on Muslims because going to Mecca will have no feeling. There is no charm anymore. All you see is glass and cement."
The mall, which opened a week before the annual hajj pilgrimage in December, is the first in a $13 billion construction boom in Mecca that promises to change how this city, forbidden to everyone but Muslims, looks and feels.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: buildingboom; holycity; mecca; shoppingmall
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To: TonyRo76; Dr. Eckleburg; Alex Murphy; Frumanchu; irishtenor; HarleyD; nobdysfool
They will also see Starbucks Gee, sounds like they took a page from Evangelical Church Growth 101....
21
posted on
03/09/2007 5:35:29 AM PST
by
Gamecock
(Ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda secundum verbum Dei)
To: Darkwolf377
Remember, What happens in Mecca, stays in Mecca.
22
posted on
03/09/2007 5:42:10 AM PST
by
irishtenor
(Save the whales. Collect the whole set.)
To: TigerLikesRooster
23
posted on
03/09/2007 5:50:24 AM PST
by
Rb ver. 2.0
(A Muslim soldier can never be loyal to a non-Muslim commander.)
To: TigerLikesRooster
Starbucks in Mecca?
That is pretty funny.
24
posted on
03/09/2007 5:53:59 AM PST
by
redgolum
("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
To: F15Eagle
Looks like a spitoon or a bedpan. I think I kinda already know the answer, but what's the deal with it?
25
posted on
03/09/2007 5:59:01 AM PST
by
OKSooner
To: TigerLikesRooster
Or palm services involving lotions...
26
posted on
03/09/2007 6:11:39 AM PST
by
skepsel
To: Rb ver. 2.0
Forgot to give credit to the Fark.com.
27
posted on
03/09/2007 6:13:56 AM PST
by
Rb ver. 2.0
(A Muslim soldier can never be loyal to a non-Muslim commander.)
Comment #28 Removed by Moderator
To: TigerLikesRooster
Coming soon to a holy city near you!
29
posted on
03/09/2007 6:38:49 AM PST
by
Kenton
(All vices in moderation. I don't want to overdo any but I don't want to skip any either.)
Comment #30 Removed by Moderator
To: TigerLikesRooster
I think the Pretenders wrote a song about this
I WENT BACK TO OHIO Mecca
BUT MY CITY WAS GONE
THERE WAS NO TRAIN STATION
THERE WAS NO DOWNTOWN
SOUTH HOWARD HAD DISAPPEARED
ALL MY FAVORITE PLACES
MY CITY HAD BEEN PULLED DOWN
REDUCED TO PARKING SPACES
A, O, WAY TO GO OHIO Mecca
31
posted on
03/09/2007 6:45:54 AM PST
by
NeoCaveman
(Hillary Hugo Chavez wants to "take those profits" away from you, for the common good)
To: Rb ver. 2.0
32
posted on
03/09/2007 6:46:58 AM PST
by
ryan71
(You can hear it on the coconut telegraph...)
Comment #33 Removed by Moderator
To: TigerLikesRooster
I bet you won't find any pork BBQ in that mall.
34
posted on
03/09/2007 6:47:20 AM PST
by
The Great RJ
("Mir we bleiwen wat mir sin" or "We want to remain what we are." ..Luxembourg motto)
To: Rb ver. 2.0
To: irishtenor
To: Nam Vet
The Abraj Al Bait Shopping Center.....
Those muzzies think of everything! They've even got a bait shop.
My thoughts too...
The Worm Store
Cricket Corner
Sardine Salon
37
posted on
03/09/2007 7:06:46 AM PST
by
Inyo-Mono
(If you don't want people to get your goat, don't tell them where it's tied.)
To: F15Eagle
"If you've ever wondered what was in that little black building in the center, this is it (for real):"
For real dude, its the eye, the eye of Sauron! Someone needs to figure out how to destroy the Islamic ring of power!
(Water powered autos! Fresh water, I hope--we have most of it. Then it would be "Eat dust, you misogynistic date eating scum!")
To: Rb ver. 2.0
Is that the Bellagio in the background?
39
posted on
03/09/2007 7:22:25 AM PST
by
Minn
To: TigerLikesRooster
outfitted with flat-panel monitors, neon lights, an amusement park ride, fast-food restaurants and a lingerie shop...A lingerie shop??? Would Muhammed approve?
40
posted on
03/09/2007 7:33:44 AM PST
by
O6ret
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