• Biblical Families is not a dating website. It is a forum to discuss issues relating to marriage and the Bible, and to offer guidance and support, not to find a wife. Click here for more information.

What is your idea about Saudi Arabia

A

Ahmad

New Member
Male
Hi guys
I think I'm the first member in this fourm from Saudi Arabia, maybe the only one :) I'm glad.

When I talk to some westren friends and they ask me some questions about Saudi Arabia, I ask my self .. where did they get these ideas from ? for example, many asked why women don't have the rigth to study or is it true that you guys stone the woman who travels with out spouses. One climes that he is a religious catholic christian told me that only the fales religion use this type of punishment! I think he haven't read the Old teastment yet !
I think most people get their knowledge about other from media ! so no wonder.

I would like to know your ideas guys about Saudi Arabia. When you listen or read this title "Saudi Arabia", what comes to your mind? what is the thing you would like to know it about this country?

Please tell every thing you would like, I am very open to that and not gonna be offended by any thing.

Thank you
 
What tends to happen is people "profile" others from different areas based on what they are aware of (usually from biased news sources or religious leaders...yes we have them here too). It is no different than judging me as an American based on the activities of my government, many of which I strongly disagree with, or judging me as a Christian based on the activities of others claiming to be Christian. It has come to my attention that every government on this planet is corrupt to the core. I think a world-wide theme for the people could be the cliche "I love my country, but fear my government." It is my belief that people are pitted against each other intentionally by those in power (not necessarily those we elect or see on TV). This is being done locally as well as internationally. This keeps people busy arguing and fighting with each other and keeps us from coming together against the corruption which is the real problem. Here in America you have a very close split in the population between the two main political parties...however if you look closely it doesn't matter who is actually in power, we are gradually losing our rights and being taxed more and in more ways then ever before. Statistically we are a socialist state due to the actual (real) amount of taxes (even if they are called fees or anything else) we pay, and more than 50% of the people receive government support/pay in one form or another, and have been for some time...read any headlines about that recently?

I have traveled internationally and found that people are people wherever I go. What they believe, based on what they have been told, seems to be the main variable. While going through immigration in another country recently the man looking over my documents stated "Oh, American Passport. You can go anywhere with this." then he gave me a big smile. I guess he is unaware that a Visa is required ahead of time for Americans in many countries. Likewise there are parts of the world I cannot go to without armed guards to escort me - if I can go at all. Just because I am an American, and perceptions in those areas of Americans put me in jeopardy.

Your statement about the individual not reading the Old Testament is likely true. It is a sad truth that most "Christians" and "Catholics" have never read their Bible, much less studied it for themselves to see if what the church is telling them is true.

I have a friend and business associate that is from Iran. Some time ago there was a severe crisis with Iran. During this crisis he needed my services and called me. The first thing he asked was if I was mad at him. I replied "Why would I be mad at you?" and he said that he was afraid that I would be mad at him because he was Iranian. I was amazed that he thought that, but he was probably mistreated by some individuals because of his heritage. I have more respect for him than most Americans i know.
 
I like Saudi Arabia, the history of Islam from there, and what not. I actually have a lot of materiel on Islam that originated from Saudi Arabia. Even though I have my own views I enjoy learning about other cultures.
 
Ahmed:

This is not a board particularly interested in politics, nor, specifically, Islam. If that is your area of interest, you might be happier discussing it elsewhere.

Having said that, ... Americans allow mosques most everywhere, and our Islamic friends are welcome to worship without government restriction, permission, oversight, control, censorship, etc. In Ft Lauderdale, FL, public busses have their whole side of the bus devoted to an advertisement for Islam. I'm sure the same is true in other cities. We are not offended unless the advertisement is misleading.

Whether I like the teachings of Islam or not, I highly value that freedom of which they are making use, and would fight, if need be die, to defend it.

Is that same level of freedom, and passion for it, evident on the streets of Saudi Arabia? IMO, that would be a good place for you to start in answering your own question.
 
