The myth of Islamic tolerance is invoked as proof that all the recent (and older) stories about Saudis persecuting Christians must be wrong.
“The Christians of Saudi Arabia, they’s a happy people. Always smilin’, always dancin’. It would upset ’em to be granted equal rights. They’d rather be dancin’ and singin’ than takin’ care of all the ree-sponsibilities they’d have in that case…”
“Saudis Deny Persecuting Christians,” from AP, with thanks to LGF:
CAIRO, Egypt – A Saudi official denied allegations that the kingdom has arrested and tortured Christians, saying such actions run counter to Islamic tolerance.
The remarks to the official Saudi Press Agency came in response to reports in Iranian papers of recent arrests.
The official, who spoke to SPA on condition of anonymity, said the allegations “don’t go with the principals [sic] and values of the kingdom and above all our tolerant Islamic belief which guarantees the rights of Muslims and residents of different religions and ethnicities alike.”
That official was later seen with a nose grown to at least six feet long. Even granting that Islamic belief allows for the practice of non-Muslim religions, albeit severely circumscribed, Saudi Arabia has always been different — ever since the Prophet Muhammad told his followers to allow only one religion on the Arabian Peninsula. And this official knows that. He is banking on Western ignorance and naive multiculturalist good will. And he will be able to get a lot of mileage out of those things.