Stewardess Bible Ban

Westerners want to do business in Saudi Arabia because of its vast wealth and oil power. But what to do when their laws are an affront to freedoms of expression and belief that are basic human rights?

Those who understand religious history understand that the militant brand of Islam in ascendancy today has some of its origin in something called Wahhabism" or "Salafism" originated in Saudi Arabia. Its adherents do not call it Wahhabism, which is coined after its founder in the 1700s. The Wahhabis (or Salafis) have what many perceive as radical beliefs apparently codified in the laws of Saudi Arabia because of their domestic power there.

An interesting case is brewing in the UK over discrimination against Christian employees of British Midland Airways. The Telegraph site has an article on it. The employee is a stewardess of the airline and likes to carry the bible with her when she travels. The problem is that the Foreign Office of Saudi Arabia says: "The importation and use of narcotics, alcohol, pork products and religious books, apart from the Koran, and artefacts are forbidden" according to the Telegraph. So, instead of supporting the stewardess, the airline decided to protect its valuable franchise and stop her from carrying her bible when she is assigned the Saudi Arabia runs.

Should the airline quit Saudi Arabia because of this intolerance or buckle to it? This is not just about one stewardess. There likely are hundreds if not thousands of Christian employees affected by this capitulation, just one of whom has stood her ground. Unless the UK government defends the freedoms, the airline cannot stand alone. The only strategy that will promote stewardess's rights would be for the UK to ban the Saudi airline from the UK until Saudi respects human dignities desired by employees.