Posted on 08/09/2007 5:36:21 AM PDT by SJackson
Despite a series of initiatives aimed at generating foreign tourism, the Saudi Arabian government continues to bar Jews and Christians from bringing items such as Bibles, crucifixes and Stars of David into the country and is threatening to confiscate them on sight, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
"A number of items are not allowed to be brought into the kingdom due to religious reasons and local regulations," declares the Web site of Saudi Arabian Airlines, the country's national carrier.
After informing would-be visitors that items such as narcotics, firearms and pornography may not be transported into the country, the Web site adds: "Items and articles belonging to religions other than Islam are also prohibited. These may include Bibles, crucifixes, statues, carvings, items with religious symbols such as the Star of David, and others."
Contacted by the Post, an employee of Saudi Arabian Airlines in New York, who would only give her name as Gladys, confirmed this rule was in force. "Yes, sir," she said, "that is what we have heard, that it is a problem to bring these things into Saudi Arabia, so you cannot do it."
An official at the Saudi Consulate in New York, who declined to give her name, told the Post that anyone bringing a Bible into the country or wearing a crucifix or Star of David around their neck would run into trouble with Saudi authorities.
"You are not allowed to bring that stuff into the kingdom," the consular official said. "If you do, they will take it away," she warned, adding, "If it is really important to you, then you can try to bring it and just see what happens, but I don't recommend that you do so."
Asked to explain the policy, the official said, "Every country has rules about what can or cannot enter."
Over the summer, the Saudi government-run Supreme Commission for Tourism announced a number of steps, such as issuing group visas to foreigners through tour operators and granting longer entry visas, in the hopes of boosting the number of foreign tourists to 1.5 million annually by 2020.
Yes, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
or French Lick, Indiana.
Meanwhile the Bush Administration is getting ready to sell $20 billion of the highest-tech weaponry to this Islamist dictatorship. And Condi Rice is following the Saudi “Mecca Plan” for Arab-Israeli “peace” (meaning all will be peaceful when Israel has been destroyed).
Why the heck would any Jew or Christian want to visit Saudi Arabia? I can’t think of a single thing worth seeing there.
Why the heck would any Jew or Christian want to visit Saudi Arabia? I can’t think of a single thing worth seeing there.
I'm with you. In fact, the only people I can think of that would want to go there would be child molesters like Michael Jackson.
What’s wrong with Whatalotopee? You must be from Iwanapee, Mississippi.
Why not get a Bible on CD-ROM or DVD and copy it to the hard drive of a laptop?
It just shows you how afraid they are of the Word of G-d. They will do anything to hide the truth. Torah will be spoken to them anyway.
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
I figured they would just behead the infidel on the spot!
I would go to see the ruins of the Kaaba, unless the radioactivity makes it too dangerous to approach.
Or some special weapons delivery from Mrs. Rice.
I’m probably being a Pollyanna, but maybe some of the confiscated Bibles might be read by the confiscators?
I went to Saudi Arabia and all I got was this lousy burqa.
That picture makes me wanna puke!
As a tourist I haven't a clue. Business is a different issue. Of course a Jew can't go there unless he lies about his religion on the visa application. And tourists can't go there independently, you have to be on a state approved tour. Don't want infidels wandering around unsupervised.
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