Saudi reforms detour through Vienna faith center

[No Elephants]

The body of the story specifies that the center is not that of the Saudi government, so the headline is deceptive.

Saudi reforms detour through Vienna faith center
y Tom Heneghan, Religion Editor

VIENNA | Wed Nov 21, 2012 4:33pm EST

(Reuters) - The road to reform in Saudi Arabia is long and winding. In the rigidly restricted field of religion, the path is so circuitous that part of it even runs through traditionally Catholic countries like Austria and Spain.

Next Monday, a pioneering Saudi-backed centre for worldwide interfaith dialogue will open in a baroque palace on Vienna's elegant Ringstrasse boulevard. Riyadh paid for the building and will foot the centre's budget for the first three years.

After about ten paragraphs of going on about Saudi Arabia, Riyadh and the king of Saudi Arabic, we learn.....

NOT A SAUDI CENTRE

Although launched by Riyadh and named the King Abdullah International Centre for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), bin Muaammar stressed it is not a Saudi entity.

"This is an international institution," he said. "About 70 percent of the world's religions are on its board. The centre will be a neutral place to exchange ideas."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/21/us-religion-interfaith-centre-idUSBRE8AK0NG20121121

I do not think this center is what they want us to think it is.

[Enthusiast]

1. You think it is not a center for interfaith dialogue?

What would you say it is? I do not trust Reuters, as I said. And, I think, Europeans, like Americans, are sometimes overly suspicious of the motives of Muslims.

[No Elephants]

2. I think the people who are actually behind it may not be Saudis or Muslims.

Could be anyone who persuaded the king to provide the initial financing, even us.