This is not meant to start a political argument its just an obsevation from someone living in the Muslim world. In Australia there is currently a push by the politically correct not to celebrate xmas, sing carols in schools etc. as it may be offensive to certain minorities. Over here in the shopping malls or in many of the large retail stores they have window displays, Xmas trees , sell mince pies, Xmas cakes and even play carols. I listen to Xmas promotions on the radio driving home from work and the big hotels are now advertising their Xmas functions. Funny but the Omanis although devout followers of Islam dont appear to be in the least bit offended by people who choose to celebrate their own festivals - maybe we could learn something from them.
Merry xmas and stay safe on the roads - its going to be pretty dry over here as Im still battling the authorities to get my alcohol license which would let me buy and transport alcohol from the only bottle shop In Sohar.
cheers
BB
Desert Dweller said
08:02 AM Dec 13, 2017
That's one of the best, most interesting posts on this forum for the whole year, congratulations.
It's a pity all of the sticklers for political correctness in Australia won't see your post.
Merry CHRISTmas to you & once again, well said!
dorian said
08:31 AM Dec 13, 2017
By way of contrast, I'm reminded of this stupid, ignorant rant by Alan Jones:
-- Edited by dorian on Wednesday 13th of December 2017 08:32:36 AM
moamajohn said
09:22 AM Dec 13, 2017
I agree with DD.BB has given us an awareness that I think has surprised many of us including me .Cheers and Merry Xmas to all.
Explorer said
11:01 PM Dec 13, 2017
Desert Dweller wrote:
That's one of the best, most interesting posts on this forum for the whole year, congratulations.
It's a pity all of the sticklers for political correctness in Australia won't see your post.
Merry CHRISTmas to you & once again, well said!
In Greek X is the abbreviation for Christ.
Lancelot Link said
02:10 AM Dec 14, 2017
The foreign dollar and expertise is good for them, why not give the foreigners what they want! Not being nasty, but realistically, the dollar is the dollar and what better time to exploit than Christmas? Does Belmont Bear get very far from the areas where the Christmas Goodies are, like where the real people live, those that serve the food that is eaten, or where are the second rate citizens? Sorry, cannot believe everything is so fine there! Has to be the difference between the haves and the have nots! A country like Oman has to have a pathetic lower class of people that cannot even afford a Christmas dinner!
Desert Dweller said
04:41 AM Dec 14, 2017
Explorer wrote:
Desert Dweller wrote:
That's one of the best, most interesting posts on this forum for the whole year, congratulations.
It's a pity all of the sticklers for political correctness in Australia won't see your post.
Merry CHRISTmas to you & once again, well said!
In Greek X is the abbreviation for Christ.
We're not in Greece mate. The only XXXX's I write at CHRISTmas is kisses on cards to family. In that case it could be KISSmas.
The Belmont Bear said
10:37 PM Dec 14, 2017
Lancelot Link wrote:
The foreign dollar and expertise is good for them, why not give the foreigners what they want! Not being nasty, but realistically, the dollar is the dollar and what better time to exploit than Christmas? Does Belmont Bear get very far from the areas where the Christmas Goodies are, like where the real people live, those that serve the food that is eaten, or where are the second rate citizens? Sorry, cannot believe everything is so fine there! Has to be the difference between the haves and the have nots! A country like Oman has to have a pathetic lower class of people that cannot even afford a Christmas dinner!
Lancelot I was on a 2 day 1000km car trip Sohar, Muscat, Niswah, ibri and back through the mountains down to the coast at Sohar. Pull out a map sometime and you may see that most of these places are not on the typical tourist circuit for westerners I can also assure you that they probably have enough oil wealth of their own not to have to chase western tourists for their Xmas $. You seem to have missed my point I didnt say that everyone in Oman skipped around holding hands the post was only an observation about a devout moslem nation not seeming to be as offended by Xmas as some people back in Australia would have us believe. To answer your question yes there are the haves and have nots but like most Arab countries the have nots usually come from places like Pakistan, India,Bangladesh, Philippines, Thailand etc. as lowly paid indentured labourers because the Arabs dont want to do what they consider to be unskilled low level work. I interact everyday with these people and at all different levels of privilege so my friend I dont really care what you believe or what you base your conclusions on because Im actually over here experiencing life in the Sultanate of Oman first hand.
cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 14th of December 2017 10:40:27 PM
Gaylehere said
07:40 AM Dec 15, 2017
All very interesting BB. Thanks for the insight,.
meetoo said
12:47 AM Dec 16, 2017
Hi BB. I might as well be over there with you. We are looking at 40C coming the next few days.