Scarecrow said:
What tends to happen is people "profile" others from different areas based on what they are aware of (usually from biased news sources or religious leaders...yes we have them here too). It is no different than judging me as an American based on the activities of my government, many of which I strongly disagree with, or judging me as a Christian based on the activities of others claiming to be Christian. It has come to my attention that every government on this planet is corrupt to the core. I think a world-wide theme for the people could be the cliche "I love my country, but fear my government." It is my belief that people are pitted against each other intentionally by those in power (not necessarily those we elect or see on TV). This is being done locally as well as internationally. This keeps people busy arguing and fighting with each other and keeps us from coming together against the corruption which is the real problem. Here in America you have a very close split in the population between the two main political parties...however if you look closely it doesn't matter who is actually in power, we are gradually losing our rights and being taxed more and in more ways then ever before. Statistically we are a socialist state due to the actual (real) amount of taxes (even if they are called fees or anything else) we pay, and more than 50% of the people receive government support/pay in one form or another, and have been for some time...read any headlines about that recently?

I have traveled internationally and found that people are people wherever I go. What they believe, based on what they have been told, seems to be the main variable. While going through immigration in another country recently the man looking over my documents stated "Oh, American Passport. You can go anywhere with this." then he gave me a big smile. I guess he is unaware that a Visa is required ahead of time for Americans in many countries. Likewise there are parts of the world I cannot go to without armed guards to escort me - if I can go at all. Just because I am an American, and perceptions in those areas of Americans put me in jeopardy.

Your statement about the individual not reading the Old Testament is likely true. It is a sad truth that most "Christians" and "Catholics" have never read their Bible, much less studied it for themselves to see if what the church is telling them is true.

I have a friend and business associate that is from Iran. Some time ago there was a severe crisis with Iran. During this crisis he needed my services and called me. The first thing he asked was if I was mad at him. I replied "Why would I be mad at you?" and he said that he was afraid that I would be mad at him because he was Iranian. I was amazed that he thought that, but he was probably mistreated by some individuals because of his heritage. I have more respect for him than most Americans i know.
Click to expand...

That is great ! If the people think as you the world will be more better. Thank you.
 
CecilW said:
Ahmed:

This is not a board particularly interested in politics, nor, specifically, Islam. If that is your area of interest, you might be happier discussing it elsewhere.

Having said that, ... Americans allow mosques most everywhere, and our Islamic friends are welcome to worship without government restriction, permission, oversight, control, censorship, etc. In Ft Lauderdale, FL, public busses have their whole side of the bus devoted to an advertisement for Islam. I'm sure the same is true in other cities. We are not offended unless the advertisement is misleading.

Whether I like the teachings of Islam or not, I highly value that freedom of which they are making use, and would fight, if need be die, to defend it.

Is that same level of freedom, and passion for it, evident on the streets of Saudi Arabia? IMO, that would be a good place for you to start in answering your own question.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your qestion, I would like first to tell that this subject is about politics or religions is as much understanding.

In fact, the fredome has a limit in Saudi Arabia it is in every country in the world. The law in Saudi Arabia is Islam, most of it in fact:), so for example, adultry , drinking alcohol.
The thing that most people not know it is Saudi Arabia is a forbidden place, part of the Arabian Peninsula, and no other religion are allowed to be there -that area- but Islam. But that doesn't mean people cannot practice their religion; they have the rigth to practice it but not on the puplic. They can have their own holy books, they can have a religious holiday.
In case of polygyny :) you have the right to have 4 wives :)

I hope that answer your question.
 
Ahmad said:
I hope that answer your question.
Click to expand...

Pretty much. It says that we offer you much more freedom in our country than you offer us in yours.

As such, please forgive me, but while I may well like any Saudi I meet individually, and may enjoy the history, I don't like the country.

My religion teaches us to draw people to a better life path within a framework of love and freedom. Islam apparently teaches to enforce compliance upon punishment of stoning, or loss of limb or head.

