According to the Middle East Media Research Institute Yemen has announced that in order to drain the swamps which breed Islamic extremists they intend to close down 20,000 religious schools which are not under government supervision.
On balance, in Yemen, and knowing what kind of hate-filled religious beliefs are often taught in these schools, this is no doubt a positive development, and one wishes Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries would do likewise. On the other hand, of course, we find ourselves uncomfortable applauding the general idea that government should supervise religious instruction.
Our discomfort raises some interesting questions. Will the first amendment right to freedom of religion only work in a predominantly Christian country? More concretely, has there ever been a non-Christian nation (or government) which genuinely guaranteed freedom of religion? Does Israel? Has any officially Muslim or atheistic government ever granted the freedom to worship and preach whatever religious belief we wished?
I confess I don't know the answers. Perhaps a reader might be able to edify us on the matter.