Hope you are having an extraordinary time while you are there.
Cheers, John.
RustyD said
02:46 PM Dec 16, 2017
Desert Dweller wrote:
Explorer wrote:
Desert Dweller wrote:
That's one of the best, most interesting posts on this forum for the whole year, congratulations.
It's a pity all of the sticklers for political correctness in Australia won't see your post.
Merry CHRISTmas to you & once again, well said!
In Greek X is the abbreviation for Christ.
We're not in Greece mate. The only XXXX's I write at CHRISTmas is kisses on cards to family. In that case it could be KISSmas.
And here I always thought XXXX was Queenslandic for Beer.
Desert Dweller said
06:37 PM Dec 16, 2017
RustyD wrote:
Desert Dweller wrote:
Explorer wrote:
Desert Dweller wrote:
That's one of the best, most interesting posts on this forum for the whole year, congratulations.
It's a pity all of the sticklers for political correctness in Australia won't see your post.
Merry CHRISTmas to you & once again, well said!
In Greek X is the abbreviation for Christ.
We're not in Greece mate. The only XXXX's I write at CHRISTmas is kisses on cards to family. In that case it could be KISSmas.
And here I always thought XXXX was Queenslandic for Beer.
They only used 4X because they couldn't spell BEER mate!
This is not meant to start a political argument its just an obsevation from someone living in the Muslim world. In Australia there is currently a push by the politically correct not to celebrate xmas, sing carols in schools etc. as it may be offensive to certain minorities. Over here in the shopping malls or in many of the large retail stores they have window displays, Xmas trees , sell mince pies, Xmas cakes and even play carols. I listen to Xmas promotions on the radio driving home from work and the big hotels are now advertising their Xmas functions. Funny but the Omanis although devout followers of Islam dont appear to be in the least bit offended by people who choose to celebrate their own festivals - maybe we could learn something from them.
Merry xmas and stay safe on the roads - its going to be pretty dry over here as Im still battling the authorities to get my alcohol license which would let me buy and transport alcohol from the only bottle shop In Sohar.
cheers
BB
That's one of the best, most interesting posts on this forum for the whole year, congratulations.
It's a pity all of the sticklers for political correctness in Australia won't see your post.
Merry CHRISTmas to you & once again, well said!
By way of contrast, I'm reminded of this stupid, ignorant rant by Alan Jones:
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s4754066.htm
-- Edited by dorian on Wednesday 13th of December 2017 08:32:36 AM
In Greek X is the abbreviation for Christ.
The foreign dollar and expertise is good for them, why not give the foreigners what they want! Not being nasty, but realistically, the dollar is the dollar and what better time to exploit than Christmas? Does Belmont Bear get very far from the areas where the Christmas Goodies are, like where the real people live, those that serve the food that is eaten, or where are the second rate citizens? Sorry, cannot believe everything is so fine there! Has to be the difference between the haves and the have nots! A country like Oman has to have a pathetic lower class of people that cannot even afford a Christmas dinner!
We're not in Greece mate. The only XXXX's I write at CHRISTmas is kisses on cards to family. In that case it could be KISSmas.
Lancelot I was on a 2 day 1000km car trip Sohar, Muscat, Niswah, ibri and back through the mountains down to the coast at Sohar. Pull out a map sometime and you may see that most of these places are not on the typical tourist circuit for westerners I can also assure you that they probably have enough oil wealth of their own not to have to chase western tourists for their Xmas $. You seem to have missed my point I didnt say that everyone in Oman skipped around holding hands the post was only an observation about a devout moslem nation not seeming to be as offended by Xmas as some people back in Australia would have us believe. To answer your question yes there are the haves and have nots but like most Arab countries the have nots usually come from places like Pakistan, India,Bangladesh, Philippines, Thailand etc. as lowly paid indentured labourers because the Arabs dont want to do what they consider to be unskilled low level work. I interact everyday with these people and at all different levels of privilege so my friend I dont really care what you believe or what you base your conclusions on because Im actually over here experiencing life in the Sultanate of Oman first hand.
cheers
BB
-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 14th of December 2017 10:40:27 PM
Hi BB. I might as well be over there with you. We are looking at 40C coming the next few days.
Hope you are having an extraordinary time while you are there.
Cheers, John.
And here I always thought XXXX was Queenslandic for Beer.
They only used 4X because they couldn't spell BEER mate!