Wow.....

[patgund]

This *is* a surprise. Mostly because KSA tends to lean on other countries in the region on not allowing such. It's not a surprise it would be Qatar that would take the first step at such.

 Christian church rises in Arabia (al-Jazeera)

"Work has begun on the construction of Qatar's first purpose-built church in the desert outside Doha, the country's capital.

Although the country's native inhabitants are entirely Muslim - and are prohibited by law from converting to another faith - the new Catholic church will cater to the large number of Christian migrants who have come to the Arabia Gulf state in search of work.

Roman Catholics from all over the Arabian Peninsula - many of them migrant workers - are helping to pay for the $15m building, which is scheduled to open at the end of the year.

Overseeing the church is Paul Hinder, the Catholic Church's Bishop of Arabia. A Christian in the heart of the Muslim world, his diocese is the entire Arabian peninsular, encompassing six countries."

Comments

[oedi.livejournal.com]

I hope it looks better than the Cathedral in Los Angeles.

[tepintzin.livejournal.com]

It doesn't surprise me that this is being built by the Philipino servitors. They won't be denied their place of worship, and good on them for producing one. Better on Qatar for allowing it.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

For all the jokes about "Welcome to Qatar, a fully-owned subsiduary of the al-Thani family", I *do* have to give the al-Thani family credit for being a very moderate-to-"liberal" voice in the region, (they have a unoffical, but well used, relationship with Israel for example), and they have a decided habit of trying to make things better for their expat community in Qatar. And if it can tweak the 800 lb gorilla to the west (KSA) so much the better.

It's impressive they're allowing this, as any religious structure *has* to be approved by Qatari government. But it also doesn't surprise me that it's Qatar doing this. The Bar or UAE wouldn't do it unless there was a business reason for it. Qatar tends to have a bit more of a humanitarian view.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

And, knowing the al-Thani family, I suspect there was either some donation of land or money as well. Both to make the Pinoy & Indian expats happy (and a happy worker makes more money for the al-Thani family), and because their pride dicates that anything like this *has* to be the best in the region.

[silkensteel.livejournal.com]

I'm intrigued that your viewpoint is so even-handed, even positive, given the negativity you expressed while you were living there. Or perhaps the problem you had was with individuals, where you can see that the Whole is better than the individual parts.

[patgund.livejournal.com]

Most of the negativity I had was directed mostly towards my employer, and to a certain extent towards the less savory aspects of the culture. And a fair amount was the isolation.

However, I came though with some positive aspects too. So I suspect I can afford to be somewhat even-handed.

[loli-cat.livejournal.com]

Overseeing the church is Paul Hinder, the Catholic Church's Bishop of Arabia. A Christian in the heart of the Muslim world, his diocese is the entire Arabian peninsular, encompassing six countries."

And since at least one country doesn't even HAVE a church, I wonder how many churches are in the diocese?? Less than a dozen, I'd bet...