I do believe that clear understanding is in place. I prefer the loving approach, as do the vast majority of my countrymen. Saudis have a right to prefer their own, but not to export it and impose it on us in ours.
 
The thing that most people not know it is Saudi Arabia is a forbidden place,
Click to expand...

Frankly, while most people do not know the details, this is what people do know about it, and why it is both distasteful to foreigners and subject to libel. Its very similar to part of the reason why the people at Yearning For Zion in Texas where subject to so much opposition, and their culture is more free with people of different faiths than yours. Even Bountiful BC gets a lot of opposition due to it being a closed society, despite them being quite an open closed society. Secrecy breeds contempt.

As to the question, when someone says Saudi Arabia what comes to mind is that it is one of the more opulent middle eastern nations (though nothing compared to the United Arab Emmerates) it has generally good trade relations withe the west and is the home of the majority of the Islamic holy sites. It seems to stay in the limelight as a world player via petroleum exports though was probably had much more relative power when it was a core part of the Ottoman Empire. That's about it, when it comes to the Middle East I know considerably more about Turkey, the UAE (I had an Aunt who was dating a minor prince of the UAE once) and pre-war Pakistan and Afghanistan (I don't really know much about it anymore as the people I knew that traveled and worked there cannot go there now)
 
What comes to my mind when I think about Saudi Arabia is Qatar. I went there when I was serving in Iraq. I loved Qatar.
 
Its kind of off topic, but may I ask you to spell that phonetically? I've long wondered how you actually say that name. I don't know the convention for enunciating Q without a u.
 
Over there in Arabic I've always heard it pronounced (cut-er). Because in all actuality there is no vowels (Qtr). So I always assumed that was the proper way of pronouncing it. Here in the states people usually just say (ka-taar).
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qatar
 
The actual, proper prononciation for Qatar is more like "Cutter." When I lived in Iraq I assumed that it would be more along the lines of Kuh-TAR, but I got set straight.

Shalom,
Ali
 
I have heard it is not safe for people who are not Muslim.

I do not know very many people who are not Muslim who are from Saudi Arabia to verify if that is true and I have not been to Saudi Arabia.

Since I cannot verify that it is unsafe for Non-Muslims without going there, I try not to look down on Saudi Arabians based on what I heard, yet at the same time I do not want to go to Saudi Arabia, to find out.

It is kind of like seeing if it is safe to walk on thin ice, you could test by walking and it might be fine, but if you actually find out it is thin ice by walking on it.....
 
There is a story about an astronaut who visited Saudi Arabia (not while he was being an astronaut but afterward), in order to try to find Mount Sinai which he said is in Saudi Arabia, he tried to show that modern maps are inaccurate as to the location of Mount Sinai because it should be in Saudi Arabia, (if I remember this story correctly.)

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”[e]

28 Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. 30 But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”[f] 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

[e] Galatians 4:27 Isaiah 54:1
[f] Galatians 4:30 Gen. 21:10

Galatians 4:21-31 NIV 2010
 
CecilW said:
It says that we offer you much more freedom in our country than you offer us in yours.

As such, please forgive me, but while I may well like any Saudi I meet individually, and may enjoy the history, I don't like the country.

My religion teaches us to draw people to a better life path within a framework of love and freedom. Islam apparently teaches to enforce compliance upon punishment of stoning, or loss of limb or head.

I do believe that clear understanding is in place. I prefer the loving approach, as do the vast majority of my countrymen. Saudis have a right to prefer their own, but not to export it and impose it on us in ours.
Click to expand...

My feelings exactly!
Blessings,
Fairlight
 
I think Ahmad's point is that if you want more than one wife "legally" that is allowed in Saudi Arabia. It is also "legal" in many other countries as well...it seems that the "Christianized" areas are the ones fighting to keep it illegal...

I have always wondered...if you don't want to participate in a plural marriage you don't have to...but what right do you have to tell me I can't? Honestly...I can't logically get to the point where I understand that mentality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy

On the right side a little ways down there is a list of countries and areas where polygamy is legal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top