I agree, both sides have a valid point. It is a matter of degree, when and where one should draw the line.
I live in another country that has some human rights issues. I have very strong personal views about Tibet, and my family like just about every family during the cultural revolution has some pretty serious scars. But, I’m with Paul and Kimstu, be upfront about it.
This ain’t your country. Encourage your beliefs, discourage that you disagree with, and outright protest/civil disobeiance you should check at the border. Those who do so make it tough for the rest of us to either help enact change or just live our own fucking lives here.
I’ve been on the wrong end of attention because of religious nutjob prostelyzing dickheads had to go and blatantly stir up a hornets nest.
The mark of a nutjob is to die honorably for a cause. That of a hero to live quietly for a cause.
And tthat, in most cases, will achieve nothing. I must disagree here. Let’s assume that the concealed action is undisputably moral. For instance, you try to sneak in relief aid for a blatantly persecuted minority. I must say that lying on your visa application, to your employer, etc… and actually achieving something important is much more moral IMO than just telling the truth and achieving nothing.
Yes, there are some very rare cases, historically, when open civil disobedience achieved something. In general, such a thing at best achieve nothing, at worst gets you in a jail or in front of a firing squad. Generally speaking (actually in almost all cases) acting secretely is the way to go.
And if the cause is important enough, a lie to your employer is really of no moral consequence. I’ve no moral qualms not respecting a law on a moral basis and openly lying about it (actually, I already did so, though it couldn’t achieve anything…I just didn’t see the point of facing the IMO morally reprehensible legal consequences).
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi]
I honestly think a personal-use Bible is no problem. On the other hand the law often is what that particular guy says it is that day.
QUOTE]
After the Saudi mutaween police prevented the school girls from leaving a burning building because they didn’t have their head coverings I believe it may very well be the case that the law is whatever the guy says it is at the time.
I can’t imagine a more backward place and I sure as hell wouldn’t bring a box full of bibles in to piss them off.
The school fire on 11 March, 2002 enraged the Saudi public. Absolute rage. Still, the truth is more complex than than the snapshot.
First off, people claiming to be associated the The Committee (for the Promotion of Virtue and the Suppression of Vice, a.k.a The Religious Police) got in the way of the rescue and so fifteen girls died.
On the other hand, the RP do not have uniforms. Anyone can claim to be a member. Bullies like to that. Further, once the real police arrived, they arrested the troublemakers and rescued them from the crowd.
The Committee denied the fools were associated with them. Nobody really believes that though. The Committee has been laying low ever since.
The Presidency for Girls Education was also at fault the building (a rented apartment building) was unsafe. Like every building around here the exits were blocked or locked. The President tried to solve the problem by buying off journalists with gifts. That backfired and the journalists squealed.
More public rage. The Presidency was disbanded and folded into the Ministry of Education.
Of course that does not bring the dead back. Still, it was a remarkable time to be in the Kingdom.
I think people underestimate how much a “backward” society like Saudi Arabia benefits and can progress just from having well behaved foreigners living there. The option naturally being a Meiji Japan that isolated foreigners.
The fact that Paul in Saudi for example has constant contact with saudis will change there country and citizens MUCH MUCH more than some dumb bible basher being provocative and disruptive. Nothing dispels stereotypes and negative images and living side by side with those that are different and respectfully.
I understand that people might think that the Saudi Laws should be attacked... but that would hardly change their society. While a constant contact will surely erode their "bad" ways. I very much doubt that those bibles would have much of an impact even if they converted someone... or if they promoted the idea of "free speech". If you don't work with them... how will their society change ? Not by force.
Hey I'd love to torch and force change on the bible belt just as much as the next liberal... but we surely agree that won't change their ways.certainly legal.
certainly imprudent.
Unless you jones for associate membership in the Salman Rushdie Society for Involuntary Reclusives