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I have a friend that use to live in Saudi Arabia.  She has been my friend for 35 plus years, and she moved to Saudi a few years after we met.  We were roommates at the time of her move.

She lived over there for 10 plus years, and moved back to Houston as I was moving to Orange over 20 years ago.  When she and her husband would come to the States for their vacation, she would tell me all the rules they had to follow over there.  I should say all the rules she had to follow.

Outside their compound, she had to walk three feet behind her husband.  When they would catch the bus somewhere, she would have to get on the back of the bus, while her husband got on at the front.

If she walked down the street, and her top was not long enough to cover her booty over her jeans, the fashion police would spray-paint her cloths, or paint her bare arms.  (Yes, there really are fashion police!)

She would bring me copies of J.C. Penny catalogs, that she would get in the mail in Saudi, and most of it was blacked out.  Anyone modeling clothes and showing their arms, legs or face, would be blacked out.  They made their own beer, had bootleg movies, and once their daughter got to high school age, they moved back due to she would have to go to a controlled dorm away from her parents.

I did read that in 2018 they allowed women to drive, and are relaxing on their rules.  I could go on about the censorship, but you get the idea.

The Saudi Government had/has control on what the citizens see, and how they act.  Well, look out United States, it’s coming.

Anytime I go to a web site to see something on antibiotics (or other items) and the heading is negative, the text is gone.  You can Google antibiotics, and find all the good and positive notes and even the side effects, but when it comes to talking about how too many antibiotic medications are destroying our immune system, it’s been removed; just the title is there.

I listen to a pastor that is not in favor of the vaccine for COVID, (jdfarag.com).  According to Farag, Youtube removed his video about the vaccine and told him he had one strike, and after three they would shut his Youtube down.  So, now what he does is air the first part of his message on Youtube – careful not to say anything that would be politically incorrect – and then lets the listeners know where they can finish the rest of the message; where he can freely speak.

It does not matter if you agree with him or not – on the message – it is just wrong.

Censorship at it’s highest by Youtube.

You might be thinking, “oh, that’s not really that big of a deal”, but it is.  It is a big deal because anyone that does not agree with the popular thoughts, turns out to be the outcast.

True Christians do not have the popular thoughts.

We will no longer be able to voice our opinions, whether they are wrong or right.  That’s what an opinion is – your way of looking at things; your thoughts; your beliefs.  Everyone should be able to voice, and have their opinions, as long as they are not doing it in a violent way.

Yes, we probably all get upset if someone does not think like we do, but that still does not change the fact that they are entitled to that belief, or opinion.

While my friend lived in Saudi, she followed their rules.  She still had her opinion, but was not able to voice it.  She moved back to the states for that freedom, only now watching it slip away.

I try to list scriptures for this column, along with various other resources to show why I believe the way I do.  Everything we come in contact with, shapes our lives and the way we think.  That is why Joshua 1:8 tells us to meditate on God’s word day and night. So we can stay in truth, which will affect our opinion in a positive light.

Also remember if you are sharing your opinion of God’s word – Matthew 5:11 & 12 tells us – ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Don’t get angry with people if they disagree with you.  Remember to share your beliefs in kindness, and for the Lord – not for your own gain.

Tell people it’s your thoughts and beliefs and why.

Then give them the privilege to have their own.

God plans on dealing with all of us in the end.

 

Karen Y. Stevens, Founder, Orange County Writers Guild