End of the Line? Saudi Arabia to scale back plans for desert megacity

Re:End of the Line? Saudi Arabia to scale back plans for des... by delta_p_delta_x on Thursday April 11, 2024 @09:08AM (#40001679)

I have a problem when governments decide it is perfectly alright to interfere in how citizens should conduct their religion or even what religion they should follow, which I believe is a deeply personal affair. I have a problem when there is no separation of state and religion, and when said governments regularly criminalise (up to capital punishment) things like apostasy and blasphemy, which are decidedly mediaeval attitudes.

It so happens that the large majority of these governments are in Muslim-majority countries, where Islam is the 'state religion' (I have a problem with 'state religions' too). Therefore, a reasonable conclusion: it is that particular religion that demands these of its adherents (and worse, non-adherents), and therefore, I mistrust it.

> a number of North African countries as well

For the record, I have little problem with Tunisia.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:End of the Line? Saudi Arabia to scale back plans for des... by graemep on Thursday April 11, 2024 @11:14AM (#40003083)

> criminalise (up to capital punishment) things like apostasy and blasphemy, which are decidedly mediaeval attitudes.

Another HN post today motivated me to look up the history of British blasphemy law and it turns out it was not medieval. Criminal blasphemy laws appeared right at the end of the Middle Ages (at least in England and Wales) so are mostly modern. Before that the punishment for blasphemy was excommunication.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:End of the Line? Saudi Arabia to scale back plans for des... by zaphirplane on Thursday April 11, 2024 @09:54AM (#40002180)

> delta_p_delta_x

> I'll be frank: I have a deep mistrust of any culture present in the Arabian peninsula since about 632 CE.

Enough said. This isn’t an informed opinion

[ Parent | on HN ]