Destroying archeological sites: what ISIS and Saudis have in common

Science and Technology
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Today I read a translation of this article] in my Sunday’s paper:

The initial phase of Mecca’s destruction began in the mid-1970s, and I was there to witness it. Innumerable ancient buildings, including the Bilal mosque, dating from the time of the Prophet Muhammad, were bulldozed. The old Ottoman houses, with their elegant mashrabiyas — latticework windows — and elaborately carved doors, were replaced with hideous modern ones. Within a few years, Mecca was transformed into a “modern" city with large multilane roads, spaghetti junctions, gaudy hotels and shopping malls. The few remaining buildings and sites of religious and cultural significance were erased more recently. The Makkah Royal Clock Tower, completed in 2012, was built on the graves of an estimated 400 sites of cultural and historical significance, including the city’s few remaining millennium-old buildings. Bulldozers arrived in the middle of the night, displacing families that had lived there for centuries. The complex stands on top of Ajyad Fortress, built around 1780, to protect Mecca from bandits and invaders. The house of Khadijah, the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad, has been turned into a block of toilets. The Makkah Hilton is built over the house of Abu Bakr, the closest companion of the prophet and the first caliph.
From the article: From elsewhere: See also Wikipedia: Destruction of early Islamic heritage sites in Saudi Arabia]
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Strange actions for those who revere their prophet, especially the buildings of those who helped to found their religion. With all of that modernization one would think that human traffic patterns wouldn’t be a problem. “Stoning the Devil” ironically cost them over 700 lives. Apparently this is an ongoing problem with the Hajj.
Cap’t Jack

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Strange actions for those who revere their prophet, especially the buildings of those who helped to found their religion. With all of that modernization one would think that human traffic patterns wouldn't be a problem. "Stoning the Devil" ironically cost them over 700 lives. Apparently this is an ongoing problem with the Hajj. Cap't Jack
F It's what happens when a religion teaches that god is in charge and will make everything all right and when anything " bad" happens, it was just god's will and he had a reason. An extremely dangerous and destructive notion that infects all theistic religion. Lois
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It’s what happens when a religion teaches that god is in charge and will make everything all right and when anything " bad" happens, it was just god’s will and he had a reason. An extremely dangerous and destructive notion that infects all theistic religion.
While I don't disagree with your statement Lois, I believe that this incident indicates a haphazard regard for human life and bad crowd control. Apparently they use elements of the Saudi army (undertrained soldiers in their teens) to maintain control of the millions of pilgrims who stream into Mecca from all over the World as is required by those who are able to make it, and millions converge on the spot. That may be why the Saudis cleared out the ancient shrines, not specifically to destroy them in an IS "let's wipe out all Pagan history" scenario but to make way for the crowds, many of whom have lots of bucks to add to the economy. If that's the case then they're following Mammon after all and not their prophet. Cap't Jack
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It’s what happens when a religion teaches that god is in charge and will make everything all right and when anything " bad" happens, it was just god’s will and he had a reason. An extremely dangerous and destructive notion that infects all theistic religion.
While I don't disagree with your statement Lois, I believe that this incident indicates a haphazard regard for human life and bad crowd control. Apparently they use elements of the Saudi army (undertrained soldiers in their teens) to maintain control of the millions of pilgrims who stream into Mecca from all over the World as is required by those who are able to make it, and millions converge on the spot. That may be why the Saudis cleared out the ancient shrines, not specifically to destroy them in an IS "let's wipe out all Pagan history" scenario but to make way for the crowds, many of whom have lots of bucks to add to the economy. If that's the case then they're following Mammon after all and not their prophet. Cap't Jack
Yes, but following the prophet is their rationale. Lois
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I’m not saying that is not the overarching reason for attending the Hajj, my point is that it seems the real reason for knocking down their holy shrines is to make more room for the participants. What other reason would there be other than the practical one?
Cap’t Jack

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Apparently they use elements of the Saudi army (undertrained soldiers in their teens) to maintain control of the millions of pilgrims who stream into Mecca from all over the World as is required by those who are able to make it, and millions converge on the spot. That may be why the Saudis cleared out the ancient shrines, not specifically to destroy them in an IS "let's wipe out all Pagan history" scenario but to make way for the crowds, many of whom have lots of bucks to add to the economy. If that's the case then they're following Mammon after all and not their prophet.
Of course, it is not just vandalism, as with the IS. And if you know that the Muslims are supposed to walk around the Kabaa making a multilevel construction makes logistically sense. But there were also many more buildings around it, that were destroyed. Did you read the Wikipedia article? This is a great example: Before: After: I think the best explanation is egomania of the Saudis. And Islam is supposed to mean submission... The Saudis submission to Allah? Or do the Saudi expect submission from the pilgrims? At least, the Saudis can look down on the pilgrims very well: