Known as one of the most liberal countries in the region, the United Arab Emirates' constitution protects religious freedom on the condition that established local customs, public policy and morals aren't violated.
Like some other countries in the region, Christians are free to worship in dedicated buildings with special licenses or private homes. Evangelism and converting from Islam to Christianity is restricted and punishable by law. Crowds of worshipers flock to these churches to celebrate mass in as many as six different languages including Arabic, Tagalog and Chinese.
Out of respect for local sensitivities, the exterior of these churches do not generally display any religious symbols to designate them as places of worship.
I'm guessing you think this in some way constitutes proof that Islam is not the violent religion it is portrayed as? If so, you picked poor fodder for your basis.
Oh, yeah you can practice your religion here... Just don't speak of it to or try to convert members of Islam. If you do, well at the least jail time and possibly beheading. Maybe we should do that here. If you practice Islam and are caught talking about it or trying to convert non Islamic people to it, we should be able to jail you and possibly execute you. Wait.. We have that freedom of religion thing here.
The article also fails to mention if they are required to pay the "tax" to practice their non Islam religion.
Aside from that, the "state" might allow it but I'm pretty sure all it would take is some Islamic leaders calling for action for the "states" allowance to become meaningless.
Look, we get it. You don't think Islam is bad. That's fine, your free to believe how you want. But, if you think an article like this showing a sliver of "tolerance" is going to change others minds, your delusional. You look at it and say "See!". Others look at it and ask the same questions.
That's fine, but are they taxed for this "tolerance"? What's to keep Islamic leaders from turning this on it's ear? It's lovely that they think extending this back handed slap of "tolerance" should make us warm and fuzzy when they've been enjoying a much greater freedom here in our country than this token example, isn't it? Among others...
Yup! You can be a Christian or whatever, just don't talk about it!
Whatever. Fail.
[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 07-14-2015).]
One Arab Emirates Dirham ($0.27 USD) for such thoughts.
I posted this partly because I found it refreshing, as I had not been previously aware that there was any tolerance at all for Hindu and Sikh observances anywhere in the Arab Gulf states; but most especially because it adds to the array of probative evidence that I have assembled against the frequently expressed sentiment that it is the most overridingly fundamentalist Muslim societies, groups and individuals extant in today's world that are to be properly regarded as the Islamic vanguard; i.e., regarded as the most authentically Islamic among all the Muslim entities, worldwide.
Were such sentiment to be lodged with UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyanin in the form of a "diss from the USA" by one of Pennock's other resident "experts", I expect that he could swiftly produce a phalanx of venerated Islamic clerics from Dubai Mosque Central in rebuttal with a convincing intellectual beatdown based on logically constructed arguments exquisitely grounded in a rich panoply of quotations from the Qur'an and Hadith.
[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 07-14-2015).]
Were such sentiment to be lodged with UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyanin in the form of a "diss from the USA" by one of Pennock's other resident "experts", I expect that he could swiftly produce a phalanx of venerated Islamic clerics from Dubai Mosque Central in rebuttal with a convincing intellectual beatdown based on logically constructed arguments exquisitely grounded in a rich panoply of quotations from the Qur'an and Hadith.
An Australian woman has been detained in Abu Dhabi, and is to be deported from the United Arab Emirates after she took a photo of a car parked across two disabled parking bays and posted it to Facebook.
Jodi Magi, who has worked in the UAE teaching graphic design since 2012, took the photograph in February to draw attention to the driver’s apparent lack of consideration, although she obscured the number plate, reports News.Com.Au.
However, following a complaint to police, the case went to court in June. Magi, 39, was charged under the UAE’s Cyber Crime law and was found guilty of “writing bad words on social media.”
She was issued with a fine of about $2,700. But when Magi went to pay the fine Monday, authorities detained her, pending, they said, her deportation.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told media Tuesday that she expected Magi to be deported in “a very short time,” and that consular officials were giving assistance to Magi and her husband.
[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 07-14-2015).]
I was thinking within a relative framework: in terms of more tolerant and less tolerant; not overridingly tolerant or intolerant. Is it preferable, or even possible to base a pragmatic, results-oriented U.S. foreign policy vis-à-vis the Middle East upon an 'absolute' (as distinct from a 'relative') framework? I'm as dubious about the prospects for an absolute foreign policy basis as Senator Cruz was about breakfasting on Green Eggs and Ham.
[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 07-14-2015).]
I was thinking within a relative framework: in terms of more tolerant and less tolerant; not overridingly tolerant or intolerant. Is it preferable, or even possible to base a pragmatic, results-oriented U.S. foreign policy vis-à-vis the Middle East upon an 'absolute' (as distinct from a 'relative') framework? I'm as dubious about the prospects for an absolute foreign policy basis as Senator Cruz was about breakfasting on Green Eggs and Ham.
You're right and anything else would be unrealistic. There often are no good options. Even though, the "nicer" theocratic regimes are still that.
Many people, non-Muslims among them, go to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states to find work or further some commercial enterprise. Many such people who are in the migrant labor category go there because it is a daunting challenge for them to find employment in their home countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and so on. Some, even from Europe, U.K. and the United States and Canada. Although that can also be for somewhat altruistic reasons. People who go to the UAE (for example) to serve as teachers or provide other services for the migrant laborers that are drawn there.
[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 07-14-2015).]
Many people, non-Muslims among them, go to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Arab Gulf states to find work or further some commercial enterprise. Many such people who are in the migrant labor category go there because it is a daunting challenge for them to find employment in their home countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand and so on.
So, they make religious concessions because they need cheap labor.
A powerful motivation. But the UAE (for example) gets more out of its religious concessions (to non-Muslims) than just cheap labor. It helps bring non-Muslim financiers and technicians into the country to expedite its development and commercial expansion, when such people know that they can have a drink or a non-Muslim atmosphere within the privacy of their hotel rooms or residences.
If someone put the UAE forward as a model for the United States, it wasn't me.
Originally posted by Formula88: 1.4% inflation. 4.6% unemployment. Average wage of 15,000AED per month - for retail work. (about US$4100) No income tax. No social security tax.
Westerner's head not much at risk from a formal, state administered execution while visiting or living in the UAE. But the American woman of this story was stabbed to death by an Emirati woman.
13 July 2015 BBC News
A firing squad in the United Arab Emirates has executed a 30-year old Emirati woman (and mother of six), who was convicted of stabbing an American teacher to death inside a mall restroom in December of 2014.
Alaa Badr Abdullah al-Hashemi told prosecutors that she had been angered by the detention of her husband by the security services and had wanted to spread fear among Western expatriates, according to the Abu Dhabi-based newspaper, The National.
Hashemi also asked the court during her trial to provide her with psychological help, complaining that she had "unreal visions" and saw "ghost-like people". The court ordered tests which it said showed she had been aware of her actions.
While UAE law allows for the death penalty, executions are rare. The last previously known execution was in January 2014, when a Sri Lankan migrant worker convicted of murder was shot dead by a firing squad.
[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 07-14-2015).]
"Much, much better" is obviously a relative term. If I were to be kicked in the groin once an hour for a year, then suddenly only kicked once every two hours for a year, then yes, that would be "much, much better".
