“It would be paradoxical and unnatural to approve financing coming from a country where religious freedom does not exist.” Indeed. If only American officials were as sensible as Ragnhild Imerslund. “Arctic mosque plan iced over Saudi funding,” from Agence France-Presse, November 9 (thanks to Barbara):
A plan to build the world’s north-most mosque has been halted after Norway refused to accept funding from an Arab donor, with the government on Monday citing a lack of religious freedom in his Saudi homeland.
“It would be paradoxical and unnatural to approve financing coming from a country where religious freedom does not exist,” said foreign ministry spokeswoman Ragnhild Imerslund.
The mosque in Tromsoe, a city in the Arctic Circle, is being funded in part by a donation from Saudi businessman Hamad al-Gamas, who has pledge 2.5 million euro ($3.5 million CDN)) to the project, according to reports in Norwegian media….