Islamic Liberty

The next time one hears Muslims in the US or Europe whining about supposed infringements on their civil liberties (like, say, surveilling mosques at which Islamists recruit, or restricting immigration from Muslim nations), one might respond by pointing out the extend of personal freedoms allowed in Muslim countries. Take Saudi Arabia, for instance. Religious liberty is unknown in Islam’s Holy Land, not only for non-Muslims, but for Muslims foolish enough to say anything favorable about other religions. Before Muslims criticize their treatment in the West, where they are permitted to publicly practice their religion, let them first address the repression in their own lands.

A court in Saudi Arabia sentenced a teacher to 40 months in jail and 750 lashes for "mocking religion" after he discussed the Bible and praised Jews, a Saudi newspaper said on Sunday.

Al-Madina newspaper said secondary school teacher Mohammad al-Harbi will be flogged in public after he was taken to court by his colleagues and students.

He was charged with promoting a "dubious ideology, mocking religion, saying the Jews were right, discussing the gospel and preventing students from leaving class to wash for prayer", the newspaper said. It gave no more details.

Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, strictly upholds the austere Wahhabi school of Islam and bases its constitution on the Koran and the sayings of Prophet Mohammad. Public practice of any other religion is banned.

A U.S. State Department report criticised Saudi Arabia last week, saying religious freedoms "are denied to all but those who adhere to the state-sanctioned version of Sunni Islam".

The newspaper said Harbi will appeal against the verdict.

Note the line: "public practice of any other religion is banned." If the Islamists have their way, that stricture wouldn’t simply apply to Saudi Arabia, but to the entire world. Historically, Islam spread fastest when driven by the sword. That’s a point not lost on the Islamists, nor on most Muslims, who gleeful celebrate the mass murder of non-Muslims, but bray like stuck pigs when non-Muslims dare to return the favor.

Of course, Muslims have learned well the weakness and self-loathing of Western intellectuals, which is why they constantly complain that their rights are being violated. Such appeals – especially by non-Christian, non-whites – carry special currency with the politically correct ideologues of the West, producing spasms of ferocious self-hatred from white liberals who consider themselves and their culture the cause of all human suffering. It’s the perfect wedge with which to infiltrate and undercut Western culture, which was the point of multiculturalism all along.

Oh, and good luck with that appeal, Mr. Harbi. You’ll need it.