I will refute some of it but a lot of it is spot on. The photography part is a fib. You can take photos but just not of strangers without their prior consent.
Regarding the alcohol offenses all I have to say is that it's now like prohibition in the 20's. For the beheading yes it's still done but it's overblown out of proportion by the media. Don't forget capital punishment is still practiced in the states. As a Muslim I think that the Salafi (Wahabi) style of religion in Saudi Arabia is way way way way way too extreme. Honestly speaking Saudis in general are very nice people but you just have to understand and respect their beliefs. Wether it's right or wrong is not of consequence. Why don't people raise a stink about the Amazonian tribes who still practice body mutilation and neck stretching for females test what happens in Saudi Arabia is a big deal? I just think if you don't like it leave it alone. Getting people to change is. It my or anyone's job. It's a culture and it's more natural for the culture to evolve itself. Oh yeah regarding the cutting hands part. It's a bit interesting. The Islamic edicts dictate that if someone steals from you and the thief is caught you are in control for what happens to him. It is always more beneficial to forgive. I'll give you an example. I bought a new car in 2006. A week later there was a lid knocking on my door at 3 am. Turns out that the police patrol had caught a perp who had broken. My car window ad stole some things. Long story short this guy was a juvenile. The police asked me if I would forgive him or not. I asked them what's the maximum punishment for this offense. They said 1 year in juvenile detention. I asked if there was a rehab program and they said yes. So I said that the perp should go to jail for the minimum time (1 month) and should go through the rehab program. In other words I was merciful and although didn't let him off the hook completely, I did teach him a lesson. Interesting thing is that 1 year later the police contacted me again and it was the perp who wanted to get in touch with me and he thanked me for being lenient and said that he had leaned his lesson and that he was sorry for breaking into my car. Interesting eh? Sent from my iPhone On Feb 23, 2012, at 12:34 AM, Bryan Seitz <[email protected]> wrote: > Terrible laws, covered up women, religious extremists, NO THANKS! :) > (Sounds like the USA in some parts lol) > > OMG below: > > 7. Murder and sexual immorality such as adultery or homosexual acts carry the > death penalty in Saudi Arabia. So does apostasy (renunciation of the Muslim > faith). The death penalty is carried out in public, usually by beheading. > Serious and/or persistent theft is punished by cutting of the thief's right > hand. This, too, is done in public, usually in front of the main Mosque > after mid-day prayers on Friday. > > > 10. Sentences for alcohol offences range from a few weeks or months > imprisonment for consumption to several years for smuggling, manufacturing or > distributing alcohol. Lashes can also be part of the sentence; and a hefty > Customs fine if smuggled alcohol is involved. The authorities also hand out > stiff penalties to people found in possession of equipment for making alcohol. > > 11. The Saudis take a particularly serious view of drug offences. The death > penalty is frequently imposed on drug smugglers, including foreigners, and > sometimes also on minor traffickers found guilty on a second or subsequent > charge. Possession of even the smallest quantity can lead to a 2-year prison > sentence. > > 13. The Saudis are dignified and hospitable people. Work and social life are > strictly divided by sex. Outside the family circle the sexes do not mix at > all. Most Saudi women cover their faces in public. It is illegal for women > to drive. > > 15. Strictly speaking, photography is not permitted in Saudi Arabia. > > 17. There is no absolutely correct dress code for Saudi Arabia: the best way > for both men and women to avoid getting into difficulties is to dress > conservatively in public. Most women wear an abaya (black cloak) and some > also decide to cover their hair in order to avoid confrontation with the > Mutawwa (or religious police) who patrol the suqs (markets) and shopping > centres and who often challenge women on this point. Men should not wear > shorts in public. > > > Please refute some of that, it seems overly harsh! > > On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 11:27:08PM +0300, Zulfiqar Naushad wrote: >> You don't know what you're missing out on :-) >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Feb 22, 2012, at 10:29 PM, Bryan Seitz <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Places I don't ever want to live... anywhere in the middle east k thx :) >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 09:50:59PM +0300, Naushad Zulfiqar wrote: >>>> There is no LTE in Saudi Arabia, so I will be getting the 3G UMTS (4G) >>>> version. >>>> >>>> Less battery issue than the CDMA LTE version in the USA. >>>> >>>> :) >>>> >>>> On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 9:49 PM, Bryan Seitz <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I have one and love it, w/ the marginally better extended battery. >>>>> Battery life on 4G/LTE sucks, otherwise >>>>> it is comparable to current phones. 4G is @#%@ING fast, i've hit >>>>> 35Mbit/sec while in a car :) >>>>> >>>>> On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 08:48:23PM +0300, Naushad Zulfiqar wrote: >>>>>> Any of you guys have a nexus? I was an android user and I bought an >>>>> iphone >>>>>> 4s, and I now miss android phone. >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> >>>>> Bryan G. Seitz >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Best Regards, >>>> >>>> >>>> Zulfiqar Naushad >>> >>> -- >>> >>> Bryan G. Seitz > > -- > > Bryan G. Seitz
