Is it true that if you are in the military and serving in Saudi Arabia you are told not to wear religious jewelry?

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I was talking to a friend last night and she mention she heard the military is not allowed to wear a simple cross around their neck since it is a Muslim country. Is this true or a myth? Asked by LouLou 44 months ago Similar questions: true military serving Saudi Arabia told wear religious jewelry Society > Religion & Spirituality.

Similar questions: true military serving Saudi Arabia told wear religious jewelry.

So I have been told. Saudi Arabia is very intolerant of all other religions. Saudi Arabia is essentially a theocracy."The Government views its interpretation of Islamic law as its sole source of guidance on human rights.

In 2000, the Government approved the October legislation, which the Government claimed would address some of its obligations under the Convention Against Torture or Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. " en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia Obviously, its strict interpretation of Islamic law doesn’t leave much room for non-Islamic religions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wahhabi "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an Islamic theocratic monarchy in which Islam is the official religion; the law requires that all Saudi citizens be Muslims.

Religious freedom is virtually non-existent. The Government does not provide legal recognition or protection for freedom of religion, and it is severely restricted in practice. The public practice of non-Muslim religions is prohibited.

As a matter of policy, the Government guarantees and protects the right to private worship for all, including non-Muslims who gather in homes for religious practice; however, this right is not always respected in practice and is not defined in law. Moreover, the public practice of non-Muslim religions is prohibited.1 The Saudi Mutaween (Arabic:?), or Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (i.e. , the religious police), enforces the prohibition on the public practice of non-Muslim religions.

The Government claims to recognize the right of non-Muslims to worship in private; it does not always respect this right in practice." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Status_of_religious_freedom_in_Saudi_Arabia So public displays of belonging to another religion are not tolerated. I’m not defending them for their stone age intolerance, but you have to remember when T.E. Lawrence reached them less than a century ago, the Saudis were essentially a nomadic, desert people, largely untouched by civilization.

It takes time to become civilized. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T._E._Lawrence

Lawrence and his Arab troops on the march.
Emir Faisal at Versailles.

Lawrence is second from the right.

Sources: personal knowledge and cited above Snow_Leopard's Recommendations Inside the Kingdom: My Life in Saudi Arabia Amazon List Price: $13.95 Used from: $1.62 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 100 reviews) Saudi Arabia Exposed : Inside a Kingdom in Crisis, Updated Edition Amazon List Price: $13.95 Used from: $7.25 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 32 reviews) Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia Amazon List Price: $12.95 Used from: $1.00 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 298 reviews) Princess Sultana's Daughters Amazon List Price: $12.95 Used from: $12.95 Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (based on 82 reviews) .

When you are in uniform, you only wear what is allowed and a cross must be hidden underneath the uniform. On free time, you can dress as you wish, but you must be discreet. You can wear a cross, but you must also realize you are advertising the fact that you are a Christian in a Moslem country where terrorists abound.

You do not want to attract attention to yourself, nor do you wish to insult the citizens of the country that you are in. When you go off-post, women usually wear the abaya, especially in the more conservative areas, so if they wear a cross, it will be covered up and they must have a man as an escort. Women are not allowed out alone.

You cannot wear shorts, etc. , and show skin--you must dress appropriately wherever you are. Women are encouraged to wear long dresses with long sleeves and cover their heads if they do not wear the abaya (no pants). Women in the military can only wear their military uniform off-post when they are on official business.

This is showing respect for the customs of that country and to also avoid confrontation with the Saudi people. Here's an article that discusses how the military approach their Christian and Jewish religions while in Saudi: query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=... So, you can wear a cross or Star of David, but you wear it underneath your clothes. Divafluff's Recommendations Culture Shock!

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IT IS TRUE They are prohibited by law to declare any religious testaments unrelated to Islam either it is jewelry, books or cloth. That includes any of the following: men are prohibited to wear jewelry in general, and both genders are prohibited to wear simple crosses or any religious suggestive jewelry. Both genders are not allowed to wear revealing cloth.

Women should wear hijab covering the hair and body. Alcohol is prohibited pork is prohibited bibles or any book suggesting Christian related ideas is prohibited women are not allowed into areas restricted only to men Sources: a friend NO1ISIN's Recommendations Inside the Kingdom: My Life in Saudi Arabia Amazon List Price: $13.95 Used from: $1.70 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 100 reviews) Culture Shock! Saudi Arabia: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette (Culture Shock!

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Yes, it is true. It is against the law in Saudi Arabia to try to convert a Muslim from the Islamic religion. Just displaying religious jewelry can be considered an attempt at conversion.

Saudi Arabia has "religious police" that monitor this and arrest people that violate "religious law". Military members based in Saudi Arabia are given multiple briefings on what is allowed and not allowed off base. It is their country, and they make the rules.

There is no right to free speech or act on your religious faith there. The US has agreements with Saudi Arabia that military members will obey their laws, and can be subject to their punishments. They behead people for homosexuality, and cut off the hands of thieves, all in public as a deterrence for these acts.

For the most part, effort to conform to their laws will help smooth over minor, unintended infractions. Military members are required to remove religious jewelry and clothing when they are off base, in order to maintain good international relations. It is a sacrifice, but it is necessary to work together with them.

I hope this helps. Sources: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51609.htm .

I can not answer your question, but it certainly makes sense . If you're in a foreign country, where the laws of the US are not the governing law of the land, and especially a country known for religious intolerance, why would you wear religious jewelry? You might as well have a neon sign saying "Here I am, a stupid American.

Please come kidnap me, subject me to torture and kill me! ".

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