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redeyes
Joined: 21 Jun 2007
Posts: 254
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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 Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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His English is quite good... a few spelling errors caused by homonyms. 
VS |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 5:09 pm Post subject: |
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And, I'd say it's not only his English that's good; he seems to be quite bright.
Hope he doesn't run afoul of the "authorities." |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, he seems quite a sensible young man...
VS |
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matthew156
Joined: 30 Jan 2009
Posts: 140
Location: The Majik Kindom
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:40 am Post subject: |
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That was really interesting redeyes. I can relate to the historical monuments as I have seen what happens to them even if they are not torn down for parking lots an semi-skyscrapers (sort of, kind of). I was in a small village on the Agean cost of Turkey and noticed some houses looked like they were built very very long ago (in a galaxy far far away). Later I decided to go see an ancient Greek amphitheatre that was located on the top of the highest point in that town. To my amazement I saw that pieces of the stone seats and other parts of the theatre were missing. Then I recalled how the houses in the village looked so old and I put two and two together.
The government of Turkey decided to do something about preserving ancient sites and toughend the law on artifacts and archeological sites. Then built a fence around the site and put a security guard there.
I'm not saying this is the same thing as what is happening in Saudi Arabia. The only thing that should be noted here is that when the government stepped in and enough people cared something was done, otheriwse the ruins would have been ruined.
Regards
Matt |
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BobbyBan
Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 201
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:27 am Post subject: |
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| Wow! That's an interesting blog and, like John Slatt said, I hope he doesn't get into trouble for what he writes. |
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trapezius
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 1670
Location: Land of Culture of Death & Destruction
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| Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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He is one of the best young Saudi bloggers. There are many others, search on Google and ye shall find. And many of them are linked on his blog. There are a few females as well, a couple of them quite liberal and open.
Bloggers have been jailed many times in KSA, and are always in danger of being jailed, especially if they call for something that is seen as Western/secular, such as mixing of the sexes, having democracy, etc.
However, if they only comment on such issues without explicitly calling for them, then they are pretty much safe.
For those interested in Saudi, following his blog and a few others is a must. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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| I hope he doesn't get into trouble for what he writes. |
I actually think that's quite unlikely.
Although I don't really follow his blog - and am therefore very open to correction - from what I have read of it, he does not overstep the real red lines, such as questioning the Sauds' right to rule. If I'm not wrong, he never ever criticises any of the princes by name, and often praises current or former rulers of the Kingdom. Sure, he criticizes such things as segregation or the driving ban and other elements of Saudi society, but such subjects have been openly broached in the Saudi press for a few years now. A lot of what he writes would not be out of place in the Arab News. Of course, many in the Kingdom, including the still influential ulema, would not be at all pleased at what he writes, and he could yet go too far for their liking. But I really don't think the royals would be too fazed by his blog - in fact, they might quite like it, since it gives a 'liberal' and 'moderate' impression of Saudi society - something which at least some elements in the royal family are trying to push at the moment. |
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BobbyBan
Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 201
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| Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 10:06 am Post subject: |
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| He's certainly critical of Wahabism which I would have thought a dangerous topic. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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He's certainly critical of Wahabism which I would have thought a dangerous topic. |
As I've said, this would certainly upset some people, but these days the Saudi press frequently criticises 'religious extremism' , so his critiques of "Wahabism" (a term never officially used in KSA) aren't considered that outlandish anymore. Direct criticism of the royal family, nhowever, would be another matter entirely. |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Cleopatra wrote: |
...a term never officially used in KSA...ah, THE LOVE THAT DARE NOT SPEAK ITS NAME!
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NCTBA  |
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BobbyBan
Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 201
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| Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2009 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Cleopatra wrote: |
| As I've said, this would certainly upset some people, but these days the Saudi press frequently criticises 'religious extremism' , so his critiques of "Wahabism" (a term never officially used in KSA) aren't considered that outlandish anymore. |
I was using his own term:
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| Some Saudis who went to Indonesia to help the Asian tsunami victims have decided to take the chance to spread their Wahhabism. Instead of giving food, they started giving hijabs! For God�s sake! Can�t you just help those people and leave? They need food and shelter, not your radical ideas. |
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So when I heard Sheikh Salman al-Awdah speaking on his TV show last week on the permissibility of such celebrations I was sure that he would get a lot a of heat for that statement. Al-Awdah, a former poster boy of Sahwa, has been increasingly distancing himself from the official religious establishment of the country, promoting more tolerant fatwas and opinions that obviously deviates from orthodox Wahhabism. His new approach gained him some popularity with the public, but not much from the old guard who seemed to ignore him.
This time, however, they think that he has gone too far. The matter of birthdays and anniversaries, silly and insignificant as it may sound, was just too much for them that the Grand Mufti himself came out saying �such a call is against righteousness.� Other scholars such as Sheikh Abdullah Al-Manie said al-Awdah made a mistake and urged him to retract what he had said.
The Wahhabis� rationale (if you can call it that) for their contempt of celebrating birthdays and anniversaries is because they consider it to be in imitation of non-Muslim practices, but they don�t go out of their way to explain what is exactly so un-Islamic about it. The lame excuse of imitating others is xenophobic, but that is of course not surprising because xenophobia is very characteristic of Wahhabism.
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Anyway, good luck to him. |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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I like the news that the Grand Mufti likened cousin Wally, er, al-Wally to that of being a dope dealer!
Can't ya jes' feel the love!
NCTBA |
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