Todays News Paper "Die Presse" reports that Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz al-Saud will finance a "Centre for Religious Dialog" in Vienna. This Centre will be served by a Board of Directors, consisting of members of all the world's great religions. The Vatican sends an Islam specialist, the Anglican church sends a high ranking member, so will the Jewish community, the Buddhists will appoint a member, and Islam will be represented by a Saudi Arabian Imam. The Centre, so the paper reports will be staffed by 30 to 35 employees. Who they are, how they will be organized is still not clear.
On the surface this sounds like a great idea. What a wonderful opportunity for the worlds great religions to talk to each other and maybe, just maybe understand each other a little better. Surely this is something we all must applaud.
Now lets examine some of the background:
King Abdullah is the absolute ruler of Saudi Arabia. And Saudi Arabia is an Islamic State, where there is no division between Religion and Government. Saudi Arabia's Islam is of the "Wahhabi" variety. A very very fundamental kind of Islam, which preaches that all "Non-Believers" (in Islam) must be hated as must be their Believes.
If in Saudi Arabia you were to attempt to discuss f.i. Monarchy vs Democracy, or Islam vs.Christianity, you would likely find yourself in Jail and not on a discussion forum.
During the past two decades, the Saudis have spent in excess of 90 Billions of Dollars, (yes, that's "Billions") in an effort to propagate Wahhabism through the building of mosques, madrasas and other religious institutions in the Americas and in Europe. In many of them, so I read, hatred of anything "Not-Islam" is preached.
The State of Saudi Arabia is governed by the King, but the King is governed by Shari'ah (or Sharia) law.
A body of Law, which among others demands penalties such as Whipping, Stoning and Amputation.
Not so long ago, a woman met a friend to collect some photographs. The couple were attacked by several men, the man beaten and the young woman raped several times. The Perpetrators were apprehended, charged with the crime of rape and sentenced to various numbers of years in jail.
Great you say! So say I!
What happened to the rape victim? She was charged with "meeting a man who was not a member of her family", convicted of this 'heinous crime'
and sentenced to 200 lashes with a whip and six months in jail.
Very recently a woman was arrested for driving an automobile: She was sentenced to 100 lashes with the whip. This punishment was suspended by the edict of the King.
The very few believers in Christianity, living in Saudi Arabia, have to celebrate their religion secretly, in private homes and woe be them if they are caught.
Now, back to the Dialogue Centre, to be established by the King of Saudi Arabia in Vienna.
You can now actually take one of two positions:
1.) This is a great idea: To establish, pay for and fund the operations of a 'Centre for Religious Understanding' can only be a desirable thing. Three cheers for the King.
2.) This is a terrible idea: To give a fanatical branch of Islam a foothold in Central Europe from which they can preach more of their intolerance toward any other set of believes and slowly attempt to introduce their Sharia Law certainly poses a danger to civilisation as it is known here.
So, here you have the alternatives: Take your pick.
Bertstravels.
Quick, give me a Shot of Brandy or a Scotch on the Rocks...
No, don't ! The penalty for consuming alcohol is time in jail and/or lashes with the whip.
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