LHF Ministries
  • Home
  • Walking With God
  • Connie's Insights
  • Zoo Doodles
  • Videos

Saudi Arabia Prevents Building of Churches and Possession of Bibles

3/22/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
Saudi Arabia is one of the most notorious countries for violating human rights in general and freedom of belief in particular, according to reports by several international human rights organizations.

Saudi Arabia does not recognize religious freedom and prevents public practice of any religion other than Islam. Furthermore, the country has adopted discriminatory practices against non-Muslims at political, economic, legal and social levels. As testimony to this, a large number of non-Muslims were arrested for allegedly possessing non-Islamic religious books or proselytizing.

There are no churches in Saudi Arabia and authorities refuse to build any non-Islamic houses of worship, despite many Western calls for some leniency in that regard.

The Catholic Church has often urged Saudi Arabia to reduce restrictions imposed on practicing Christianity and allow the construction of churches because Muslims build mosques freely in Western countries and practice their religion there.

Human rights reports indicate freedom of religious practice for Christians or followers of other religions than Islam is not always unquestionable in the Gulf States and varies from one country to another.

Saudi Arabia, for example, applies the most restrictive laws, while in other Gulf States governments tolerate more religious freedom. Almost all Christians in Gulf countries are working migrants. Most of them are Catholics from East Asian countries and Europe, though there are some Egyptian Christians.

Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Saudi Arabia is remarkably active and it prevents the practice of Christian rituals and prayers and hinders conversion of Muslims to any other religion. In Saudi Arabia, death is the punishment for apostasy from Islam.

Non-Islamic religious books or pictures are strictly banned and non-Muslims cannot enter Mecca. If found there, non-Muslims are immediately deported, which explains why the majority of non-Muslims are mainly based in Riyadh.

Saudi authorities often raid houses for allegedly holding prayers or proselytizing, or even celebrating religious holidays. The majority of foreigners, therefore, usually celebrate religious occasions and pray inside their embassies, considered safe places to avoid prosecution or raid.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Walter Blackwood

    Associate Pastor with The Bridge Community of Faith in Kelowna BC Canada. 

    Donate Now Through CanadaHelps.org!
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2017
    July 2016
    June 2016
    January 2016
    June 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • Walking With God
  • Connie's Insights
  • Zoo Doodles
  • Videos