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Saudi Arabia Desecrates Hundreds of Bibles Annually
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Friday, 20 May 2005
by Zachary Liben
Staff Writer
Washington DC - The Saudi government burns and desecrates hundreds of bibles
its security forces confiscate after raids on Christian expatriates
worshiping privately or at border crossings.
As a matter of official policy, the government either incinerates or dumps
bibles, crosses and other Christian paraphernalia.
Hundreds of Christian worshipers are arrested every year by Saudi police in
raids on their private gatherings. Bibles, crosses and printed materials are
confiscated and later burnt or dumped into trash. Bibles and other Christian
paraphernalia found with travelers into the country are confiscated and
destroyed.
Although considered as holy in Islam and mentioned in the Koran dozens of
times, the Bible is banned in Saudi Arabia, and is confiscated and destroyed
by government officials.
Recently, there has been a crackdown on symbols of Christianity in Saudi
Arabia. On April 21st Saudi authorities raided a make-shift church in Riyadh
and arrested 40 Christians. Many Christian religious symbols, such as
crucifixes and bibles were later destroyed by Saudi security forces.
When it was revealed last week that a copy of the Koran had allegedly been
desecrated by American military personnel at Guantanomo Bay, the Saudi
government voiced its strenuous disapproval of such activities. More
specifically, the Saudi Embassy in Washington articulated "great concern and
urged Washington to conduct a quick investigation". The Saudi government has
also recommended to the American government to install "deterring measures"
so that an incident such as this would not be repeated. The Saudi government
would not comment on their policy of desecrating bibles that had been seized
from foreign nationals.
Interestingly though, desecration of religious texts and symbols and
intolerance of varying religious viewpoints and beliefs has been the
official policy inside of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ruled by a Wahhabi
theocracy for some time now, the ruling elite of Saudi Arabia have made it
difficult for many Western religions, as well as dissenting sects of Islam,
to visibly coexist inside of the kingdom.
Another way in which religious and cultural issues are becoming more
divisive is the Saudi treatment of Americans who are living in their
country. As of today there around 30,000 Americans living and working in
various parts of Saudi Arabia, who are not allowed to visibly celebrate
their religious and even secular holidays if they are not of the Wahhabi
faith. This includes holidays such as Christmas and Easter but also such
secular holidays as Thanksgiving. All surrounding Gulf States allow
non-Islamic holidays to be celebrated with the exception of Saudi Arabia.
The American State Department had no comment on this issue.
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