The US-backed Saudi government has announced that it intends to continue its ban on the construction of Christian churches, and indeed a ban on all non-Muslim places of worship, despite rumors that a change was pending.
Justice Minister Mohammed al-Issa confirmed that the policy was not going to change, reiterating that the Saudi government “does not allow the establishment of non-Muslim places of worship.”
Over the past few years there had been speculation that a change could come, with Time Magazine reporting in 2008 that the Vatican was in talks to create a special exemption for Catholics, allowing them to build churches. Though overwhelmingly Muslim, of course, Saudi Arabia has more than a million Christians, mainly foreign workers.
Though the US gives lip-service to seeking freedom of religion in Saudi Arabia, the State Department is mostly mum on the matter, praising the Saudi government for giving people a de facto privilege to worship in their own homes, even though that is not guaranteed by law and religious minorities, indeed even Shi’ite Muslims, are persecuted regularly.
We said that a long time ago.., if Saudi Arabia regimes was based on democracy then they should allow churches and synagog to be established in Saudi Arabia.., in the other hand these are kind of regimes that USA and EU governments are and have been supporting for last 65 years.., for the sole of their business interests and not democracy.., not even close to the concept.., world has changed.., the English so as the French colonialism so as USA militarism occupation needs to end and adopted to what has changed before is to late.
Saudi Arabia practices a false version of Islam.
saudia arabia and israel … two peas in a pod that the US government loves
and are both just awful countries
money can by me love
Which is worse, banning churches or banning people of African origin?
Unfortunately, as the 'land' of Mecca and the birth of Islam, Arabia is going to be Muslim 'holy ground' no matter which aboriginal desert tribe rules it. You'd have more luck plowing up Arlington Cemetery to build housing for Mexican immigrant workers' dependents than getting Arabs to accept a propertied Christian presence on the peninsula.
So what does the antiwar crowd want? Attack Saudi Arabia as well?