True Religion
Aside from the occasional reference to outrigger canoe paddling (we started practice again last night and I am sore this morning), Business Beyond the Reef generally sticks to business. But, just as we did when BBR was a radio show, our definition of business can be broad and today’s risky topic is religion. But with an international slant that can impact how and where you do business.
Most of the media I see is entranced with any event in the Western world that seems to discriminate against Muslims. I suppose this is a natural response to Islamic claims that the United States launched a crusade when the Bush Administration rushed into Iraq and Afghanistan. Besides, western press thrives on bad news, and loves to beat up on its own countries. We see stories ranging from ill-advised cartoons in Denmark to banning minarets in Switzerland, and editorial writers preach to us ignorant readers that we should be more tolerant. I’ve got no problem with that. But it must work both ways. Islamic and other countries must also tolerate western religions if they expect reciprocity.
The European edition of the Wall Street Journal ran an op-ed piece January 8 entitled “Islamic Christianophobia” that should be read by anybody who is internationally active, not withstanding your own personal religious beliefs. The editorial is based on the Open Doors 2010 World Watch List, which purports to rank countries in order of their discrimination against Christianity. The premise leaves me skeptical because the list is compiled by an openly Christian ministry that I doubt is entirely unbiased. My takeaway, however, is that westerners, including international businesspeople, may be insufficiently aware of how one-sided the Islamic-Christian debates in western media have been. That tide may be turning. In recent days, there have been a spate of articles about church burnings in Malaysia over a court decision to allow Christians to use the word “Allah”, and there was reporting on the murder of seven Coptic Christians by Muslim extremists in Egypt.
Banned Together? (source: http://www.crossed-flag-pins.com)
But very little is said, for instance, about Saudi Arabia’s absolute ban on public Christian worship. We’re not just talking about banning steeples, but banning the existence of churches. The Swiss banned minarets, not mosques. (In a delicious bit of irony – and inconsistency – Saudi religious authorities have called for a boycott of Switzerland.) The Maldives require that all citizens must be Muslim. In several places, conversion from Islam to another religion can mean the death penalty. Tolerance needs to work in all directions, folks. I believe that is a corollary to the “Golden Rule” that is preached by both Islam and Christianity. Most extremists argue to go “back to basics”, but I don’t think they mean the Golden Rule.
Despite the subject, this is definitely Business Beyond the Reef. A company cannot be fully effective internationally without being aware of the religious and other cultural influences in the markets it is attempting to penetrate. This can extend from decisions to position an expat in a foreign market, to choices made in packaging and labeling of your products. Be aware – and be tolerant.
