Question:
- Which religion will be NEOM's?
Everything else comes down from it.
- Which religion will be NEOM's?
Everything else comes down from it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism
EDIT: Not sure why I'm being downvoted here. The linked site is absolutely ridiculous in its lack of information which is a hallmark of concepts that overpromise via marketing and underdeliver by not shipping
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-secular-life/201410...
But I was not here to argue that. If this new "nation" wishes to be forward-thinking and open-mind-inviting, it needs to shake off the religion requirement.
Seems unlikely he'd be able to establish something that has no room for anything traditional, unclear what he really intends to do.
Still probably less controversial than what a truer answer would have been.
One, a conservative, was clearly perturbed by my answer and wanted to convert me, but lacked the English to do so. The best he could come up with was: "Muhammad Ali... strong! Muhammad Ali... Muslim!" Which I was happy to agree with, but just couldn't figure out how to make the next logical leap.
Another, a liberal, told me that Saudi Arabia was unfortunately not a great place for non-Muslims, but that Dubai was amazing, everybody was treated equally there. As far as he was concerned, there was no difference between religions, and the only thing that mattered was whether you were a good person.
Another pulled out a Black Sabbath tape that had been hidden under his seat, put it on, and started head-banging.
Anyhow, on the street, religion wasn't a subject that anyone was particularly discrete about. Interestly, in professional environments (I was there to attend the Jeddah Economic Forum), it was never mentioned at all.