Page 46 - Protestant Missionary Activity in the Arabian Gulf

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countries did have a profound effect upon the entire Arab

way of life particularljr in the post-World War II period.
on
In a society based^limited resources, personal generosity,

individual bravery, and nobility arising out of hardship and

a lifelong struggle for existence, the new-fangled cornucopia

was indeed a startling change. It is, in fact, highly ironic

'4* that the Arab Muslims should have been the inheritors of this

vast wealth, for management and control of vast riches is

one of the few. subjects not properly allowed for in the Koran.

How to husband and share scarce resources, yes; but how to

avoid corruption and decadence under an avalanche of over­

abundant riches, no. Thus the Arabs of the oil producing

states have had great difficulty in disposing of their new­

found wealth in a productive manner. Gaudy, cheap clothes

and mountains of portable radio sets soon flooded the Arab

markets, and shiny Cadillacs rolled over Persian carpets as
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their proud owners drove them around in aimless circles.

Western advisors were appointed with the sole job of help-

ing advise the government on how to budget and invest its

money, or even how to spend the money they had already
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budgeted. The Islamic way of life, which had before seemed

to be such a monolithic and all-encompassing life-style

was badly shaken by the introduction of these new gadgets

and powerful machines.

the missionaries were pleased by these
In one sense

developments. They could, after all, Scarcely criticize

the improvement of roads and communications, as well as