Article from the Saudi Gazette....

Just looked over a newsletter sent out by the company I work for here in the Kingdom...the Ministry of Education has ordered all privately owned schools to remove images of pigs and musical instruments from English Language teaching materials. Seems that the materials must conform to Islamic teachings - and that the minister has asked all regional directors to ensure that this policy is followed immediately.

Religion plays a huge role in the lives of those that are followers of the Islamic faith in the Kingdom - the King is the "custodian of the holy sites" and there are the religious police (mutawas) that ensure that Islamic customs and traditions are followed to the letter of the law (they get their marching orders from the local imam's and the Ministry for the Protection of Virtue and the Prosecution of Vice - yes, that is what it is called). The mutawas are dressed distinctly from an ordinary Saudi male, and they are not afraid to enforce Islamic Law - event to the point of shops and businesses closing down for prayers throughout the day.

Living here is opening my eyes to what life is really like in a society where religion plays a role in just about every aspect of daily life. I'm assuming that life in the former Soviet Union and other communist states must have been something like this - with "big brother" ensuring that you follow what is acceptable for society...