Christmas with the Oil Ticks

Sun, Dec 26, 2004 at 5:45:08 pm PST

If the problems within Islam all stem from a tiny minority of extremists, why is the Saudi royal family concerned, according to a rare moment of honesty from the Associated Press, with having their “Islamic credentials” questioned? Where Is Christmas in Saudi Arabia? (Hat tip: nonesuch.)

The government, fearful of having its Islamic credentials questioned because of a serious crackdown on Islamic militants, has given religious police more leeway when it comes to clamping down on religious contraband.

But not only the government shuns religious symbols. Medical workers say some Saudi patients refuse to take some medications because they mistake the cross-like indentation in tablets for religious crosses.

The bans go beyond Christian symbols. Small statues of Buddha are confiscated at airports, and Buddha pictures on a popular CD have been colored over. Ironically, a CD of Gregorian chants sitting next to it was left untouched.