Priests, vicars and reverends are called "special teachers" because Christian men of the cloth are NOT allowed into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Their visa into the country and their homes are ALL SET UP BEFOREHAND. The companies allow for their employees to practice their worship of God. They encourage it. It's been going on like that since the early 1930's.
SOMETHING very strange happened here: "Saudi authorities have swooped on a house in the eastern province city of Khafji, on the border with Kuwait, and arrested 27 people for using the premises as church last week. "
My GUESS that it was done WITHOUT permission. WE lived in the Eastern Province, in Ras Tanura. I know the area VERY well. It would not have made the international news for NO REASON.
These people with their unauthorized service helped SCREW things up for those of us who DID get permission and jump through the hoops to practice our faith. For me, it was daily Mass.
If people want to be COMPLETELY free to practice their faith wherever and whenever, then they have NO BUSINESS going to the KSA. They KNEW that ahead of time. We were all cautioned and warned.
What they accomplished was screwing it up for the rest of the Christians who did it the right way and went through the appropriate channels. ARROGANCE.
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The Saudis NEED foreign workers because there simply are not enough Saudi men to do all the required work. The Saudis TRY to get 100% Muslims but the petroleum and natural gas industries require more specific skills than most people have.
Then, there are all the industries required to take care of the THOUSANDS of foreign workers: living quarters, food, education for their children (up to the 8th grade only), recreation for all, especially those students returning from high school abroad in Europe or the US, doctors, nurses, hospitals, medication, emergency services, golf, badminton, tennis, movies, bowling, he huge cafeteria serving all three meals, within specific hours and SO ON.
The petroleum/natural gas wealth is almost a double-edged sword as it brought in all us CATHOLICS and other CHRISTIANS.
We even had a Jewish woman specialist for dealing with local sick women. She was still "of the Book." She was AMERICAN.
Sounds like prison.
Not enough money in the world that would make me want to work in Saudi Arabia.