{"id":6706,"date":"2008-03-24T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2008-03-24T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hinduismtoday.com\/hpi\/2008\/03\/24\/saudi-politicians-refuse-to-act-against-defamation-of-religions\/"},"modified":"2008-03-24T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2008-03-24T12:00:00","slug":"saudi-politicians-refuse-to-act-against-defamation-of-religions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hinduismtoday.com\/hpi\/2008\/03\/24\/saudi-politicians-refuse-to-act-against-defamation-of-religions\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi Politicians Refuse to Act Against Defamation of Religions"},"content":{"rendered":"

www.crosswalk.com<\/a><\/p>\n

SAUDI ARABIA, March 23, 2008: An Islamic initiative to establish an international convention against the “defamation” of religions ran into an unexpected hurdle this week in Saudi Arabia, where members of a government advisory body argued that the move could force Muslims to recognize pagan beliefs. The drive to outlaw offenses against religions and religious figures is being spearheaded by the 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) as a response to Western depictions of Islam and Mohammed in ways that Muslims consider insulting.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council — an appointed body that advises the kingdom’s unelected government — this week considered a recommendation that the foreign ministry should coordinate with various groups at the U.N. “to adopt an international convention that prohibits offending religions and religious figures in any way.” The proposal sparked some dissent. Members of the council argued that a convention protecting all religions from defamation would oblige Muslims to tolerate other religious beliefs.<\/p>\n

Council member Khaleel al-Khaleel was quoted by the Saudi Gazette as warning against a “trap,” and saying that religious concepts differ from country to country and from civilization to civilization. “Should Muslims be committed to respect and not criticize any deviant creed that some people consider a religion?” he asked. Another member, Talal Bakri, said a convention against “offending religions” could lead to calls for Muslim countries to allow temples of pagan religions.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia, which is listed by the State Department as one the world’s most egregious violators of religious freedom, does not permit non-Muslim places of worship, including churches and synagogues.<\/p>\n

The member of the council who introduced the resolution, Mohammed al-Qowaihis, agreed to replace the words “religious figures” with “prophets and God’s Messengers.” (In Islam, the term refer to a series of biblical figures from Adam to Jesus — all of whom are considered prophets of Islam — as well as Mohammed, the “final prophet.”) But the council still rejected the recommendation by a 77-33 vote.<\/p>\n

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