I wasn't subjected to Sharia law, I wasn't forced to convert, I wasn't forced to pay a special tax as a non-Muslim, I didn't hear a single "Death to America" chant, didn't see any American flags burned, didn't see anyone rioting over cartoons, wasn't kidnapped, and wasn't beheaded. I did purchase and consume alcoholic beverages, purchased and consumed pork products, saw non-Muslims living aside Muslims with no problems, saw non-Muslims practice their religion(s) with no problems, saw women walking around unattended by men, saw women dressed sexily (even Muslim women) and in some cases scantily (bikinis) without being stoned or even criticized. I met a lot of friendly and helpful Muslims who even though I am unmistakably a westerner by my accent treated me with both courtesy and occasional curiosity. Those who think that Islam as practiced by the vast vast majority of Muslims is inherently violent and intolerant should travel and see much of the Muslim World.
You clearly have no idea what Saudi Arabia is like. (and i mean the whole country outside of the two sacred cities)
Actually I have been to Saudi Arabia and outside of the compounds. I was only a kid though and don't remember much of it except for a lot of sand and camels. Anyway Saudi Arabia doesn't make up the whole Islamic World. There are several several times more Muslims in Indonesia than there are in Saudi Arabia.
Sounds like Bali. I know several people who have lived in Indonesia (not just visited for a vacation), and one person who has been there many times and is just about to move there. There are clearly very different areas in Indonesia. Those where a certain radical form of a certain religion is most dominant are the least desirable to live in in terms of personal freedoms (e.g., Aceh). Also, the original post is very pretentious.
Yea Indonesia is the most populous islamic country, and its completely different from from saudi, wait all muslims aren't the same, infact the place with more muslims is far more liberal? Yea a lot of the strereotypes they try to paint as islamic are more cultural, infact sharia law itself is man made by the people trying to mix politics and religion. THe quran itself is only about 20 percent or less legislative in nature as well. Yea and even if you visit these countries for youself and talk to a majority of people, 10 years back 15 years back they would all love america and all wanted to go there, plenty still want to come here. There might be some people who are bitter or don't agree with foreign policy but you will rarely come across someone who is violent about it or wants to burn a flag or whatever as it seems to portray in the media that is something you see around every corner. Those images dehumanizes them when essentially y they are just like us, trying to make a living, take care of their family, so on. There are the bad ones who spoil it, but those are here and everywhere else as well.
The same can be said about Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, and all the other north African Islamic nations. And those countries are what is referred to as "the middle east" over here. The ridiculous difference between people's perception and reality regarding that area is comical.
This was on the Google news front page for the southeast asia section just yesterday: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5heAMZ7GWiTTq5QNW0kPGtTV_qlsg That said, Indonesia probably has more serious racial harmony problems than religious harmony problems.
I have been to Egypt and Dubai many times. While they could be considered as welcoming to tourists and as relatively "westernized" and relatively liberal, there are still examples of intolerance in these two countries (e.g., persecution of copts in Egypt or things like these in Dubai: The Government prohibits non-Muslims from proselytizing or distributing religious literature, under penalty of criminal prosecution, imprisonment, and deportation, as it constitutes engaging in behavior offensive to Islam. Muslim men may marry non-Muslim women "of the book," that is, Christian or Jewish women; however, Muslim women are not permitted to marry non Muslim men, unless the men convert to Islam. Because Islam does not consider the marriage between a non-Muslim man and a Muslim woman valid, both are subject to arrest, trial, and imprisonment on grounds of fornication. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_the_United_Arab_Emirates)
